Lifting with Chain/FEL

[radas]

Tractor gurus, I need some advice on how to tackle an upcoming project. The front porch on our house is trashed and needs getting. I've ordered 6 precast piers to replace the 4 in-ground 4x6s holding up the 6x28 porch as well as a 6x28 roof overhang. The piers come with 1/2-13 rod and are in pieces. I don't plan on assembling them in the ground and digging a 4' wide trench to do so. I'm going to pre-assembled them with type M mortar and then seal the joints with vulkem or similar and place them in a 2' wide trench instead.

To do this, I'm going to add a 1/2-13 eye nut on top of the threaded rod and use my FEL to move and place the piers. I have two 5/16 hooks on top of my bucket as well as two clevis D rings inside of my bucket under the hooks.

I can think of many ways to use chain to lift but I want to know what the proper way is so I don't end up injuring myself or others. What is the best way to orient chain and hooks/lifting hooks/slip hooks to the FEL and the eye nut to move these things around securely? Before anyone mentions, I'm going to grab a length of G80 chain and at least one clevis lifting hook. I know I can use the G70 chain I have, but I'd rather get the right equipment for the job and grab some G80 for overhead lifting anyway. I searched online and didn't see much in the way of lifting chained items with a FEL. Here are some photos of what I'm working with:

 

[Kennyd4110]

I would use two short (10' maybe?) chains with a slip hooks on one end to grab your eye/thimble, the other end can just go in your grab hooks on the bucket. The overhead lifting thing/G80 is when your woking under the load-which you really should NOT be doing with your loader anyway, so your G70 5/16" is perfect for this job, it's 4x stronger (or more) than your loader anyway. For ultimate safety you can use the Twist-Lock Slip Hooks we sell so they cannot come off the eye.

 

[radas]

I would use two short (10' maybe?) chains with a slip hooks on one end to grab your eye/thimble, the other end can just go in your grab hooks on the bucket. The overhead lifting thing/G80 is when your woking under the load-which you really should NOT be doing with your loader anyway, so your G70 5/16" is perfect for this job, it's 4x stronger (or more) than your loader anyway. For ultimate safety you can use the Twist-Lock Slip Hooks we sell so they cannot come off the eye.

Thanks for saving me $60 on G80 chain and making me spend more $$ on your site Ken I just busted a clasp on my slip hook the other day. Order coming soon.

 

[Kennyd4110]

Thanks for saving me $60 on G80 chain and making me spend more $$ on your site Ken I just busted a clasp on my slip hook the other day. Order coming soon.

Thanks @radas.
The stupid clips on those cheap slips hooks are joke, and they just get in the way since they are in the throat of the hook.

 

[radas]

Thanks @radas.
The stupid clips on those cheap slips hooks are joke, and the just get in the way since they are in the throat of the hook.

Agreed, I bent one the other day pulling a stump, no idea how it happened

Looks like you're OOS on the 5/16 slip hooks with twist lock, do you have an ETA? In hindsight, I should have ordered these back when I ordered all my other stuff and saved on shipping lol

 

[Kennyd4110]

I hope to have them next week sometime. The 3/8" will fit the 5/16" chain, not sure how they'll fit on the eye/thimble though.

We can use a priority small flat rate USPS box, would be $8.50 shipping.

 

[radas]

I hope to have them next week sometime. The 3/8" will fit the 5/16" chain, not sure how they'll fit on the eye/thimble though.

We can use a priority small flat rate USPS box, would be $8.50 shipping.

Just signed up for alerts - thanks again!

 

[Motion]

I gave up on slip hooks with latches years ago, I perfer log chain choker hooks real quick and easy to use.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

You're not dealing with a lot of weight, around 400# I think. The best way to keep everything hooked up is to not use hooks at all. Do it like the professionals and use shackles. You just need a couple of small ones.

BTW, those lifting eyes are rated at a straight pull. Side loads, like if you assembled your pier horizontally and picked it up by the ring to set it vertical, put a bending load on the ring and rod and reduce their capacity a lot. Yours is probably ok, since you'd only be lifting 200# or so.

I had not seen those piers before. Neat idea and the price isn't bad.

 

[ferguson]

that kind of "I" bolt looses drastic capacity with any side load

 

[radas]

You're not dealing with a lot of weight, around 400# I think. The best way to keep everything hooked up is to not use hooks at all. Do it like the professionals and use shackles. You just need a couple of small ones.

BTW, those lifting eyes are rated at a straight pull. Side loads, like if you assembled your pier horizontally and picked it up by the ring to set it vertical, put a bending load on the ring and rod and reduce their capacity a lot. Yours is probably ok, since you'd only be lifting 200# or so.

I had not seen those piers before. Neat idea and the price isn't bad.

Yeah they are about 4-500 lbs fully assembled. Shouldn't be anywhere near FEL or chain working load limits thankfully. That's good to know on side loading vs. vertical loading - I plan on assembling the pier with threaded rod in the vertical position and then hooking them up to move once the sections have cured. The base weighs 120lbs and the upper sections weigh 70lbs each so shouldn't be an issue to stack when they are on grade.

They are pretty neat and easy to transport. For $192/piece shipped for a 54"x22" precast pier, the price is very reasonable.

that kind of "I" bolt looses drastic capacity with any side load

That is good to know, I only plan on using them with vertical loading thankfully. A small price to pay for not having to set up forms and order concrete, vibrate forms, and be able to set up my 6x6 posts same day.

 

[radas]

I gave up on slip hooks with latches years ago, I perfer log chain choker hooks real quick and easy to use.

Just looked these up, these are awesome. I will need to add a few to my collection. Sadly they will not work for hooking the 1/2-13 eye nuts I bought but I will find use for them.

