Tow Chain

How to Choose Best & Suitable Towing Chains to Tow Disabled Vehicle

Tow truck operators carry specific kinds of chains for doing what they do. Along with those tow chains, tow straps, hooks and other equipment that operators need to safely rescue and transport disabled vehicles. One thing is for sure though, not all chains are suitable for towing. Tow operators have to go for either G70 towing chains or G80 tow chains.

G70 Tow Chains
Tow Chain with J Hook

Things to Consider while Choosing Towing Chains

There are some important aspects that every tow operator needs to consider while choosing or buying towing chains to rescue a disabled vehicle. Let’s check out them one by one in detail.

1. Prefer the Chains that are Capable of Handling Heavy Loads

The ‘G’ in the G70 chain stands for ‘grade’. Industrial chains made of steel are graded according to their tensile strength. The higher the grade, the stronger the chain. A G30 chain is the weakest of the options. This is usually a general-purpose chain made for light industrial and agricultural use. The strongest is grade 100. This kind of chain is made with a strong steel alloy capable of handling heavy loads during overhead lifting.

Read More: Chain Grades Chart

2. Use of Inadequate Towing Chains is Illegal and Unsafe

Tow operators cannot take chances with their chains. Any chains purchased with the intent of using them in vehicle recovery have to meet minimum standards for strength. Using inadequate chains is both unsafe and illegal.

3. Keep in Mind Two Most Important Factors

There are two factors to consider when using chains to tow or lift overhead.

i. Tensile Strength

The first is tensile strength, a measurement of how much force an object can withstand before breaking. That is where the grading comes in. A higher-grade chain can handle more force than a lower-grade chain.

A G70 grade is capable of handling 700 newtons per square millimeter. It might elongate somewhat during towing, but it is unlikely to be compromised under normal circumstances. G70 chain has a strong enough tensile strength to withstand the punishment delivered by most towing operations. Having said that, it is not strong enough for safe overhead lifting.

ii. Working Load Limit (WLL)

The second factor to consider is the working load limit (WLL). Although this measurement is similar to tensile strength, it is not quite the same thing. Working load limit measures how much work a chain can actually do before breaking. If a tow truck is towing a car in a cradle, with the rear wheels still on the ground, the load being carried is less because the ground is supporting some of the car’s weight. If that same tow truck were to lift the car straight off the ground, the load would be greater.

This suggests that the same chain may be appropriate for one operation but not another. So tow truck operators have to understand working load limits in relation to the kind of stress each particular recovery will have on the chain being used. Attempting recovery operations without understanding tensile strength and WLL is dangerous.

G80 Tow Chain
G80 Towing Chain

Do Not Tow a Vehicle with Passengers

With just this little bit of information, it should become apparent just how dangerous it is to use ropes or chains to tow a disabled vehicle using a passenger car. Yet we see it all the time. You might see a four-door sedan towing a disabled SUV down city streets using nothing more than a piece of rope the driver grabbed from the garage.

Such dangerous towing is an open invitation to disaster. The driver of the tow vehicle can quickly lose control; the person in the towed vehicle behind could slam into the vehicle in front by not braking quickly enough; ropes and chains can snap, etc. There is just no good way to tow a disabled vehicle without a purpose-built truck.

Conclusion

No, not all chains are suitable for towing. You need a steel G70 chain at a minimum. If you have any plans to lift vehicles rather than simply towing them, you will need either G80 or G100.