Frequently Asked
Questions
Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions. Got a question? Email us at [email protected].
Traction FAQs
What should I do before purchasing or installing tire chains?
Before selecting any traction product, refer to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation in your vehicle owner’s manual.
Before use of the tire chains is needed, be sure to pre-fit the chains to your tire to ensure that you have enough clearance for the chains to operate properly.
If you have alloy wheels or wheels that protrude beyond the tire sidewall, we caution against using traction products that require a rubber tightener.
What if my owner's manual says do not use tire chains?
Do not use tire chains. Vehicle manufacturers often make this statement if they don’t leave enough room around the tire for conventional chains to operate without coming in contact with some part of the vehicle. For more information on clearance issues please click here.
Which tires should I chain up?
Traction devices should be installed on the drive tires. On front-wheel drive vehicles this would be the front tires and on rear wheel drive vehicles this would be the rear tires. To retain as much of the normal handling characteristics of your vehicle as possible, we recommend installing traction devices on all tires. If you have a four wheel drive or all wheel drive vehicle refer to your owner’s manual for placement recommendation.
If my car has an anti-locking brake system, do I still need chains?
YES! Many people think that ABS systems are an alternative to traction devices. ABS is a great advantage in helping drivers maintain vehicle control, but it’s only purpose is to manage the vehicle’s available traction more efficiently than a conventional braking system. “Z” products with diagonal pattern crossmembers, provide constant traction making them more compatible with traction control and ABS.
Do four-wheel drive vehicles need chains?
YES! Although four-wheel drive vehicles have a greater ability to GO than vehicles with a conventional drive system, they do not have any greater ability to STOP on slippery roads.
Which chain is easiest to install?
Our products that use a “designed-in” rubber tightener allow chains to be installed without moving or getting underneath the vehicle as there is no need to stop and retighten. These products include Auto-Trac, Z Passenger & SUV, Super Z6, Super Z8, Z SUV/LT and Super ZHD.
Which chain is the most durable?
Cable products with diagonal cross member patterns and alloy traction coils.
Which chain provides the best traction?
Products with diagonal or diamond shaped cross member pattern.
What is your warranty policy?
All winter traction products are warranted free from defect in workmanship and material for one year from the date of delivery to user. Defective product may be returned to the manufacturer, freight prepaid, within 10 days of discovery of alleged defect. Inspection will be made to determine cause of failure.
Chain determined to be defective will be repaired or replaced. Buyer shall not be entitled to recover any incidental or consequential damages. No compensation will be made for any labor claim, delays or damages incurred by using this product.
Although this warranty gives you specific rights, you may have other legal rights which differ from state to state. For more information contact us.
THIS WARRANTY IS VOID IF:
- SPEEDS EXCEED 30MPH / 50KMH, (UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
- MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDATIONS ARE NOT FOLLOWED
- FITTED IMPROPERLY OR INSTALLED IMPROPERLY
CAUTION: All winter traction product cross members will wear out with extended use. Products can also break due to misfit, misapplication or misuse. If this should occur, stop immediately and repair or replace product. If these cautions are ignored, Peerless Industrial Group and its distributors are not responsible for injury or vehicle damage. Manufacturer will not warranty alloy wheels or wheel covers damaged by chains or chain tighteners.
Check your owner’s manual:
Most vehicle manufacturers make a statement regarding clearance issues related to their vehicles. Follow your vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations regarding tire chains. This information is located in the owner’s manual under chains, traction devices, tires or a similar heading. It is important to select a traction product that is compatible with the minimum class assigned to your vehicle. This reference is based on the original tire and wheel size shown in your owner’s manual. Using a different size tire may affect the chain’s ability to operate properly. If you can’t locate the clearance requirements of your vehicle, contact the manufacturer.
What product guide should I use for the most up-to-date product information?
Always go by the information found on our Tire Chain Finder on our website. Other traction product look-up guides will sometimes tell you to go with a different product. Our Tire Chain Finder is kept up-to-date, where as other guide are only updated annually.
My tire size is not listed on any of your products, how do I know what product will fit?
Use our Tire Finder for a complete listing of tire sizes for all traction products.
