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Table of Contents

1) Introduction

2) Farm Equipment Rules

3) Farm Truck and Trailer Rules

4) Addition Information

  1. Workplace Safety and Insurance Act
  2. Safety tips
  3. MTO contacts
  4. Appendix A: chain strengths

Print version

Adobe Acrobat PDF version of the entire report is available (450 KB). To view PDF files, you will require Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Related Links

Farm Guide
Farm Equipment on the Highway

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Additional Information

Appendix A: Chain strengths

Note: The following list of chain strengths and markings was derived from general industry standards and practices. For strength and marking information about purchased chain consult with the chain retailer or manufacturer.

The strengths provided in these charts are not used to determine strengths for the purposes of load security.

Proof Coil Grade - 30
Trade Size (inch) Trade Size (mm) Actual Size (inch) Actual Size (mm) Minimum Breaking Force (lbs.) Minimum Breaking Force (kg)
1/8 4 .156 4 1,600 725
3/16 5.5 .217 5.5 3,200 1,450
1/4 7 .276 7 5,200 2,360
1/4 7 .281 7 nil nil
5/16 8 .331 8.4 7,600 3,450
5/16 8.7 .343 8.7 nil nil
3/8 10 .394 10 10,600 nil
3/8 10 .406 10.3 nil nil
7/16 11.9 .488 11.9 14,800 6,700
7/16 11.9 .468 11.9 nil nil
1/2 13 .512 13 18,000 8,160
1/2 13 .531 13.5 nil nil
5/8 16 .630 16 27,600 12,520
3/4 20 .787 20 42,400 19,230
7/8 22 .866 22 51,200 23,220
1 26 1.02 26 71,600 32,470
High Test Grade - 43
Trade Size (inch) Trade Size (mm) Actual Size (inch) Actual Size (mm) Minimum Breaking Force (lbs.) Minimum Breaking Force (kg)
1/8 4 .156 4 nil nil
3/16 5.5 .217 5.5 nil nil
1/4 7 .276 7 7,800 3,540
1/4 7 .281 7 nil nil
5/16 8 .331 8.4 nil nil
5/16 8.7 .343 8.7 11,700 5,300
3/8 10 .394 10 nil nil
3/8 10 .406 10.3 16,200 7,350
7/16 11.9 .488 11.9 nil nil
7/16 11.9 .468 11.9 21,600 9,800
1/2 13 .512 13 nil nil
1/2 13 .531 13.5 27,600 12,500
5/8 16 .630 16 39,000 17,700
3/4 20 .787 20 60,600 27,500
7/8 22 .866 22 73,500 33,400
1 26 1.02 26 nil nil
Transport Grade - 70
Trade Size (inch) Trade Size (mm) Actual Size (inch) Actual Size (mm) Minimum Breaking Force (lbs.) Minimum Breaking Force (kg)
1/8 4 .156 4 nil nil
3/16 5.5 .217 5.5 nil nil
1/4 7 .276 7 nil nil
1/4 7 .281 7 12,600 5,700
5/16 8 .331 8.4 nil nil
5/16 8.7 .343 8.7 18,800 8,530
3/8 10 .394 10 nil nil
3/8 10 .406 10.3 26,400 11,980
7/16 11.9 .488 11.9 nil nil
7/16 11.9 .468 11.9 35,000 15,880
1/2 13 .512 13 nil nil
1/2 13 .531 13.5 45,200 20,500
5/8 16 .630 16 63,200 28,670
3/4 20 .787 20 98,800 44,800
7/8 22 .866 22 nil nil
1 26 1.02 26 nil nil
Alloy Grade - 80
Trade Size (inch) Trade Size (mm) Actual Size (inch) Actual Size (mm) Minimum Breaking Force (lbs.) Minimum Breaking Force (kg)
7/32 5.5 .217 5.5 8,400 3,800
9/32 7 .276 7 14,000 6,350
5/16 8 .315 8 18,000 8,160
3/8 10 .394 10 28,400 12,880
1/2 13 .512 13 48,000 21,770
5/8 16 .630 16 72,400 32,840
3/4 20 .787 20 113,300 51,350
7/8 22 .866 22 136,800 62,000
1 26 1.020 26 190,800 86,550
Alloy Grade - 100
Trade Size (inch) Trade Size (mm) Actual Size (inch) Actual Size (mm) Minimum Breaking Force (lbs.) Minimum Breaking Force (kg)
7/32 5.5 .217 5.5 10,800 4,900
9/32 7 .276 7 17,200 7,800
5/16 8 .315 8 22,800 10,340
3/8 10 .394 10 35,200 15,900
1/2 13 .512 13 60,000 27,200
5/8 16 .630 16 90,400 41,000
3/4 20 .787 20 141,200 64,050
7/8 22 .866 22 170,800 77,500
1 26 1.020 26 nil nil
Machine Chain, Straight and Twisted Link, Coil Chain, Straight and Twisted Link, and Passing Link Chain
Trade Size (#) Trade Size (mm) Actual Size (inch) Actual Size (mm) Minimum Breaking Force (lbs.) Minimum Breaking Force (kg)
4 3 .120 3 780 350
3 3.4 .135 3.4 970 440
2 3.8 .148 3.8 1,180 530
1 4.1 .162 4.1 1,405 640
1/0 4.5 .177 4.5 1,670 760
2/0 4.9 .192 4.9 1,975 890
3/0 5.3 .207 5.3 2,300 1,040
4/0 5.5 .218 5.5 2,545 1,150
5/0 6.4 .250 6.4 3,345 1,520
Known Chain and Hook Markings
Grades Chain Markings Hook Markings
Proof Coil Grade-30 G3, G30, C3, M3, 3, Npc, C, 30, Canada, L, M, P, PC. C.
High Test, Grade-43 G4, G40, G43, 4, 43, 430, HT, C4, M4, MHT, H, High Test, Canada, Canada 4, L, M, P, W, PH. H, HT, High Test, G4, G40, G43.
Transport Grade-70 G7, G70, C7, 7, 70, 700, CM-USA, M7, L, P, TS, W. Transport 7, 70, T7, G7, G70, S7.
Alloy Grade-80 A, T, G80, 80, 800, C8, 8, A8A, CA8, HA 800, CM-USA, L, P, TS, W. A, AA, AL, Alloy, 4A, A8, C8, Kuplex, Herc, P8, T80.
Alloy Grade-100 nil nil
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