Every successful overhead lift starts with the right chain and the right moves. Grade 80 chains dominate day-to-day rigging because they balance strength, price, and ease of inspection. Grade 100 pushes capacity another 25 percent, trims sling weight, and squeezes extra headroom from the same hook. Learn how to size either grade, connect it, angle it, and retire it before trouble strikes. This guide packs real load data, angle math, and field-proven habits into one clear workflow so crews lift clean and never guess.

1 Know Your Numbers Before You Touch the Chain

Key takeaway: G100 delivers the same safety margin with one size smaller chain, yet demands stricter inspection because thinner links reach wear limits sooner.

2 Pick the Right Diameter in Sixty Seconds

Step 1 – List the heaviest daily load.
Step 2 – Add rigging weight plus ten percent cushion.
Step 3 – Multiply by the EN 818-4 angle factor (1.4 @ 45°, 2.1 @ 60° for four-leg).
Step 4 – Open the quick matrix.

Step 5 – Choose the first diameter whose WLL beats your calculation.
Step 6 – Check link outside width against hook throat and shackle jaw.

Finish the six steps and you land on a chain that lifts without overspend.

3 Rig It Right—No Shortcuts

Inspect before every lift. Measure mid-link diameter; retire at ten-percent wear. Gauge five-link pitch; scrap at three-percent stretch.

Use proper hardware. Match the grade: G80 chain meets G80 hooks; G100 requires G100 fittings with integrated latches.

Balance the legs. Equalize sling length so each leg pulls the same angle. Uneven legs overload one link and bend master links.

Seat links flat. Keep every chain leg inside the hook bowl, not stacked on the pin.

Control the load path. Lift vertically, set slowly, and keep workers outside the fall zone.

4 Watch the Angle—Small Mistakes Drive Huge Loads

Never drop below 45° unless you sized chain and hardware for the extra force.

5 Maintain Chain and Extend Service Life

Clean after each shift. Blast grit with compressed air or water; dry fast to stop rust.

Oil light. Use penetrating chain lube; wipe surplus. Oil forms a barrier and cuts fretting.

Store high and dry. Hang chains on racks, not concrete floors. Moisture wicks up and corrodes weld toes first.

Log every inspection. Note diameter, stretch, and link count. Trend data shows wear long before a surprise failure.

Train every hand. New crew members practice on a demo rig before touching production lifts.

6 Know When to Retire—Failure Costs More Than Steel

Replace load chain when any of these events happen:

Wear hits ten percent of nominal diameter.

Five-link pitch grows three percent over new length.

A link shows crack, gouge, or deep pit.

Chain handled an overload event—never bend it back and hope.

Scrap chain in short sections, not full lengths, so scavengers cannot reuse it unsafely.

7 G80 vs G100—Choose by Field Need, Not Hype

Use G80 for general construction and maintenance. Shift to G100 when cranes fight height limits or loads creep higher each year.

Conclusion

Follow the workflow, choose the grade that fits, and let Topone overhead lifting chain carry every load with confidence and speed.