chain: 3/8 or 5/16 ?

[project]

Looking to tie down my 7510/loader weighting about 2k. I need to purchase additional chain. Is 5/16 adequate (70#) or do I need 3/8. Thanks, Tony

 

[kennyd]

IMHO, The 5/16" grade 70 chain will be more than adequate and it's cheaper and much easier to handle.
Be sure to get some good ratchet binders also...

 

[TonyS]

I have a Kub 3400 with FEL and BH - weoghs around 5,000 lbs and I use 3 (front back and BH) grade 70 5/16 chains and they work fine.

Got mine in Home Depot - 20 foot with slip hooks for about $30

 

[em14]

If you will read the past posts on tie downs you will see the TBN folks recommend getting the chain and binders with “Made in the USA” stamped on the items. Many of the on-line suppliers have such chain and binders as well as the number of chains required charts. I cannot find the supplier that I got mine from at the moment. I’m sure some one will add to what I have said.
Leo

 

[project]

Thanks for the replies.. If anyone is familar with the Kubota 7510.....The only way I see to chain it down is using the drawbar at the rear and a stout part of the front loader at the front. The drawbar has two holes ,not very large, but will take a separate link. Am I on the right track?? Thanks ,Tony

 

[Ductape]

You could get real fancy and use 1/4 inch grade 8. Nice and light! I've had great luck with tie downs from AW Direct. I use 2" nylon ratchet straps to secure my tractor, but you've got to be careful so you do not abrade the strap.

AW Direct Towing Recovery Service Vehicle and Wrecker Accessories - 1-800-243-3194

 

[Mahana79]

Thanks for the replies.. If anyone is familar with the Kubota 7510.....The only way I see to chain it down is using the drawbar at the rear and a stout part of the front loader at the front. The drawbar has two holes ,not very large, but will take a separate link. Am I on the right track?? Thanks ,Tony

dont have a 7510 but my L3400 sounds similar when finding a place on the back. i use a 3/4" clevis in the drawbar then run the chain through the clevis. Here is the clevis mounted to the drawbar.

 

[john_bud]

Unlike some, I don't guard against minor paint chips and scratches. I run the chain thru the round tube on the FEL for the front and thru the wheels on the back. The L3410 has adjustable wheels and there is more than enough space to run the chain thru. I'm pretty sure that you could turn the trailer over and shake it hard and the tractor wouldn't budge. I use stamped USA made G70 transport chain, hooks and binders.

I have read that adding a section of old firehose protects the paint. Dunno if true, but thought it worth mentioning.

jb

 

[Blk88GT]

I hold my 7510 down using the drawbar with a clevis, and through the front "bumper" between the FEL and the headlights.

I prefer to use 4 x 10,000lb cargo straps.

 

[project]

Looked for a clevis that is large enough for the drawbar (1 5/16 thick w/a 3/4 hole) nothing local. Even went to a tractor/trailer retailer. Some catalogs are showing some but no dimensions. I did find a 1/2 separate link and wasn't sure if its as sturdy as a clevis. has anyone tried this?? Thanks

 

[Highbeam]

The 5/16 had plenty of rated strength for my tractor but I used the bigger 3/8" chain for the single reason that the binders I found called out the larger chain. I wanted stout binders and so needed extra stout chain. Be sure that you match the two items.

4- 3/8" chains and 4 ratchet binders are heavy and certainly take a lot of effort to get attached properly but the extra safety margin doesn't hurt anything.

 

[project]

Highbeam, thanks. What method do you use for attaching chain to the rear of your tractor? Tony

 

[Highbeam]

My tractor is a Kioti CK30 and the drawbar attches to the tractor with a huge bracket contraption that allows the drawbar to be optionally swinging. Anyway, I can drop the chain hooks through this bracket and then hook the chain for a short loop making a fixed anchor connection. I use 4 chains and 4 binders so each chain is independendently attached and any one chain can fail and all would be OK.

So each end of each chain is hooked onto itself making a short loop around either the trailer attachement point, the frame of the tractor up front, or the drawbar bracket. Then the binder goes in the middle of the chain to pull the short loops together. The chain doesn't slip over anything as it tightens this way which to me would mean that while underway the chain might loosen. All of the slack of the chain happens at the binder and the slack gets wrapped around the tight chain 3 or four times so that it won't fall off the trailer and drag on the road.

I use the full lengths of chain so 18 or 20'. I've always wanted to shorten the chains but more than once I have needed the extra length to winch a machine onto the trailer.

 

[Rara Avis]

For the average utility tractor you can use the following...

2''X8' Short Wide Ratchet Strap W/ Axle Strap 10,000Lbs. - $24.79 : Ratchet Straps, Tie Down Straps, E Track Tie Downs, Moving Blankets & Pads, Cargo Straps, U.S. Cargo Control

 

[Mahana79]

Looked for a clevis that is large enough for the drawbar (1 5/16 thick w/a 3/4 hole) nothing local. Even went to a tractor/trailer retailer. Some catalogs are showing some but no dimensions. I did find a 1/2 separate link and wasn't sure if its as sturdy as a clevis. has anyone tried this?? Thanks

i get mine at Tractor supply

 

[PSDStu]

Looked for a clevis that is large enough for the drawbar (1 5/16 thick w/a 3/4 hole) nothing local. Even went to a tractor/trailer retailer. Some catalogs are showing some but no dimensions. I did find a 1/2 separate link and wasn't sure if its as sturdy as a clevis. has anyone tried this?? Thanks

I bought my clevis, chain and rachet binders from a local Farmers CO-OP, not sure if you have anything like that in your area. They had a wide variety of various styles of clevis and shackles.

 

[firedog]

Sounds like Highbeam is all over it.

I check the CFR 49 regs just for grins & here's what I found.
49CFR393.130 http://frwebgate2.access.gpo.gov/cg...docID=192257467952+23+2+0&WAISaction=retrieve
49CFR393.128 http://frwebgate2.access.gpo.gov/cg...docID=192257467952+42+2+0&WAISaction=retrieve
49CFR393.108 http://frwebgate1.access.gpo.gov/cg...docID=19325610660+101+2+0&WAISaction=retrieve

In a nutshell: (over 10K lbs)
requires a minimum of 4 seperate tie-downs.
aggregate WLL of tie-downs must be atleast 1/2 the weight of the cargo.
(chain minimum 3/8" grade 70 is required in some states)
under 10K:
secured at front & rear

disclaimer: while CFR393.130 does state "for equip over 10,000 lbs" and while some law enforcement personnel do not interpret regulations the same way many of the rest of us do, it is probably a good idea to meet or exceed these regs.

 

[Highbeam]

I feel good about my setup but I could even kick it up another notch by also having one additional chain and binder for the loader and for any 3ph implement. I have heard people say that that is required also but 6 chains and binders is a little excessive IMHO.

Chaining up takes a good 20 minutes. Ideally you could drive down a driveway or short road and then stop and tighten everything up a little more before really getting underway since often times a little bit of slack appears in the chain during the first bit of the trip.