Industrial FAQs
How often do I need to have my alloy chain sings inspected?
OSHA 1910.184 states that alloy chain slings are required to be visually inspected daily by a competent person designated by the employer. The severity of conditions may require frequent inspection throughout the day. The daily chain sling inspections are not required to be documented by OSHA.
OSHA also requires that, once within any 12 month period, all alloy chain slings are required to be thoroughly visually inspected and the condition of each sling be documented by a competent person. The employer also must maintain a record of the latest chain sling inspection and make that inspection report available for examination.
What documentation do I need to maintain for my chain slings?
The chain sling manufacturer must complete an Alloy Chain Sling Certificate for each chain sling assembled and tagged according to OSHA. The sling certificate is required to be maintained for each chain sling and made available for examination.
Along with the Alloy Chain Sling Certificate, the employer must maintain a record of the most recent periodic Chain Sling Inspection Report and the report be made available for examination.
Which way should my hooks be facing when I’m connecting my rigging to the load?
The hooks on multi-leg chain slings should always be facing in the outward direction away from the center of the load. This will allow the hooks to seat properly into the bowl of the hook at the connection point. It also permits the retainer latch to perform its function in a slack condition.
I’m using two identical 2-leg chain slings to rig my load. Can I just double the capacity rating of the ID tags to get my lifting capacity?
No. If the load has more than two connection points and they are being attached to the hoist or crane at a single point, then you must rate the lifting capacity as a 3 & 4-leg chain sling. The information is available in the Alloy Chain Sling Capacity Chart available in the Peerless Chain catalog, Chain Sling User’s Manual, and Wall Capacity Charts.
I only have a short distance between the hoist hook and the connection points on the top of my load. How much space is required between the crane hook and my lifting points?
The distance is not as important as the angle of lift in relation to load. The angle the chain forms between the connection point and the crane hook cannot be less than 30 degrees. When the angle of lift is at 30 degrees, each chain leg will see the same weight as the load being lifted.
How much heat can my alloy chain be exposed to without doing damage to my chain?
The answer depends on the Grade of alloy you are using. Grade 63, 80, and 100 have different heat effect charts. Grade 100 is the most susceptible to higher temperatures but both 80 and 100 begin to show reduced capacities at 400 degrees F. Grade 63 is the least effected by heat. Grade 63 has no permanent high heat effects until it reaches 850 degrees.
What is the difference between Grade 80 and Grade 100 Alloy Chain?
Grade 100 has about a 25% greater working load limit when compared to Grade 80. Both grades are characteristically identical when used on alloy chain slings to lift heavy loads. The higher WLL that Grade 100 offers makes it a more ergonomically efficient sling to use when the load weight fall between the two grades’ capacities.
When I inspect my chain slings, what is the criteria for removal from service?
The following items are the most common defects discovered when completing a chain inspection:
- Missing ID Tag, Incorrect information or illegible ID Tag
- Sling chain not alloy – Homemade chain or attachments
- Altered or modified attachments
- Elongated (stretched) links or sling legs
- Bent or twisted Links
- Drag wear
- Nicked or gouged links
- Severe corrosion or pitting
- Worn links or hooks
- Open or bent hook
- Weld Splatter
- Mechanical coupling link not hinging properly
- High heat damage “bluing”
When I’m reading OSHA or any other Standard, what’s the difference between the terms Should and Shall (Must)?
Should, when reading any government document, means that the criteria as stated is a recommendation. The criteria still has to be followed; however, there can be valid reasons for taking exception to it.
Shall or Must means that the criteria as stated has to be followed verbatim. There are no exceptions to the requirement as stated. Violations of non-compliance with these criteria often result in fines following an audit or incident investigation.
How much stretch is allowed on any one link of alloy chain?
The answer is simple. Any elongation which occurs in alloy chain is criteria for removal. Alloy chain has a minimum elongation of 20% before failure so any lengthening of the links or legs is criteria for removal.
How much of a variance in leg length is permitted between the hooks at the bottom of my alloy chain sling?
