Chains, Straps, & Wire Rope

When it comes to vehicle securement, towing, and recovery, you need to make sure that you are using the best equipment to get the job done with efficiency. The most common types of tools to use in this industry include Chains, Straps, and Wire Rope. Each of these assemblies have their purposes and strengths, providing superior combinations of versatility and durability that you can trust. However, for the most part, they are not interchangeable. Certain situations benefit from the durability of a chain assembly while others benefit from the versatility of a strap assembly. It is important to understand when and why a certain assembly should be used.

Chains are engineered to provide you with superior durability and toughness. They can endure a lot more abuse and can handle rougher situations with better efficiency. Chain assemblies are excellent for securing abrasive loads while most chain slings are approved for overhead lifting applications. Straps are engineered to provide you with better strength and flexibility. They are a versatile option that allows you to maneuver them around the load. They are also easier to apply tension to thanks to high-quality tensioning devices. Wire Rope assemblies are engineered to provide you with greater durability and versatility. Instead of securement, they are often used for jobs such as towing, lifting, and recovery, offering high-quality strength when it is most needed.

The Importance of the Working Load Limit

The Working Load Limit is one of the most important factors to be aware of when operating a chain, strap, or wire rope assembly. It is a rating that should never ever be exceeded. The WLL is the maximum allowed weight that a piece of rigging can handle under normal conditions. It is the amount of weight that the assembly can take before failing. For example, if you were to secure something that weighs 5,000 lbs., you would not use an assembly that has a working load limit of 4,000 lbs. The assembly will not be able to handle the weight of the entire load and will fail, and that could potentially lead to disastrous results and should be avoided altogether.

The WLL is not to be confused with the breaking strength of the assembly. The break strength rating refers to the point when any part of the assembly will break. The WLL is always 1/3 of the break strength. A chain that has a working load limit of 5,000 lbs. has a break strength of 15,000 lbs. The rating of the overall assembly is determined by the weakest component. For example, with a standard ratchet strap, you have end fittings, webbing, and a ratchet buckle. If both the end fittings and the webbing have a break strength of 10,000 lbs. and the ratchet buckle has a break strength of 8,000 lbs., then the overall break strength of the assembly is 8,000 lbs. because of the ratchet.

By always keeping the working load limit and the break strength in mind, you are able to operate with much greater safety and security. No matter what type of assembly you are using for the job, you must always be aware of how much the assembly can take. Luckily, most assemblies come in a variety of sizes. Generally, the wider the chain, strap, or rope, the stronger it is. Most assemblies and their components will have the working load limit and the breaking strength printed directly onto the items or on a tag that is sewn onto them.

Chains for Increased Durability

B/A Products Co. designs and manufactures sturdy, strong, and reliable chains at grades 70, 80, 100, and 120 that can be applied in numerous different applications when it comes to towing and auto transport. They are one of the key pieces of hardware in helping get vehicles that need towing or transportation to where they need to be without a hitch. Chains are an excellent alternative to tie-down straps when the job calls for an increase in durability and toughness. Chain assemblies can take on much more abuse and can handle the rougher applications with greater efficiency.

The Difference in Chain Grades

All chains come in different grades. This is the standard industry method both for towing and auto transport for measuring the Working Load Limit of a chain, which is how much weight it can withstand while still keeping all of its strength and durability. WLL is used over Breaking Strength as a form of durability and strength measurement because the latter is how much weight a chain or other form of tie-down can deal with before it fails. This is not the best way to keep a chain working at its best for years and get the most value out of your purchase. To find the WLL of a chain or other industrial grade tie-down method, divide the Breaking Strength by 3. For example, a chain with a Breaking Strength of 9T will have a WLL of 3T.

The grade of the chain is an important factor in determining the function of the chain. This is essential for using the chain safely. Grade 70 chains are typically used for the everyday securement jobs, such as tying down vehicles, logs, and other types of loads. The typical WLL of these chains ranges from 3,150 lbs. to 15,800 lbs. These chains are never to be used for overhead lifting applications. Grade 80 chains, on the other hand, are engineered with the strength to handle overhead lifting jobs. They make excellent chain slings for lifting purposes. The typical WLL of grade 80 chains ranges from 3,500 lbs. to 28,300 lbs.

For heavy-duty jobs that require more strength, grade 100 chains are the right choice. This high-strength heat-treated alloy chain has about 25% more strength than grade 80 chains. It can be used to create more powerful chain assemblies or chain slings. The typical WLL of grade 100 chains ranges from 4,300 lbs. to 35,300 lbs. When you need ultimate strength for the toughest jobs, you bring in the grade 120 chains. This grade is reserved for the extremely demanding jobs that require maximum strength. The chains have a unique square shape and have 50% more strength than grade 80 chains and 20% more strength than grade 100 chains. The typical WLL of these chains ranges from 5,200 lbs. to 17,900 lbs.

