size chain for bucket hooks

[BOC]

What size chain have you guys found works best with welded hooks on your CUT's buckets?

Thanks in advance!

 

[LD1]

What size chain have you guys found works best with welded hooks on your CUT's buckets?

Thanks in advance!

What size hooks do you have??

You have to match the chain to the hook:thumbsup:

3/8" hook.....get 3/8" chain

5/16 hook....get 5/16 chain

you get the idea, unless I am mis-reading your post??

 

[BOC]

I guess I should have asked what size hook you guys are running. Is 5/16 enough or should you go up to 3/8 hooks?

 

[gwdixon]

Get 3/8" weldable grab hooks (pellican hooks). The 3/8" hooks will work with both 3/8" and 5/16" chain. (But not the other way around.)

TrucknTow - Weld-On Grab Hooks (Pellican Hooks)

By several extra for the future. You can get free shipping from the above company if you sign up for their emails.

 

[gwdixon]

Oh, and be careful where you put them on your bucket. Search "chain hooks" on TBN for lots of information and choices.

 

[dex3361]

I did as stated earlier and used 3/8" hooks and I usually use 5/16" G70 chain. I preheated the pelican hook before welding and I used 7018 rod.

 

[creekbend]

I bought my hooks from Ken's Bolt On Grab Hooks I put three on my 6 foot bucket and I used grade 70 - 5/16 chain. Best wishes.

 

[Ductape]

Or, if you don't weld, try Kens Bolt-on Grab Hooks.

Ken's Bolt On Grab Hooks

 

[timster2]

I didn't know it was that simple....just wanted to make sure there wasn't something I was missing! Some rule of thumb learned from experience that I don't have!

The chain should be sized to the job at hand. That said, most jobs are just lifting relatively light stuff. I keep two four foot 1/4" chains with grab hooks and one two foot with a slip and a grab hook hanging from my grille guard. Between these three chains I can lift and move most everything my bucket can lift. 1/4 grade 30 or Proof coil chain has a working load limit WLL of 1300lbs. which is at or near capacity of the bucket. I do however have several heavier chains, up to 5/8", for dragging logs or other work that requires a greater load capacity or larger safety factor. I have a bad back and use my bucket and chains to lift just about everything. I have no problem with using the lighter chains most of the time as they are lighter and easier for me to handle.

 

[jeff9366]

I have Ken's Bolt On Grab Hooks on my bucket. Great product.

Ken only offers 5/16" Grab Hooks because 5/16" hooks are a sort of universal size.

5/16" Grab Hooks will hold 3/16" (sort of), 1/4", 5/16" and 3/8" chain securely.

5/16" Grade 43 chain is likely what you want. With a compact tractor you will lose wheel traction before you can stress 5/16" chain.

3/8" chain gets awfully heavy working with it during a hot afternoon.

Both Lowe's and Home Depot offer a box with two lengths of 5/16" Grade 70 chain with 5/16" Grade 70 Grab Hooks attached to both ends at a very good price.

(Grade 70 chain = Transport chain)

Even adding in the cost of two clevis Slip Hooks to replace two of the Grab Hooks these kits are a bargain.

If you will use your bucket to "roll" saplings out of the ground, roots and all, you will want 6' of 1/4" chain with a 1/4" clevis Slip Hook on one end. The 1/4" chain links will grip 1" - 2" trunks where larger chain links will slip.

I once damaged 5/16" chain when I towed a huge (1000 pounds) pile of brush about 3/4 mile over a rough, paved road to a burn pile; several links under the pile were considerably abraded by the road surface. Cut out damaged links with a Sawzall and rejoined the two undamaged pieces with a clevis connector. After this experience I make smaller piles and move them with Payne's debris forks with the bucket raised. Often cannot see forward through the load, so drive in reverse.

 

[BOC]

Thank you very much for the informative reply Jeff, very helpful!!!!

 

[deere5105]

I have Ken's Bolt On Grab Hooks on my bucket. Great product.

Ken only offers 5/16" Grab Hooks because 5/16" hooks are a sort of universal size.

5/16" Grab Hooks will hold 3/16" (sort of), 1/4", 5/16" and 3/8" chain securely.

5/16" Grade 43 chain is likely what you want. With a compact tractor you will lose wheel traction before you can stress 5/16" chain.

3/8" chain gets awfully heavy working with it during a hot afternoon.

Both Lowe's and Home Depot offer a box with two lengths of 5/16" Grade 70 chain with 5/16" Grade 70 Grab Hooks attached to both ends at a very good price.

(Grade 70 chain = Transport chain)

Even adding in the cost of two clevis Slip Hooks to replace two of the Grab Hooks these kits are a bargain.

If you will use your bucket to "roll" saplings out of the ground, roots and all, you will want 6' of 1/4" chain with a 1/4" clevis Slip Hook on one end. The small chain will grip 1" - 2" trunks where larger chain will slip.

I agree. Went with three 5/16" hooks. One in middle and one in line with each lift arm. Use both 5/16" and 3/8" chain, but recently picked up another 5/16"from Lowes. Bought weld on hooks from AW Direct and talked dealer into welding them on for me when having loader installed.

 

[Ruark]

I use 3/8" hooks. They work fine with either 3/8 or 5/16 inch chain.

 

[kebo]

What size hooks do you have??

You have to match the chain to the hook:thumbsup:

3/8" hook.....get 3/8" chain

5/16 hook....get 5/16 chain

you get the idea, unless I am mis-reading your post??

What you posted is absolutely correct but I have 3/8" chain grabs on my bucket and often use smaller chains for various things. I have used 5/16" chains with the 3/8" grabs, and I have not had any problems with the smaller chain "slipping" or coming out of the 3/8" chain grabs. If you weld 5/16" chain grabs on your bucket, one day there will almost certainly come a time when you want/need to hook a 3/8" chain to it.

This is just what works for me, each person will just have to decide what they want to do, of course.

 

[LD1]

Correct, 5/16 chain will work with 3/8 hooks for what it will be used for. And yes, they hold and 99.9% of the time will be fine. It is when you are pushing the limits of the chains strength (pulling something and not lifting with a loader) that the size becomes more important.

 

[deere5105]

Was second guessing myself and made a trip to the shop to verify, but I have the weld on 5/16" grab hooks and they will accept both 5/16" and 3/8" chains without any problem. I bought one 20' 3/8" chain thinking I would use it for pulling logs and heavy loads. 95% of the time I am grabbing my 5/16" chain. Lugging the 3/8" chain can become more burden than is needed for what I do.