What’s the Difference of Chain Grades and How to Choose?

Industrial chains are the most used for overhead lifting, towing and tying downs applications, because they are extremely strong, super durable and flexible, in this article we will explain what and how to choose the chain grade for your rigging applications.

What is chain Grade?

In the past, people may use any type of chain, but in recent years, the ASTM (American Society of Testing & Materials), ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) and OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) have began to publish safety standards and regulations for the manufacturing, testing, use, inspection and repair of chain to differentiate between various materials and grades of chain and the specific applications they should be used for.

According to the Standards, the chain grade’s number or rating refers to the ultimate breaking strength it can handle per millimeter squared. There are five grades of chain: G30, G43, G70, G80, and G100. Grade 120 is a more stronger chain with a a bright, blue-coat finish and rectangular links, designed to fit the most extremely heavy duty application, but it is less common in the rigging industry. The higher the number, the stronger and the higher the WLL is, and the higher the strength-to-weight ratio.

You may heard “Grade 80 Alloy chain,” “Grade 70 chain”, “Grade 43 chain” or “Grade 30 chain” but don’t know what they meaning. It’s important to know the Grades of chain, for each Grade of chain is in several different strengths, and different applications, you can easily know which is better, for the higher numbers the grade is, generally there are six Grades of Chain and into three main steel materials: Grade 80 chain, Grade 100 chain, and Grade 120 chain for overhead lifting uses, Grade 70 chain for load securement and tie down applications, and Grade 43 chain and grade 30 chain for flatbed trucking industry .

Type of chain Grades

• Grade 100 chain, and Grade 120 overhead lifting chain

They are both made of high strength, heat treated alloy chain.
but the Grade 120 chain is a high-performance alloy chain, with square links, as opposed to the Grade 100 chain rounded links. We don’t sell these chain grades on our website, you can always send us an email to order them.

• Grade 80 alloy chain

In the majority of cases, either Grade 80 or Grade 100 chain can be used for a lifting application. However, there are some situations in which Grade 80 is the better choice.
Grade 80 chain is made of heat-treated alloy steel, in some situations the Grade 80 chain is the better choice than Grade 100 chain for it has a high strength to weight ratio.
You can easily identify Grade 80 chains for they are embossed with G8, or 80 marks, they can be used for overhead lifting and chain slings, Hilifting can supply EN818-2, EN818-4, and ASTM or NACM Grade 80 alloy chain, please click here for more details.

• Grade 70 Transport Chain

Grade 70 transport chain is a binder chain for load securement, towing, logging and tie down applications. It is easy to identify for the golden chromate finish and embossed G7, or 70 marks.
It is not approved for overhead lifting, although it is manufactured by heat-treated making them high strength, the galvanization degrade its grade. If you need more details, please click here.

• Grade 43 High Test Chain 

They are both made with low carbon steel but Grade 43 high test chain has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than Grade 30 proof coil chain, both of them are used in the bundling, logging trucking, and tie down applications, but are not approved for overhead lifting.

• Grade 30 Proof Coil Chain

Different Chain Grades’ Size & Working Load Limit Charts

Grade 30	Nominal Chain Size		Working Load Limit (MAX.)		Proof Test (Min.)		Breaking Force (Min.)		Inside Length (Max.)		Inside Width (Max.)
	IN.	MM	LBS	KG	LBS	KN	LBS	KN	IN.	MM	IN.	MM
hltG30018	1/8”	4	400	180	800	3.6	1600	7.2	0.94	23.9	0.25	6.4
hltG30316	3/16”	5.5	800	365	1600	7.2	3200	14.4	0.98	24.8	0.3	7.7
hltG30014	1/4”	7	1300	580	2600	11.6	5200	23.2	1.24	31.5	0.38	9.8
hltG30516	5/16”	8	1900	860	3800	16.9	7600	33.8	1.29	32.8	0.44	11.2
hltG30038	3/8”	10	2650	1200	5300	23.6	10600	47.2	1.38	35	0.55	14
hltG30716	7/16”	11.9	3700	1680	7400	32.9	14800	65.8	1.64	41.6	0.65	16.6
hltG30012	1/2”	13	4500	2030	9000	40	18000	80	1.79	45.5	0.72	18.2
hltG30058	5/8”	16	6900	3130	13800	61.3	27600	122.6	2.2	56	0.79	20
hltG30034	3/4”	20	10600	4800	21200	94.3	42400	188.6	2.76	70	0.98	25
hltG30078	7/8”	22	12800	5810	25600	114.1	51200	228.2	3.03	77	1.08	27.5
hltG30001	1”	26	17900	8140	35800	159.1	71600	318.2	3.58	90.9	1.25	31.7