The higher the chain grade, the more work the chain can handle. Any grade above 70 is approved for overhead lifting applications, but make sure that you never use chains that are grade 70 or below for lifting. For additional safety, chains are often embossed with the grade and working load limit on the links. Chains should be engineered to meet or exceed Department of Transportation (DOT) specifications, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) specifications, American Society for Testing and Materials International (ASTM) specifications, and National Association of Chain Manufacturers (NACM) specifications.

Straps for Increased Strength

In addition to chain, straps are another one of the key components involved in the towing and auto transport industries. They offer superior holding power and flexibility, giving you more control over the job. Straps feature a powerful combination of durable hardware and strong webbing that work together to create a type of synergy that enhances their overall performance. The webbing provides better versatility as it can easily wrap around the length of the load and hug it in a tight, viselike grip, increasing stability and security. The webbing is easy to tighten with the help of a tensioning device, which could be a cam buckle, a winch, or, most commonly, a ratchet buckle. Most end fittings provide a solid grip on the anchoring point in a way that supports the rest of the tie-down assembly.

Straps Provide Strength for Different Applications

In the context of towing, straps are most commonly used to pull a vehicle out of a difficult situation. For example, if a driver has somehow slid off the road and into a muddy ditch, straps can be used to attach the vehicle to your fleet's tow truck so that the tow truck can then move in reverse and use its strength as well as the strength and durability of the strap to get it back on stable ground. For these types of situations, you need to rely on the low-stretch and high-strength features of the strap.

In the context of auto transport, straps are commonly used to tie down vehicles to the flatbed trailer that will be transporting it to its destination. In these situations, straps are commonly paired with a solid and durable ratchet buckle that can provide you with the right amount of tension in the right areas to create a secure, unwavering hold on the vehicle during the journey.

The true strength of a tie-down strap lies in its webbing. Most straps are engineered from a strongly weaved polyester thread, giving them the durability and reliability needed to handle a large number of different jobs throughout their service life. Compared to nylon, polyester is much more stretch resistant and is much denser. The polyester thread also increases the strap’s durability and resistance to abrasion. Most manufacturers engineer different tiers of webbing to handle different types of situations.

For instance, B/A Products Co. has created several types of polyester webbing that offer different levels of strength. There’s the Polyester Classic that is the standard for the everyday jobs, offering its reliable strength time and time again. There’s also the Tower’s Edge that is PVB impregnated for maximum protection against the elements. Then there’s the Heavy-Duty Webbing that has 50% more fibers than the Classic for a thicker and heavier design that provides longevity and superior abrasion resistance. Additionally, the Extreme Weave features a patented weave pattern designed to slow unraveling due to small cuts and abrasions. Both this webbing and the Hi-Viz Webbing are designed with a bright green color for increased visibility in low-light situations.

Wire Rope for Increased Versatility

Wire rope is used in towing more so than auto transport. This is because wire rope is one of the most common methods in the towing industry for securing a vehicle that is being towed to the tow truck. This method provides a great deal of flexibility while not having to sacrifice any durability or strength that other less flexible heavy-duty securement methods would provide. They are made from Extra Improved Plow Steel in order to provide your fleet with superior strength and flexibility. Like with straps and chain, it is also vital to abide by the WLL of a wire rope in order to guarantee maximum safety, strength, durability, efficiency, and long-term value.

Wire Rope Combines Durability with Flexibility

In the most basic sense, a wire rope is a machine because it has different precise moving parts that work in tandem to function properly. The wire rope consists of a core, which is either made from fiber or steel, in which the other multi-wired strands are bent around. The core provides stability and works to maintain the position of the outer strands during operation. A number of strands can be added around the core with the most common number being six. Each strand is composed of a number of wires, which can range between three to 91. For example, a wire rope with a 6X25 construction means that is has six strands and each strand has 25 wires. With each individual wire working together, the wire rope is able to provide you with the elasticity and durability needed to get the job done right.

There are many different configurations of wire rope with each one offering its specific strengths. This includes various combinations of wire sizes and numbers as well as the material used to manufacture the wire rope. Different strand constructions include: Single Size, which is a basic strand construction with same-sized wires wrapped around the core; Seale, which has the same number of large outer wires and smaller inner wires around the core; Filler Wire, which has small wires that fill spaces between the larger wires; and Warrington, in which the outer layer is comprised of alternating large and small wires.

The 6X25 and 6X26 constructions are quite popular in many industries, such as towing, industrial, fire rescue, and more. The 6X25 Filler Wire with IWRC construction provides more than efficient flexibility with a great balance of abrasion and fatigue resistance. The 6X26 Warrington Seale with IWRC also provides an excellent balance while also having a high resistance to crushing.