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.

 

 

Lifting a freely suspended load over the ground puts the people standing underneath in a truly vulnerable place. The threat of bodily harm or death is enough to make anyone’s skin crawl. For decades, industries that use chains for overhead lifting struggled to know if the chains were actually secure enough for the task. But in recent years, the ASTM (American Society of Testing & Materials), ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), and OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) have published safety standards telling employers what grade of chain is acceptable for overhead lifting.

How To Determine Chain Grades

To determine chain grades, manufacturers must first uncover the breaking strength of the chain, or the amount of force required to make the chain unfasten. Then they must divide that number by 0.224805 pounds, or one Newton.

Finally, they take that number and divide it again by the total area of two cross-sections of a single link. One-tenth of that number is what manufacturers list when they sell the chain, meaning grade 70 is really grade 700.

Grade 70 Chain

Grade 70 chain is primarily used by truckers as a tie-down on over-the-road trailers. It’s heat-treated in carbon steel and has a recognizable golden chromate finish.

It should not be used for overhead lifting. It is a trucker’s chain, built for fastening and placing, but definitely not for carrying loads in high places. It also has applications in oil rigs, logging, and towing.

Grade 80 Chain

With its high strength-to-weight ratio and heat-treated steel, grade 80 chain is safe for overhead lifting and rigging slings. It can also be used for recovery, safety, and towing chains. In recent years, grade 80 chains have become more popular in the flatbed trucking industry.

Grade 100 Chain

The grade 100 chain, considered among chain manufacturers to be a premium product, was designed for its overhead lifting capabilities. In many ways, it is a vast improvement on grade 80, which has a workload at only a fraction of what grade 100 can accomplish.

Grade 120 Chain

With the strongest tensile strength in the industry, grade 120 chains can absolutely handle overhead lifting. Its square link design increases the contact between the bearing surfaces and links, which overall reduces the chain’s pressure.

Standards Set by NACM (National Association of Chain Manufacturers)

No matter which chain you use, you must make sure to follow all the standards set out by NACM, which include:

• Never suspending loads over people, regardless of what grade of chain is acceptable for overhead lifting.
• Conducting periodical inspections of the chain’s health.
• Avoiding excessive temperatures or exposure to chemically active environments.
• Removing all chains from services if at any spot the link is less than its minimum listed value.

In summation, if you need to finish an overhead lifting job, it’s best to ignore the grade 70 chain. It simply doesn’t have the breaking strength to manage jobs that put peoples’ heads and lives at risk. For the jobs that require that level of safety, it’s best to go with chains graded 80 through 120, with 120 as the gold standard.