Grade 43	Nominal Chain Size		Working Load Limit (MAX.)		Proof Test (Min.)		Breaking Force (Min.)		Inside Length (Max.)		Inside Width (Max.)
	IN.	MM	LBS	KG	LBS	KN	LBS	KN	IN.	MM	IN.	MM
hltG43014	1/4”	7	2600	1180	3900	17.3	7800	34.6	1.24	31.5	0.38	9.8
hltG43516	5/16”	8.7	3900	1770	5850	26	11700	52	1.29	32.8	0.44	11.2
hltG43038	3/8”	10	5400	2450	8100	36	16200	72	1.38	35	0.55	14
hltG43716	7/16”	11.9	7200	3270	10800	48	21600	96	1.64	41.6	0.65	16.6
hltG43012	1/2”	13	9200	4170	13800	61.3	27600	122.6	1.79	45.5	0.72	18.2
hltG43058	5/8”	16	13000	5910	19500	86.5	39000	173	2.2	56	0.79	20
hltG43034	3/4”	20	20200	9180	30300	134.7	60600	269.4	2.76	70	0.98	25
hltG43078	7/8”	22	24500	11140	36750	163.3	73500	326.6	3.03	77	1.08	27.5

Grade 70	Nominal Chain Size		Working Load Limit (MAX.)		Proof Test (Min.)		Breaking Force (Min.)		Inside Length (Max.)		Inside Width (Max.)
	IN.	MM	LBS	KG	LBS	KN	LBS	KN	IN.	MM	IN.	MM
hltG70014	1/4”	7	3150	1430	6300	28	12600	56	1.24	31.5	0.38	9.8
hltG70516	5/16”	8.7	4700	2130	9400	41.8	18800	83.6	1.29	32.8	0.44	11.2
hltG70038	3/8”	10	6600	2990	13200	58.7	26400	117.4	1.38	35	0.55	14
hltG70716	7/16”	11.9	8750	3970	17500	77.8	35000	155.4	1.64	41.6	0.65	16.6
hltG70012	1/2”	13	11300	5130	22600	100.4	45200	200.8	1.79	45.5	0.72	18.2
hltG70058	5/8”	16	15800	7170	31600	140.4	63200	280.8	2.2	56	0.79	20
hltG70034	3/4”	20	24700	11200	49400	219.6	98800	439.2	2.76	70	0.98	25

Part No.	Chain Dia.	Pitch	Inner Width	Outer Width	Approx Weight	W.L.L	P.L	M.B.L
	d(mm)	p(mm)	a(mm) Min	b(mm) Max	kg/m	tons	tons	tons
hlt800618	6±0.24	18±0.5	7.8	22.2	0.8	1.12	2.80	4.48
hlt800721	7±0.28	21±0.6	9.1	25.9	1.1	1.50	3.75	6.00
hlt800832	8±0.32	24±0.7	10.4	29.6	1.4	2.00	5.00	8.00
hlt8001030	10±0.4	30±0.9	13	37	2.2	3.15	7.88	12.60
hlt801339	13±0.52	39±1.2	16.9	48.1	3.8	5.30	13.25	21.20
hlt801648	16±0.64	48±1.4	20.8	59.2	5.7	8.00	20.00	32.00
hlt801854	18±0.9	54±1.6	23.4	66.6	8	11.20	28.00	44.80
hlt802060	20±12.5	60±1.8	26	74	9	12.50	31.25	50.00
hlt802266	22±1.1	66±2.0	28.6	81.4	10.8	15.00	37.50	60.00
hlt802678	26±1.3	78±2.3	33.8	96.2	15.2	21.20	53.00	84.80
hlt803296	32±1.6	96±2.9	41.6	118	23	31.50	78.75	126.00

Conclusion

The alloy steel chain Grade 80, 100, 120 are designed for overhead lifting, not for bundling, logging applications, while carbon steel Grade 70, 43, 30 chain are for load securement, tie downs, and bundling applications, not for overhead lifting purposes.

We hope that this article help you have a base level understanding of what chain grade and the differences of chain grades. We also carry a variety of galvanized, stainless steel chains, please contact us or leave your comment below and if you are interested in learning more about chains knowledge.