Chains attached to loader bucket

[PerryWhite]

This summer I was moving a log with my 430 loader on my
JD 4310. I was using a 3/8 chain connect to a hook
that I had welded onto the top center of the bucket.
I lowered the log onto my sawmill and got off the tractor
and unhooked the chain. I didn't bother to pick the loose
ends of the chain up and put them into the bucket.
As I backed up, the front tire rolled onto one loose end of the chain effectively clamping the loose end to the ground.
As I continued to back up, tension built up on the chain.
Eventually the front tire rolled off the loose end of the chain
and the built up tension launched the chain backwards
towards me and the tractor. My first instinct was to duck
and cover my head with my hand and arm. Then my
second thought was oh no I am going to wipe out the
hood on my 4310 with less than 100 hours on it.
Fortunately, the chain missed the hood by a couple of inches
and landed on the ground. Moral of the story. Never
leave loose ends of anything hanging while the tractor is
in motion. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Boondox]

Wow! I always tuck them into the bucket just to keep crud off of them. Never imagined a safety issue! Thanks for the heads up!

Pete

 

[JDgreen227]

I have never hooked a chain to my loader bucket 'cuz I have no chain hooks yet...but will someday, so thanks for the safety tip.

 

[PineRidge]

You are a very lucky person my friend. That chain could have just as easily hit you. I saw a chain that was used for towing an antique Cadillac come lose from the tow car snap back and destroy the front of the antique.

After losing a chain because it was stored in my bucket I now put mine in my toolbox. Seems my 1st one got buried under many tons of dirt.

The new one is handy when I need it.

 

[RalphVa]

My Dad was towing our Olds with our tractor once. The chain snapped and wrapped back on the hood of the Olds. Luckily, it came just short of the windshield. Put a nice groove in the hood though. Coulda been a groove down the back of the tractor driver if it broke at the other end.

I think the ROPS on the newer tractors is a good place for attaching plywood with just a window @ eye level for stuff on the back.

Don't know how you protect again loose chains in the front though.

Ralph

 

[RobertN]

Place an old sleeping bag or heavy coat in the middle of the chain; wrap it around the chain so it stay in place. If your strap or chain break, it will slow the chain down and absorb some of the energy. It's an old trick used by 4-wheelers. I have seen chains breack that way, and just fall to the ground. Have also seen chains break without a dampner, which shattered windshields ect.

 

[PineRidge]

RobertN some of the BEST ideas are the simplest ones. Thanks for the tip; it may come in handy down the road. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[RoyJackson]

"RobertN some of the BEST ideas are the simplest ones"

How true, how true!

Being a real believer in the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle, I offer another alternative. Use an old length of 1½ or 2 inch firehose. This should be readily available at your local fire dept. for little or no cost.

 

[NIXON]

thanks for the post . It's one of those things that doesn't occur to you until it's too late . I'm happy you weren't hurt . John

 

[RobertN]

Fire hose works well as a bar cover for the chain saw too. When I worked the station, all our saws were done that way.

 

[5030]

Robert:

Heater hose also works real well for chain saws. Just slit it lengthwise with a sharp knife. Slip it over the chain and it will grab the bar by itself.

 

[disk_drive_eng]

I use a standard automotive three inch tow strap with factory formed loops at the ends--no hardware--for pulling things or vehicles.

They are much safer than chains because 1) they give a bit, 2) they can be more secure when wrapped around an object, and most importantly, 3) if they do break, there is very little mass and a lot of air resistance = much less energy in the snap back.

Neverthless, one can still get hurt or killed when anything under tension snaps. I like the firehose idea, but one should make sure it is in good condition and not weakened by rot, sun exposure, wear, etc. Be sure when making end loops or tieing it that you know your knots to avoid slippage (and any knot is weaker than the line).

 

[frank_f15]

I DO MORE OR LESS WHAT U DO. i use straps, when possible. they grip better, and if they do break, they are less likly to do do dammage.

 

[JDgreen227]

I have never broken a chain but have snapped a few straps pulling huge rocks, I would rather lose a strap than break a chain. Made one really stupid mistake with a strap a few years back, was trying to pull a large tree limb that had broken off the tree about 8 feet up. The limb was still about half attached to the tree, I went up a ladder and wound the strap a turn or two around the broken end, stuck the hook into the webbing then went down and fastened the other hook to my drawbar clevis and gunned the tractor away.

You can likely guess the result of what happened when the strap stretched and the hook end on the limb came free--I thought somebody had hit my upper back with a baseball bat. NEVER AGAIN will I be that careless. Hey, I just recalled something that happened to a buddy of mine right after my incident, he and his brother were using his full size Olds wagon and a strap to pull bushes out of his front yard, they were big bushes and although the rear wheels were on pavement they needed more traction so my buddy climbed onto the trailer hitch....with the additional traction and the stretch on the strap a bush popped out, just missing his head, and going over the car roof and caving in the side of his brother's van parked across the street. LOL glad I wasn't helping them !!

 

[5030]

I always carry a "snatch strap" in my pickup as well as the car. You can move a pretty big object with a small one.

Just don't use the tie rod as an anchor. I trip to the shop will result.

 

[Lazy]

Hi
HAPPY NEW YEAR

I have some chain 3/8" has C7 marked on the links, any one know what the chain might be rated for? I have had the chains 20 years and pulled about everything you could think of I never gave it much thought untill i started reading the forum. also with all the talk about tying down a load on a trailer to meet the new D.O.T. requirements what about the safety chains on the trailer do they have to be rated the same as the tie down chains? I think I might need to add some larger safety chains to my trailer.

Charlie

 

[DocHeb]

This will work fine until something breaks off the object you're pulling, and the nylon strap slingshots it back towards you. Those nylon straps can store an enormous amount of kinetic energy. The worst thing to do is use a combination of strap from the tractor, attached to chain or cable to get more length to reach the object.

 

[disk_drive_eng]

DocHeb,

You are completely right. One should never attach a strap to anything that could conceivably come off of whatever is being pulled or lifted (or off of the tractor for that matter). I'm amazed that people sell straps with hooks attached to the ends-looks like a great way to get in trouble to me.

I usually wrap the strap around the entire object as many times as I can and then put the loop over something solid (or tie it) just so it doesn't unwrap. The friction of the wrap takes the force, not the loop.

On the tractor end, I similarly wrap around the FEL bucket or the backhoe bucket then put the loop on a tooth. (One must be careful that the bucket is low to the ground to avoid flipping the tractor over. If any doubt use the tractor tow bar).

 

[JDgreen227]

Good advice, yes. I am the fellow who now knows what NOT to do with nylon straps. The TBN safety forum is a very useful source of information, if the dimwit (me) who made the post about getting hit with a strap hook had read the warnings posted here he would have known better. LIVE AND LEARN.