[AJD] Safety Alert - check your chains

[Dean VP]

Excellent suggestion, Duane.

I had a similar thing happen a few years ago. Once I took the tension off of
the chain the pin dropped out. Scared me big time. I replaced a bunch of
cotter pins at the time. 

It made such an impression on me that before I use any chain now these pins
and cotter keys get checked religiously.  For some reason they seem to get
abused more than one would expect. I've even thought about using safety wire
in them instead of cotter keys. They seem to get damaged a lot. I'm so
paranoid about it now I try to position the hook so the pin has to work its
way up to come out whenever possible. Or on the stake pockets position the
hook so the pin can't come out. They cause bad dreams!

Dean A. Van Peursem
Snohomish, WA 98290

Forbidden fruits create many jams!

www.deerelegacy.com

http://members.cox.net/classicweb/email.htm



 ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Duane Larson<mailto:jdlarson at comcast.net> 
  To: Antique John Deere mailing
list<mailto:antique-johndeere at lists.antique-tractor.com> 
  Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2006 5:46 PM
  Subject: [AJD] Safety Alert - check your chains


  Most of us use lengths of welded chain with grab hooks on each end to
secure loads. The grab hooks are often attached to the end of the chain with
a pin held in place by a cotter pin. Check the condition of your cotter
pins. I was using a chain today and lo and behold, one end came up missing.
I found it, realized the problem, and checked the cotter pins on the rest of
my chains. I found several where the manufacturer put minimal bend in the
cotter pins, and some which were clearly bent/damaged during use. None of us
need to deal with chains coming loose.