ASTM A906/A906M-2 states that when a new chain sling is manufactured, there is an allowable difference in length between the hooks on multiple leg chain slings. The maximum difference in length is 5/16” for slings up to 6-1/2 ft. in length. Then, for every additional 3-1/4 ft., the difference can increase by an additional 5/32”. Technological advances in chain manufacturing has greatly improved the consistency of chain length so this standard is not as much of a concern as it once was.
Some of our old timers that work in the shop lock their chain slings up in their tool boxes when the inspectors come through to do the annual inspection. They are afraid of losing them if the inspectors find a problem and have to tag them out for repair. Which chain slings in our facility are required to be inspected?
OSHA 1910.184 states that ALL alloy chain slings are required to have a documented inspection once within a 12 month period. If the inspectors detect removal criteria on a chain sling, the location is documented and the new or repaired chain sling will be designated to be returned their area. A defective chain slings could present the possibility of a catastrophic failure occurring that could result in injury or death.
I’m seeing a lot of little nicks on my chain sling. How many are acceptable before I have to tag my alloy chain sling out for repair?
Nicks occur as a result of the alloy chain coming into contact with a sharp metal edge or corner. The metal begins to penetrate the chain as the lift is being made and the chain is seeing the entire load weight. A few nicks are acceptable for the chain to remain in service; however, if they become numerous, are located near or on the crown or radius area of any given link, or penetrate 10% of the links’ material diameter, then the sling must be removed and evaluated for repairs.
Nicks can be averted with the use of wear pads between the chain and sharp corners.
My alloy chain sling has some deep gouges that go pretty deep into the chain links. Do I need to remove my sling from service and have the chain replaced?
Gouges commonly occur when the load is in a basket or choke hitch. As the sling begins to see an increase in load weight and adjusts itself toward the center of gravity, the force that is applied between the chain link and metal also increases. When this happens simultaneously, the tension and adjustment make the sharp corner in-bed itself into the chain link. This is what forms a deep gouge. If the gouge removes 10% or more of a given links’ material diameter or if the gouge occurs at or near the crown or radius area, remove the chain from service. If the gouged area is in question, contact a qualified chain expert to assess the sling further.
Gouges can be limited or prevented with the use of wear pads placed between the alloy chain and the sharp edges.
My guys were lifting a large uneven box on the job site with a four-leg chain sling and they twisted the chain in order to shorten two of the legs. After the load was set and released, the chain on those two legs appears to have a slight twist in them from top to bottom. Do I need to tag the sling out of service?
YES! Alloy chain is designed to lift in a straight link-to-link pull. All the welds need to line up in the same plane from top to bottom for the chain to function properly. If the chain is bent or twisted, it must be removed from service and sent to a qualified service center for repair.
The use grab hooks as adjusters should be used to shorten the legs of alloy chain slings.
My 4-leg chain sling has adjusters on it and there are 8 mechanical coupling links on the bottom for each leg and adjuster hook. A.) Is this right? B.) Can’t I just put a leg of chain and the adjuster leg onto the same mechanical coupling link?
A. Single individual master links can only accommodate single and double leg alloy chain slings. All 3 and 4 leg alloy chain slings are required to be assembled onto a master-sub assembly per ASME B30.9. The assembly must had been proof tested to 6 times the working load limit of a single leg sing for the specified diameter of chain.
B. Peerless mechanical coupling links are designed to accommodate only 1 component per link. That will be either the top link of chain on the leg or the eye of a grab hook being used as an adjuster leg. The mechanical coupling link will not function properly is there are 2 legs of chain or chain and a grab hook on the same link.
My master link isn’t seating all way down onto the bowl of my crane hook. The edges are touching and I can see light between the bottom of the link and the bowl of the hook. Is this safe?
When selecting a master link for a conventional standard crane hook, the master link should be at least 1” wider than the width of the crane hook. This will allow the inside radius of the master link to maintain a bearing-to-bearing connection with the bottom of the crane hook bowl. If not, the master link is too small and needs to be replaced. If there is not a bearing-to-bearing connection and the master link is pressing onto the edges, this will create a stress point at which the master link can fail or the crane hook will wear out prematurely in that area. This is a costly replacement that can be averted with the correct sized master link.