Farming is one of the cornerstones of American life, but most people don’t think about the many different moving parts that are required to get food on their table. The truth is, millions of people throughout the country are engaged in food- and resource-producing activities on a daily basis. The machinery required to keep everything moving is not only expensive, it’s also incredibly complex. Each different type of machinery requires a variety of parts to keep everything moving smoothly. A delay can have long-reaching effects when you’re considering limited daylight hours and weather that can change in minutes. See how our in-stock inventory of chains for everything from combines to forage harvesters helps keep farms moving throughout the country.
Agricultural Roller and Engineering Chain
Agricultural Chain - Corrosion Resistant
Agricultural Chain with Attachment
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Agricultural Chain – A Attachment
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Agricultural Chain – C Attachment
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Agricultural Chain – D-1 Attachment
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Agricultural Chain – D-5 Attachment
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Agricultural Chain – F Attachment
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Agricultural Chain – G Attachment
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Agricultural Chain – K Attachment
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Agricultural Chain – S Attachment
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Agricultural chains find robust application in the complex machinery employed in modern-day farm operations. Whether you intend to harvest crops, process or organize, these machines find useful applications by increasing work scale and saving time. We’ll discuss some of these machines where agricultural chains find practical applications below.
Combine Harvesters
These are large and complex machines that harvest crops in large volumes. “Combines” make use of chains, such as the CA series roller chains with attachments, to harvest common crops such as corn.
Balers
Balers are used for forage bundling and harvesting. Crops such as cotton, hay, flax and straw are compressed into compact bales for transport and storage. These balers are built with heavy roller chains to bear the increased loads.
Hay Bale Conveyor
These are used to convey bales to the higher chambers in a barn for storage. On average, a bale can weigh up to 140 lbs. Moving this kind of weight is achieved with the use of conveyors.
Manure Spreaders
Manure has been used to improve soils for centuries. However, due to the increased scale of farm operations in recent times, a more complex machine — the manure spreader — is used. The conventional manure spreaders are large trailers that utilize an efficient chain drive system with paddles that disperse the manure onto the field.
Grain Conveyor Systems
Grain conveyor systems present different methods of transporting grains. One of the common methods is a chain-driven conveyor system.
Uninterrupted Service
The quality of our chains guarantees a smooth flow of your operations. We understand that faulty tools can remarkably hamper productivity, which is why at PEER Chain, we ensure that all our chains are fault-free and meet all standard criteria.
Uses of Engineering Chains
Before you select a chain for an application, it is vital to consider its grade. Chain grades are a standard method for evaluating the ultimate breaking strength or tensile strength of a chain. Each chain grade has different properties, according to the ANSI and ASME requirements, which approve or disapprove it for certain applications. Below is an overview of the uses of engineering chains by the most common grades.
Grade 30
Grade 30 chains are widely used for general purposes in agricultural applications. While this grade is made of durable carbon steel, it has the lowest tensile strength of all the chain grades. Therefore, it is not used for heavy-duty towing or overhead lifting.
Grade 40
Compared to the Grade 30 chain, the Grade 40 chain has higher carbon content, accounting for its higher tensile strength. While it is similar in strength to the Grade 43 chain, the Grade 40 chain has smaller chain link dimensions. It is used in boat windlasses, lumber yards and OEM facilities. Like the Grade 30 chain, it is not approved for overhead lifting.
Grade 43
The Grade 43 chain demonstrates almost the same strength levels as Grade 40, except it has larger chain links. It is used to secure large items in logging, agriculture, automotive towing and marine applications.
Grade 70
The higher strength of Grade 70 accommodates heavier general use. It is composed of heat-treated carbon steel, making it approximately 20% stronger than Grade 43 chains. It has a yellow chromate gold plating finish by which it is easily recognized. It is typically used to secure heavier loads for on-road transport and is equally suitable for use in logging and towing. While the Grade 70 chain has significantly higher tensile strength than lower grades, it is not recommended for use in overhead lifting applications.
Grade 80
Grade 80 chain is designed for safe use in heavy-duty towing and overhead lifting applications. It is approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and ASME for this purpose. The Grade 80 chain is composed of heat-treated alloy steel and can be coated with a black armor protective finish to enhance durability and prolong its service life.
Grade 100
The Grade 100 chain is also engineered for overhead lifting. It is used for loads that are heavier and require greater strength than the Grade 80. The heat-treated alloy steel used in Grade 100 is approximately 25% stronger than that used in Grade 80. It is particularly useful for overhead lifting in construction and industrial manufacturing.
Sturdy and Reliable
When your family depends on you getting in the harvest to pay the bills, you need to know that your equipment will be ready to go when you are. There are a number of challenges for agricultural machinery chain applications that are not found elsewhere, such as:
- High shock applications, such as putting hay into bales
- Dirt and dust gumming up the works
- Excessive use raising the temperature of parts and placing them under additional stress
- Rapid temperature changes; extreme heat and cold
- Ongoing wet conditions
Our high quality agricultural chain options will support tools used in operations of any size: from family farms up to enterprise-level farming — and everything in between! We have seen that starting with excellent parts will help extend the life of expensive machinery, effectively boosting your bottom line and overall productivity. We take pride in offering only the highest quality chains.
