A tow chain can be a great way to move your vehicle from one place to another, by literally pulling it with another vehicle. Finding the right chain is essential so that you can ensure the task is carried out completely safely. Otherwise you can run into trouble from vehicle damage, or a snapped chain. The most important aspect will be finding the right tow chain, so that you can ensure both vehicles will be perfectly safe. That means assessing the type of vehicle that you need to tow, as well as the situation in which you’ll be towing the vehicle.
There are a variety of different tow chain types, and you’ll want to find the perfect sort for the job at hand. The most common for standard use are smaller chains that can be attached to any vehicle winch. These can be handy for towing a small vehicle yourself, or even pulling your car out of a ditch. These are only intended for minor uses however, and don’t have the strength or stability to pull very large vehicles, or even small cars for very long distances. For this type of tow chain, you’ll want to find a length as well as strength that seems comfortable to you. This way you can ensure you have a long enough chain to get the job done, and also that the chain will be able to fully support your car.
Another type of tow chain are those that you’ll find used with tow trucks. Typically these need to be attached to some sort of sling, so that the vehicle can be towed safely and successfully. Not attaching this type of tow chain to the proper sling to hold a vehicle can lead to damage, which is always costly for both parties to repair. But these are usually much stronger chains, as they are intended for much more heavy duty purposes. Although you’ll need a big truck like a towing vehicle in order to facilitate their size and strength.
Although the tow chain is the standard for most towing uses, there are also other options available to you. The problem with a chain is that it doesn’t have much give, and links can snap under heavy pressure. In order to avoid this you have the option of using tow straps. Typically these are crafted from nylon, and feature a lot more give and stretch, so that a vehicle can be pulled more safely. Plus, a thick nylon strap can often haul more weight safely than a standard tow chain.
When you’re looking to buy any type of tow chain, there are several different places in which you can purchase exactly what you need. Typically you can find a good selection from hardware stores like Ace or Home Depot. Here you can find any type of tow chain or straps that you could possibly need to get the job done, no matter the size of your vehicle. Typically a good chain will cost you around $40 to $50.