Difference between A-36 and G50

[Cord]

Skidsteers are really hard on chains and I've broken several brackets used to adjust the chains. The bracket that I need is very hard to find and I over paid for my last set. Well, I broke two more brackets on the first snow fall and now I'm done messing around. I traced the bracket this morning and I'm going to get a price to have new ones laser cut. The existing bracket measures 5/32" thick and I was planning on stepping up to 1/4" thick. The question is what grade of metal should I use? I've worked a bunch with A-36 steel which is your standard cheap metal. I'm familiar with A-36 and I know that it's pretty malleable. I've also worked some with G50 which is the structural grade steel. My initial temptation is to use G50, but I need to crimp these brackets onto the chain so they'll stay on. Is the G50 too tough to do this? Will it crack if I try to remove the bracket to straighten it?

 

[Mysfyt]

I'm guessing you are referring to grade 50 steel, which has a yield strength of 50,000 psi, which is an upgrade from the 36,000 yield of A36. I'd suggest T1 steel which is readily available in this state, and it has a yield strength of 100,000 psi. Both are weldable but avoid thermal shock on the T1, maybe preheat it a bit before welding. I made a 70 ton punch press out of this with a 24 inch throat and did not use preheat and after 15 plus years, no issues. Good luck!

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Can you redesign the setup at all to avoid the bracket breaking like it has in the past? ?

 

[Cord]

Can you redesign the setup at all to avoid the bracket breaking like it has in the past? ?

Not really. The bracket feeds through the open side of the chain, flips over and then hooks onto a loop. It appears the brackets are failing because either the loop hook opens up or the crimped loop that keeps it attach opens up. I've also had them bend so I had to cut the bracket to get it off. My oritinal guess was thae damage was from me hitting rocks and such, but I'm not in the dirt when pushing snow. The bracket that I'm having made is shown at the lower left of the image.

 

[oldnslo]

Could the "skid steer" effect be twisting these brackets causing the failure. That looks like a similar style latching system to what is used on tractor chains and they would be placing as much or more driving torque on the chains as your skid loader.

The few people I see running chains on skid steers around here have some really heavy duty chains like you would see on larger farm tractor or log skidded. They look like 1/2" links in the chains and have small chain binders for tension on the outside. Not sure what is used for a latch on the inside.

 

[Cord]

Yea, it's definitely the skid steer that's damaging them. I first tried making a set of chains from 3/8" tractor chains and killed them within hours. These are 10mm chains which is just a little over 3/8", but the heat treating has them living very well.