Passing the Quality Test
Our agricultural machinery chains are available to fit every possible need, with a wide variety of sizes and specs. However, the one thing that all of our chains have in common is our professional commitment to quality. Knowing you have access to chain you can trust can make all the difference and give you peace of mind. We know you desire dependable and quality agricultural chains versus chains that stretch out and could cause downtime, and strive to ensure that our customers always know our precision chains will work — guaranteed. While no agricultural operation can expect to go without some downtime, our goal is to reduce the lost time as much as possible by providing the parts that farmers need to keep all of their equipment in top shape. Routine wear and tear is expected and can be planned for, but we seek to reduce the possibility of unexpected downtime because of not having the correct chain available.
Whether you’re looking for an agricultural chain for a large harvester or a small tractor, PEER Chain always has your chain in stock! We maintain agricultural chains with an assortment of different attachments, coupling chains and pintle chains for your convenience. Find your ideal chain online or give us a call today at 800-523-4567 or via email to [email protected] to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions About Agricultural Chains
What Are the Main Types of Agricultural Chains?
- Agricultural roller and engineering chain: This includes:
- Type A roller chain
- Type C roller chain
- Type CA roller chain
- Cast H-Type mill chain
- Steel pintle chain corrosion resistant. This includes:
- 304 Series stainless steel A-type double-pitch roller chain
- 304 series with attachment D5
- Nickel plated double pitch roller chain with D5 attachment
- ProCoat double pitch roller chain, D-5 attachment
- Agricultural chain with attachment. This includes:
- Agricultural chain with A attachment
- Agricultural chain with C attachment
- Agricultural chain with D1 attachment
- Agricultural chain with D5 attachment
- Agricultural chain with F attachment
- Agricultural chain with G attachment
- Agricultural chain with K attachment
- Agricultural chain with S attachment
What Is the Agricultural Chain Made Of?
Typically, the chains are made of carbon and steel. Some chains are alloyed to produce stronger chains, such as Grade 80 and Grade 100. Also, special coatings may be applied to offer protection against corrosion and glare. The professional design and advanced technology of our chains at PEER Chain ensure that they deliver the properties of wear resistance, impact resistance, high strength and long life.
What Is the Tensile Strength of a Chain?
Tensile strength (TS) is the most common measure of a chain’s strength. It represents how much load a chain can withstand before breaking. The higher the grade of the chain, the higher the tensile strength.
What Is the Best Grade of Agricultural Chain?
Chain grades are a standard measure of the ultimate breaking strength or tensile strength of a chain, indicated in N/mm. The force at which the chain breaks in tension (N) is divided by the area of two cross sections of a single link (mm) gives the TS. Hence, the higher-grade chains are stronger and harder. The key to finding the best chain suited for an application is to understand how the chain will be used, how it is expected to perform and the factors acting on it and their effects. These considerations determine the grade suited for a particular application. For example, for overhead lifting, you may choose to use a Grade 80 or Grade 100 chain because they are unyielding, but not a Grade 40 or Grade 43 chain because they are likely to break apart. Not sure which chain works best for you? We’re here to help. Contact PEER Chain customer service via email or call on 888-630-1802.
How Do I Know My Roller Chain Size?
Roller chains are precisely sized to ensure they will work universally across applications for which they are suitable. Therefore, it is important that you know the size of the chain you intend to get that addresses your needs.
For most chains, the size is stamped on the side plates. A “41 chain”, or “1009”, which is the industry number, is stamped on any plate of the chain representing the chain size.
If there are no markings, you will need to measure the chain dimensions. Using a set of calipers, you can accurately measure the most important dimensions: the pitch, roller diameter and inner width, which you can compare with the ANSI standard roller chain sizes. For attachments, you can take a picture and email it to our knowledgeable chain experts at PEER Chain or call us at 888-630-1802.
What Is the Difference Between Number 40 and Number 41 Roller Chains?
PEER Chain provides quality chains for all power transmission applications, and the 40 and 41 roller chains are no exception. While they are both widely used for their strength, long wear life and durability, the difference between the 40 and 41 roller chains lies in the roller width, roller diameter, plate height, plate thickness, overall width and tensile strength. See the table below for the specifications of both chains:
40 Roller Chain Dimensions | 41 Roller Chain Dimensions |
Pitch (P): 0.500" | Pitch (P): 0.500" |
Roller Width (W): 0.312" | Roller Width (W): 0.251" |
Overall Width (F): 0.640" | Overall Width (A): 0.522" |
Roller Diameter (R): 0.312" | Roller Diameter (D): 0.306" |
Plate Height (H): 0.463" | Plate Height (H): 0.390" |
Plate Thickness (T): 0.060" | Plate Thickness (T): 0.050" |
Pin Diameter (D): 0.156" | Pin Diameter (E): 0.141" |
Tensile Strength: 4,100 lbs | Tensile strength: 2,000 lbs |
About PEER Chain
Mission Statement
PEER Chain’s personal commitment is to pinpoint our customer’s best solution, by delivering on our promises for product genius and over-the-top service so they are always running.Quality Policy
PEER Chain strives for customer satisfaction by continually improving process, products and services to ensure we consistently meet or exceed customer and all other relevant requirements.Since 1969, the PEER Chain family has been a strong and reliable source that you can count on. We are a family connected by links forged over years of excellent service, quality and expertise. We are passionately committed to providing product genius and over-the-top service to keep you running!