Chain Size For Trailer Tie-down Of An M?

Howdy, Boys:
Is 5/16" adequate, or should a person use 3/8" size tie-down chain?
Thanks.
mike

5/16 would probably get you by but me I always use 3/8 heavy duty chain on every thing
Hobby farm

Thanks, Rich.
mike

No problem. I learned a long time ago to go as heavy as you can then you never have to worry. Going to light and then you may have a worry if something goes wrong.

I agree with Rich, 3/8 and only buy the gold DOT approved stuff.

I'll second the others about 3/8 bein' good stuff to have around. Too much is always better than too little, whether you're tyin' down a tractor or buildin' a garage or buyin' a toolchest . . .

When it comes to chain, though, there is one more factor, and that's the grade/proof. There's a world of difference (I don't have the charts at hand but there's something like 2500-3500# difference in load limits and breaking strength)between Grade 30 and the DOT standard Grade 70 (commonly called "transport") chain in 3/8".

I'd be really wary of any Grade 30 or 40 that comes out of a five-gallon pail. Grade 70 chain (and the hooks to equal it -- weakest link . . .) arent' hard to come by at all, but aren't usually available at the local hardware store. Truck stops and industrial supplies can be an easy source to have anything you want made up for chain in Grade 70.

Mike: 3/8 is probably the safe bet, however some chain has a higher tensile strength than other. I have a 5/16 chain, will outstand most 3/8 chain. I got 50' of it from my IH dealer close to 40 years ago. He was using it on his equipment truck as well as selling the same chain. It has shorter links than most 5/16 chain, and I find it tightens much better over rings or frame. I forget the specs on this chain, but I have more faith in it than off the shelf 3/8 chain.

Thanks, guys.
mike

Grade 70 3/8 will be strongest but I see a lot of over thr road class 8 flatbeds using 5/16.

A Google search for "cargo securement rules" will give you FMCSA tie down regulations.

For tying down a tractor, Harbor Freight has trucker chain. It is gold iridited for corrosion protection and I think it is high test. I have several 3/8" x 14' and some of the ratchet type binders. I will never go back to the over-center type ever again. What I mean by ratchet is, they are like a turnbuckle with a ratcheting handle.

I know, Harbor Freight is not the highest quality place to shop, but some things they sufice for. For example, chains and binders... Less than 60 bones for 2 binders and chains.

Charles

Well on this subject i know vary well as along with knowing I H tractors inside and out I have spent a good part of my life running the roads hauling farm equipment along with some really big oversized loads and i used G70 5/16ths on most of the loads till we got over the 120000 lbs range then we would use the 3/8 and the 7/16 G70 as the G 70 is the only chain approved as transport grade .For hauling and M even a fully loaded M 2 5/26 would be legal BUT one thing that most guys do not do is add the third chain for 60 % hold back in case of a wreck . Now to be safer then use 4 5/16 X pulling away from the ft and away from the back a bit . Ya want to figure that around 4000 lbs per chain on a 5/16 and 4500 on a 3/8 And that was the guide line that i fallowed when loading a big one as to just how may chains to hang on it . When hauling any implement say like a disc ya want a chain every 4 foot . Say that you are hauling a loader tractor and lets say that it is a Ferge 30 with a loader Two 5/18 chains will do for the tractor BUt ya need a chain over the loader also then say that it has a brush hog on the three point then ya need a chain over the three point arm and also one over the brush hog . I use to haul a lot of new Cat equipment out of N. C. and when ya hauled say a skid steer how how may chains ans binder do you think ya need on a5500 lbs skidsteer ???? Five yep thats correct 4 Xed and one over the loader arms Took 25 chains and binder to haul 5 skidsteers out of the plant. Haul and articulate loader that say weighed in at 32000 and ya had to have two xed for the ft. two Xed on the back two in the middle one over the loader arms and one on the bucket and one holding back . Now one other think to keep in mind here If something ever does happen i do not care how many good chains and binder ya have on the load IFit wants to come off that trailer or truck bed SHE IS COMING OFF. In the days of the Oil Patch i was out a couple times where a guy was tryen to back into a lease road with a D6D or a D7F on a float trailer and maybe the culvert collapsed and they layed trcuk and trailer with dozer still hanging on the deck with only 4 5/16 chains one on each corner of the tracks and we would take my dozer and throw the winch line over the trailer spool out some line set in and bring everything back up on its wheels Then other time i have seen them with 8 3/8 chains come off in a curve and never flip the truck or trailer . But for all the tractor hualen that anybody on this site does if they carried 8 Good G 70 5/16 chains and 9 binder that will get the job done . Now if ya want to LEARN how to do this then Please get with a PRO that hauls equipment and let him show ya the ropes . Oh one other point here myself i prefer ratchet binders , Yes takes a bit more time to snag down a load BUT once ya have it down it is down plus ya will never take a binder pipe to the head or side of your face and get knocked into the next area code.

I do not know about Harbor Freight chain but some of the "transport chain" sold at similar stores is not marked and according to FMCSA rules unmarked chain is considered to be grade 30 which has about 1/3 the strenght of grade 70 transport chain. Good quality transport chain will be marked on hooks and every link.

Amen to the tractor vet and the dangerous binder bar.
I used a binder bar for many years hauling a flatbed and they can be a real pain and you can get hurt if your not careful. I'm not a real big man and you always try and get one notch tighter then it wants to go. Been hanging in mid air before trying to get that last notch, had it snap back and hit me in the side of the head many times. I probably always over strapped or chained but the DOT never bother me much either.

Point is just be careful and take your time. And don't be cheap on the quality of the chain. A good trucking trailer place will have the grade and quality you need, yes it's expensive but it's one time investment and something you keep and use.

Then other time i have seen them with 8 3/8 chains come off in a curve and never flip the truck or trailer .

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Those chains were probably loose(of course no way to prove it either way after the fact). A loose chain isn't much better than no chain.