Rigging with slings vs. chains, made the switch after 12 years

I used to rig everything with chains because that's what my first foreman taught me. Then last spring on a job in Tacoma, a load shifted on a wet beam and I realized the chains were giving me zero feedback. Switched to synthetic slings for most lifts now, the stretch and feel tells you way more about the load, plus they're easier on painted steel. Downside is I had to relearn my choke angles, still mess that up sometimes. Anyone else ditched chains for slings on certain jobs, or is that just a west coast thing?

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butler.patricia1mo ago

That wet beam load shift is exactly why I made the call on my end. Been doing it about five years now, and the feel difference is night and day. For painted or powder coated steel I go slings every time, but I still keep chains for anything with sharp edges or hot loads. My rule of thumb is if the choke angle is over 60 degrees I add a second sling instead of fighting it, saves you the math headaches.

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