My cutterhead chain snapped on a sandbar job near Galveston last Tuesday.

We were pulling hard against a tough clay layer when the whole rig shuddered and the pump went quiet. I had to dive down with a torch and a spare link in 15 feet of murky water to get it fixed, which took the better part of an afternoon. What's the most reliable brand for replacement chains you guys have found for heavy sediment work?

3 comments

3 Comments

kelly.keith1mo ago

Forget dropping cash on a fancy brand name chain. Grab whatever generic chain your local supplier has in stock and just run it. They all snap under that kind of stress, so paying extra is a total waste. I've seen the expensive ones fail just as fast on a bad day. Save your money for the next time you're buying parts.

wilson.claire5d ago

...and that reminds me of this time my buddy Mike decided he was gonna save money on rope for tying down his kayak on the roof of his car. He got this cheap red rope from the hardware store, said it was all the same lol. Well he's driving down the highway and the kayak just slides off into the median. The rope snapped like it was nothing. But here's the thing, his expensive kayak was wrecked and he ended up spending way more than if he'd just bought some decent rope in the first place. I guess my point is that sometimes the cheap option ends up costing you more in the long run, even if they both can fail.

jennifer5161mo ago

That sounds like a really bad day. I get the logic about generic chains, but I'm not totally sold. If you're diving 15 feet into murky water every time it breaks, maybe the extra cash for something tougher is worth it.