China Chains...Good or NOT?

[Henro]

HI,

I know many have voiced opinions that Chinese grade 70 (and other grades) are inferior to USA products.

But are they really?

Aside from opinion, anyone have any experience where they broke a Chinese chain, in a situation where they are sure they did not exceed its rating?

How does one measure good VS bad?

Are there any statistics or test results somewhere that shows that these third world chains (China, India, wherever) don't not meet grade specs they are sold under?

I'm not saying anything one way or the other. I am just curious as to what we have to back up the belief that Made in USA is superior when it comes to chains as sold in the marketplace today (not in yesteryear).

Anyone?

 

[Dargo]

From what I've read and heard from businesses that use chains every day, it's not that Chinese chain is particularly inferior, but rather that their quality control is not nearly as demanding as it is here in the U.S.. I've seen mandates in some heavy industries (whether well founded or not) that will not allow any chain for overhead lifting if it was manufactured in China, Korea, or India. Again, my understanding is that it is a quality control issue and a difference of opinion in the exact metalurgy used in manufacturing the welded chain.

Personally, I use only made in the U.S. grade 70 chain to secure my tractor onto my trailer, but I do use some chain that was made in China to hold down other items on my trailer. I can't see any difference in them (other than the 'China' stamp on them) or even feel any difference in them. But, there again, I couldn't tell you if a hunk of steel you handed me was recycled from WWI military scrap or if it is virgin steel. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif To me, chain made in China is perfectly fine for some things. I just paid too much for my tractor to take a chance just to save $50 or so.

 

[RonR]

First off, this is 25 yr old data, so much might have changed.

At that time, I worked for an ag mfg co. We got hung up in an offset deal with China and needed to buy some of their product to sell ours.

What was tested were gearboxes and roller chain for ag equipment. Our test lab set up a 4 square test, with a load, so the chains and gearboxes were tested to real world loads. Chains would fall apart within 20 hrs and gearboxes about the same. They were JUNK. Internally & externally they were no where near the US quality. There was no way this company was going to put their crap on our machines to sell.

I'm not sure what ever happened, but I know we never used any of their product.

As I said, this is old data, so stuff might have changed.

If you ever get a chance, look at some of the Belrus (sp) Russian tractors from the 80's. Fit, finish, and craftsmanship was terrible. Haven't seen any recently, so cannot comment.

ron

 

[RobS]

Hey Henro, good to see you around here now and then!

Ah chains. And Chinese products. And good versus bad. And all of these things...

Here's some paradigm shifting thoughts. Bear in mind, I know little or nothing about chain, chain specs, manufacture of chain, test of chain, design of chain, strenght of chain, etc. Just some thoughts to ponder...

Does the Chinese chain meet the spec?

Does the US chain meet the spec?

How much margin is there to the spec with each?

Has one been over or under-designed to the specs historically?

Is there more product variation with one versus the other?

Will the weakest link of each still meet the spec?

Will the strongest link of each exceed the spec by an unreasonable margin?

Is there a cost associated with the product variation?

Does the spec reflect the real world operating conditions?

What do we know about chain today that we didn't know a year ago? Five years ago? Fifty years ago?

Again, I don't know much about chain but these are questions I find myself asking about the US auto industry and I think they apply equally well to a relatively simple product like chain.

I highly recommend some time at the wheel of a CUT while contemplating these questions /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Defective]

Can't resist...

Gotta add a bit of chaff to this thread...

I use NO US made chain on any of my equipment.

(I do, on the other hand, use good Canadian made chain /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif)

 

[Highbeam]

I have never broken any of this chinese chain. I have some 5/16" G70 that I used with a bulldozer to skid logs and pull over trees. It just didn't fail. Either did my one chunk of old rusty 3/8" american chain. The bulldozer was 10,000 lbs and 45 HP and stopped in its tracks by the chain.

I work for a city and we require that the cast iron manhole covers be made in USA. There were lots of chinese castings that were cracking and when something like that fails it is easier to make a blanket requirement saying US only than to tighten up your spec.

Any lasting rules that disallow chinese chain (or manhole covers) were written by old people who are either big union types or they got burned by the early junk that these developing countries put out. A good spec and random materials testing should be all you need. So I guess the question would be has anyone actually loaded chinese chain to failure to see if it made it, then done the same with the same type of american chain?

 

[Richard]

Only partially relevant to the question but a lifetime ago I worked in a jewlery store & we sold various brands.

One brand was Seiko and it was always a pleasure to size those bands to someone. The parts fit together and snapped in & snapped out.

Then... they became "different". Instead of snapping & then gliding out silky smooth, we had to push & push and overcome friction all the way as the pin was taken out.

Putting them back together, we'd splay (for lack of better word) some of the links as the metal was a lot softer than usual.

Difference that I finally noticed? The "new" Seiko bands were stamped "China".

The watch looked the same, ticked the same but for my experience, there was a clear downgrade in the quality of the band over what the Japanese were putting out.

If it's up to me (and call me racist/other) I try to specifically shun anything I can that's made in China if I have the choice.

Point: I towed a car home long ago and needed some tiedowns. Mom & myself scoured Duluth area of Atlanta trying to find some ratchet binders that were NOT made in china. After going to about 4 different places, I ended up with 3 USA ratchet binders and 1 made in china.

I personally, will try to go a bit further to find something NOT made there, if for no other reason than to try to help support the American's job to the best I can even if it costs me more (which it does/has) I feel that's the price I have to pay for my beliefs and I gladly do it. I do NOT shop for "bottom dollar" and I firmly think that those that do are what is helping drive our jobs overseas.

That said, I bought Pewags grade 100 square link chain from Labonville.

Since Pewag is made in Austria, I guess that shoots everything I said above, in the patooey. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[3RRL]

While using the forklift to move a 3,500 lb. plastic injection mold (square corners) with China made chains, it slipped of the truck and fell nearly 3' to the ground. The chains did not break but my fork lift did an endo. I inspected the chain and no links appeared to be damaged. I have not used that chain since...same as I would do with an American made chain after stessing it like that. Now it's part of my ATV harrow.

Also off the subject. </font><font color="blue" class="small">( I personally, will try to go a bit further to find something NOT made there, if for no other reason than to try to help support the American's job to the best I can even if it costs me more (which it does/has) I feel that's the price I have to pay for my beliefs and I gladly do it. I do NOT shop for "bottom dollar" and I firmly think that those that do are what is helping drive our jobs overseas.)</font>

That's a direct result of why I buy Chinese stuff. It's the only stuff I can afford to buy now since "my job" was driven overseas by my customers who used Chinese product and service instead of US. Trying to pay those bas$!@rds back! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif The truth is that some of it is pretty good now and it's everywhere. You just have to be aware of it's limitations and whether you can live with the downside of cheaper stuff.

 

[npaden]

I just picked up a couple 3/8" G70 chains at a local tool store and am not sure how to tell if they are made in China or not.

Every 4th link has L7 stamped on them and every other link has TX stamped on it. I couldn't find a made in China or made in USA stamp anywhere.

I hope L7 = G70?

Thanks, Nathan

 

[Dargo]

Since it doesn't have "China" stamped on a link every so often, it likely isn't the incredible stuff from China that a bulldozer can't break. I think the stuff made in China is required to be posted as such.