How To Buy Replacement Chain For Your Hoist

When you initially buy a hoist, more often than not, it will come with some length of chain. However, there are several reasons in which you might need to buy replacement chain for your hoist.

The Existing Chain is Worn or Damaged

Over time, hoist chains can experience significant wear due to frequent use. The links may become elongated or deformed, compromising the chain’s strength and safety. Also, if a hoist is used to lift loads that exceed its rated capacity, the chain can suffer from stress and strain, leading to cracks or permanent deformation that necessitates replacement.

You Need A Different Type of Chain

In some cases, users might want to upgrade to a higher-grade chain that offers better durability, higher load capacity, or enhanced resistance to specific environmental conditions.

A Greater Lift Height is Needed

This is perhaps the most common reason for replacement chain. When you initially purchase a hoist, you choose a length of chain that meets your current lifting needs. However, if your needs change and you need to lift, for example, 40 feet instead of 30, then you’ll need to purchase a new length of chain.

The easiest way to determine what type of chain you need is to consult the owner’s manual or user manual. There should be a section for “replacement parts” and one of those parts is chain. In some cases, a hoist’s manual will give multiple options for chain. Let’s look at the CM Lodestar for example:

As you can see from diagram above, there are 5 different chain options for the CM Lodestar: Zinc Plated, Burnished and Oiled, Zinc Phosphate Plated, Nickel Plated, and Stainless Steel. Let’s take a look at the use case for each type.

Zinc Plated

• Outdoor Use: Ideal for hoists that operate outdoors or in environments where the chain might be exposed to moisture. The zinc plating provides corrosion resistance, making it suitable for outdoor construction, forestry, and marine environments.
• General-Purpose Lifting: Commonly used in various industries for standard lifting tasks where moderate corrosion protection is needed.

Burnished and Oiled

• Heavy-Duty Industrial Use: Suited for environments where the chain is subject to heavy loads and rough handling. The burnished finish enhances durability, and the oiling provides lubrication, reducing friction and wear.
• Indoor Use: Best for indoor applications where exposure to moisture is minimal, such as in manufacturing plants and warehouses.

Zinc Phosphate Plated

• Harsh Environments: Used in environments that are moderately corrosive or where additional wear resistance is required. The zinc phosphate plating offers enhanced protection against rust and wear.
• Automotive and Machinery Lifting: Ideal for automotive shops, machinery maintenance, and other applications where the chain may be exposed to oils and other chemicals.

Nickel Plated

• Aesthetic and Clean Environments: Suitable for applications where both corrosion resistance and appearance are important, such as in food processing, pharmaceutical industries, and cleanrooms.
• Corrosive Chemical Environments: Offers excellent protection against chemicals and corrosive substances, making it ideal for chemical plants, laboratories, and environments where the chain may come into contact with aggressive agents.

Stainless Steel

• Extreme Corrosion Resistance: Perfect for use in highly corrosive environments, such as saltwater or chemical exposure. Often used in marine applications, food processing, and medical equipment handling.
• Sanitary Applications: Ideal for environments where hygiene is critical, like in the food and beverage industry, pharmaceutical production, and medical facilities.

When determining the length of replacement chain you need for your hoist, it may seem straightforward. However, there are a few factors to consider such as necessary lift height, reeving, and how much chain your hoist “eats.” Let’s briefly take a look at each of these factors and look at an example to tie everything together.

1. Lift Height

As you can imagine, the lift height is the first consideration. Determine the lift height that you need on your hoist for your material handling applications.

2. Reeving

The next consideration is the reeving that your hoist has. If your hoist is single reeved, then that is straight forward. However, if your hoist is double-reeved, then you will need twice the amount of chain. Triple-reeved will need three times as much and so one.

3. Chain Consumption

The final consideration is chain consumption. This refers to the amount of chain that resides in the used that doesn’t directly translate into lift height. There is chain consumption on every hoist. However, this amount can vary from a few inches to a few feet.

Example

Now that we know what all to consider, let’s look at an example. Let’s say we have a hoist that needs 40 feet of lift height, is double reeved, and has 1 foot of chain consumption. The total amount of chain you would need is 81 feet. That’s because you would need 40 feet of lift, times 2 for the double reeving, plus 1 more foot for the chain consumption. The formula looks like this:

(Lift Height * Reeving) + Chain Consumption = Total Chain Needed