Chain hanger-gadget

joshuajim wrote:
Consider this. The chains on my 10,800# Wildwood measure .333 inch. Thats less than a 3/8" chain. Probably is a Chinese manufacture chain of questionable quality and given FR's push on cost control is probably a grade 30 chain. That means that it might have a strength as low as 1900#. The chains bear no markings (43 or 70). To meet DOT requirements, each chain would have to be a full 3/8" grade 70 chain.

I think the chains the manufacturer installs are mostly cosmetic.

I disagree and it seems you have strength confused with working load limts (WLL). A 5/16 grade 30 chain has a WLL of 1,900 its breaking strength is 4 times that or 7,600lbs.

I don't know where you're getting your numbers or DOT requirements, but they don't match what I have found such as HERE. Your grade 70 3/8" chain that you assume would be needed to meet DOT requirements would have a WLL of 6,600lbs and a breaking strength of 26,400lbs (4 x WLL). A 5/16 grade 30 chain would have a WLL of 1,900 (breaking strength of 7,600) and a grade 43 a breaking strength of 11,700lbs (3 X WLL). Based on your measurements your chain falls between a 5/16 and 3/8 spec.

AFAIK the DOT requirement is each chain must hold the the GVWR of the trailer for some short period of time (can't remember the exact # of min) before breaking so a 5/16 grade 43 would be all that would be required for your particular trailer.

My $$$$ would be that your chains in fact DO MEET the DOT requirements albeit probably w/o much margin.

Larry