You're not dealing with a lot of weight, around 400# I think. The best way to keep everything hooked up is to not use hooks at all. Do it like the professionals and use shackles. You just need a couple of small ones.

BTW, those lifting eyes are rated at a straight pull. Side loads, like if you assembled your pier horizontally and picked it up by the ring to set it vertical, put a bending load on the ring and rod and reduce their capacity a lot. Yours is probably ok, since you'd only be lifting 200# or so.

I had not seen those piers before. Neat idea and the price isn't bad.

I should have taken your advice when I first read it! My eye nuts just showed up and I cannot fit two 5/16 slip hooks or chain hooks on the small opening without contorting them to the point where it will be awkward to lift. The 5/16 D ring shackles will work like a charm. Time to add a set of those to my collection.

 

[baronetm]

I just repaired my barn floor using ½-13 drop-in anchors with a machine lifting eye. I used my pallet fork frame with a hitch ball mount, clevis and a single leg SOF chain to lift the cement slabs, the ones in the photo are about 900-1000 lbs. three of the slabs were 1400-1500 lbs. this is using a L3901 tractor.

This hook up gave me very good control to orientate the slabs for resetting. I attempted the use my BH77 Hoe, but at 900-1000 lbs. the slabs were very close to the max craning capacity and the Maneuverability was not as precise as using the loader. I believe due to being near the max capacity of the hoe and the weight not always being perfectly centered for balance.

In your case I would use the single lift point, with your chain going thru both grab hooks on your loader coming to a single connection in the middle of the bucket with the grab hook on one end of the chain to center the lifting point. The other end of your chain with the slip hook would attach to a clevis and the lifting eye. I would also keep the lifting arrangement as short as possible, so you do not run out of lifting height and eliminate some of the load swing. Hope my input helps, in any event never get under the load or loader while it is in the air.

As an added precaution I would add a jam nut to your threaded rod so you can tighten your lifting eye against the nut, the less moving parts the safer.

 

[radas]

I just repaired my barn floor using ½-13 drop-in anchors with a machine lifting eye. I used my pallet fork frame with a hitch ball mount, clevis and a single leg SOF chain to lift the cement slabs, the ones in the photo are about 900-1000 lbs. three of the slabs were 1400-1500 lbs. this is using a L3901 tractor.

This hook up gave me very good control to orientate the slabs for resetting. I attempted the use my BH77 Hoe, but at 900-1000 lbs. the slabs were very close to the max craning capacity and the Maneuverability was not as precise as using the loader. I believe due to being near the max capacity of the hoe and the weight not always being perfectly centered for balance.

In your case I would use the single lift point, with your chain going thru both grab hooks on your loader coming to a single connection in the middle of the bucket with the grab hook on one end of the chain to center the lifting point. The other end of your chain with the slip hook would attach to a clevis and the lifting eye. I would also keep the lifting arrangement as short as possible, so you do not run out of lifting height and eliminate some of the load swing. Hope my input helps, in any event never get under the load or loader while it is in the air.

As an added precaution I would add a jam nut to your threaded rod so you can tighten your lifting eye against the nut, the less moving parts the safer.

Thank you for this advice - so you're saying to hook a 6ft or shorter chain through both bucket hooks at the top and use the slip hook to center the slack to one central point where I'd attach the clevis shackle to my eye nut on the pier?

I will definitely grab a jam nut and another nut/fender washer to keep the allthread secured in the stack to prevent any slop.

Much appreciated!

 

[D2Cat]

Depending on the weight of columns and your machine you may want some counterbalance on the back.

 

[radas]

Depending on the weight of columns and your machine you may want some counterbalance on the back.

That's a good point... I hadn't thought about that, I do have filled rear tires. Think it will get tippy with 500lbs lifted a few inches off the ground at near max height?

I have lifted a bucket full of gravel to full height with no issue but I think this weighs more and will sway side to side a bit.

 

[D2Cat]

I helped a neighbor get a 500 gal. empty propane tank off a trailer. I didn't want to bother getting the ballast for such a "simple" task. The tank had ears to attach to at each end and when I picked it up it was fine. Had him pull the truck/trailer up after lifting a few inches. When I lowered the tank to within inches of the ground I could feel the "teeter totter" effect. He ended up standing on the 3pt arms for added weight. That was with an L4240 with loaded tires. We only needed to move the tank 20 ft. but if asked again I would have counterweight as a precaution.

Later when I set a tank for myself I had the counterweight on!

 

[Kennyd4110]

Loaded tires DOES NOT suffice for rear ballast the using the loader.

 

[radas]

I helped a neighbor get a 500 gal. empty propane tank off a trailer. I didn't want to bother getting the ballast for such a "simple" task. The tank had ears to attach to at each end and when I picked it up it was fine. Had him pull the truck/trailer up after lifting a few inches. When I lowered the tank to within inches of the ground I could feel the "teeter totter" effect. He ended up standing on the 3pt arms for added weight. That was with an L4240 with loaded tires. We only needed to move the tank 20 ft. but if asked again I would have counterweight as a precaution.

Later when I set a tank for myself I had the counterweight on!

Fair enough, I needed an excuse to buy a box blade or rear implement. Thank you for sharing, your tractor is a lot heavier than mine so I will definitely need counterweight. Is your ballast box custom? I haven't seen one that nice online

Loaded tires DOES NOT suffice for rear ballast the using the loader.

Noted, I will need to grab a box blade or ballast box before I start moving these things around.

 

[D2Cat]

Ballast began as the old 3 pt. dirt scoops folks have in their yards for ornaments. Helped neighbor remove a heavy weight machine out of his basement and he gave me the weights. I modified the dirt scoop, clamped the weights together and welded brackets on the ends and stacked them in the scoop. Total weight is about 1100#. Cost: welding rod, paint, elec. and time!