What's the thingy that you hook a chain into called?

My 8n came with anti-sway chains that go from the stabilizer pin under the trumpet end, to the ends of the 9-hole drawbar. On one end of the chain is a steel plate with a hole that slips over the
stabilizer pin. The other end of the chain is a bit longer than necessary, and just chain. How do I connect that to the drawbar? I'm guessing that there should be a steel plate that slips over the
end of the clevis on the drawbar, which has a slot milled into it to accept a link of the chain. What might this be called, and where do I find one? I tried using one of those bowling-pin shaped
links, but I snapped one this week skidding logs. Need something as strong as the chain.

Those chains sound like they are really limit chains to limit the drop of the lift arms, & not stabilizers. If so, they are to go from the lift pins on your mower to where the top link attaches to control the mowing height. Could you attach a pic of them?

(quoted from post at 22:00:54 09/11/21) My 8n came with anti-sway chains that go from the stabilizer pin under the trumpet end, to the ends of the 9-hole drawbar. On one end of the chain is a steel plate with a hole that slips over the
stabilizer pin. The other end of the chain is a bit longer than necessary, and just chain. How do I connect that to the drawbar? I'm guessing that there should be a steel plate that slips over the
end of the clevis on the drawbar, which has a slot milled into it to accept a link of the chain. What might this be called, and where do I find one? I tried using one of those bowling-pin shaped
links, but I snapped one this week skidding logs. Need something as strong as the chain.

Click to expand...

My thoughts, for what they are worth. This sounds like your tractor has height stabilizer chains being used for stabilizer chains. Many sway stabilizers are bars, some are adjustable. I am thinking most sway stabilizer chains use turnbuckles to adjust and hook to the sides of the lift arms, not hooked to the drawbar pins or using adjustable plate hooks at the trumpet pins which the chain can drop out of if it goes slack. (pictures borrowed from the web)

Height limiting chains



Sway stabilizer chains (typical hook up)



Link to the sway stabilizer chain kit for 8Ns and others listed in the YT store:
https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/SK102CH_Stabilizer-Chains-Set_16589.htm

STOP!!! DONT GUESS!!! Get The ESSENTIAL MANUALS and read all about the tractor, its operation, its parts, and HOW TO SAFELY OPERATE IT!!! Pulling anything is to be performed with the point BELOW the PTO shaft. Guessing whether you have STAY BARS or STABILIZER BARS -two completely different animals, can make or break you and your machine. STAY BARS come with a new tractor, have a SAFETY WARNING LOCKOUT BADGE that fastens to the RH bar and locks out the 3-PT Touch Control Lift Lever so as you don't try raise the 3-PT and break everything in sight get including yourself. STAY BARS are just what they say -they 'stay in one place' and keep the 3-PT Lift set at a certain height, 17 typical, for pulling an implement like a combine, baler, or trailer. The bars also use the standard 11-hole drawbar and can also be used in conjunction with the DEARBORN SWINGING DRAWBAR or VEE-BAR. STABILIZER BARS were optional equipment designed for mowers, back blades, and other implements you want to track straight. These are often referred to as ANTI-SWAY BARS, as they prevent the L-R motion of the implement. STABILIZER BARS need a special bracket that is assembled underneath the fenders onto the axle trumpets and the bars must be set one way only in order to prevent damage. Often these two parts are misunderstood as being one and the same (Stay/Sway -see the diff) - they are not! Both STAY BARS and STABILIZER BARS are still sold today as aftermarket items. STAY BARS come in a two-piece design that makes them adjustable. The upper bars go to the top link rocker and the lower bars connect onto the lower lift arm ball sockets on the 11-hole drawbar. Dennis Carpenter repops the WARNING BADGE as nobody else repops them. As an N-Owner your best investment is to start with the ESSENTIAL MANUALS.

FORD 8N TRACTOR w/ STAY BARS; 11-HOLE 9N- 5182 DRAWBAR; & DEARBORN SWINGING DRAWBAR:
*NOTE: WARNING BADGE SAFETY LOCKOUT ASSEMBLY, UPPER RH SIDE TO LIFT.


FORD 8N w/STABILIZER BARS & BACK BLADE:

FORD 8N w/STABILIZER BARS & WOODS FINISH MOWER:

FORD 8N TRACTOR ESSENTIAL OWNER/OPERATOR/PARTS/SERVICE MANUALS:


Tim Daley(MI)

Thanks for the help. So, I used (and prefer) the term 'anti-sway' instead of 'stabilizer' because I've seen too many people confuse the stabilizer/stay terms. Regardless, I am using them as 'stabilizers'. I'm using them on the same attachment points as you would use stabilizers. Is there a problem with using chains as stabilizers, instead of rigid bars?

Jim, even though you're using your chains as height limiters, I'm curious how you have them attached at the top end? What hardware is there?

Finally - can anyone suggest some simple/inexpensive hardware for attaching the chain to the ends of the drawbar, assuming the usage I explained above is not problematic?

(quoted from post at 19:00:54 09/11/21) My 8n came with anti-sway chains that go from the stabilizer pin under the trumpet end, to the ends of the 9-hole drawbar. On one end of the chain is a steel plate with a hole that slips over the
stabilizer pin. The other end of the chain is a bit longer than necessary, and just chain. How do I connect that to the drawbar? I'm guessing that there should be a steel plate that slips over the
end of the clevis on the drawbar, which has a slot milled into it to accept a link of the chain. What might this be called, and where do I find one? I tried using one of those bowling-pin shaped
links, but I snapped one this week skidding logs. Need something as strong as the chain.

Click to expand...

So from what I read you're skidding logs by pulling them with the lift arms and a 9 hole draw bar.

(quoted from post at 17:19:10 09/12/21)
So from what I read you're skidding logs by pulling them with the lift arms and a 9 hole draw bar.

Click to expand...

I have a draw bar mounted between the lift arms, and a swinging drawbar mounted on the clevis pin under the PTO, which attaches to the 9-hole drawbar. I connect the skid chain to the end of the swinging drawbar. If the front of the log hangs up on the ground, I can lift it a bit with the lift arms.

Jim, even though you're using your chains as height limiters, I'm curious how you have them attached at the top end? What hardware is there?

Click to expand...

The plate hook is attached by the top link pin. Depending on the tractor, and if the top link is in place, sometimes a longer pin is needed. The key hole slot is more or less vertical so the chain stays in it by gravity when out of tension.

(quoted from post at 11:21:08 09/13/21)
The plate hook is attached by the top link pin.

Click to expand...

Ah, thanks, Jim! That plate hook is exactly what I was looking for.

(quoted from post at 11:18:39 09/12/21)

(quoted from post at 17:19:10 09/12/21)
So from what I read you're skidding logs by pulling them with the lift arms and a 9 hole draw bar.

Click to expand...

I have a draw bar mounted between the lift arms, and a swinging drawbar mounted on the clevis pin under the PTO, which attaches to the 9-hole drawbar. I connect the skid chain to the end of the swinging drawbar. If the front of the log hangs up on the ground, I can lift it a bit with the lift arms.

Click to expand...

I don't understand. You say you have the 9 hole drawbar attached to the swinging draw bar that attaches under the rear. If the 2 are attached the 9 hole drawbar can't lift like in the top pic by Tim the plowman
s pictures. The chains in the picture are limiters to stop the hydraulics from holding the downward weight of an implement from loading the hydraulics.

This post was edited by Eman85 on 09/13/2021 at 06:55 pm.

Tim's drawbar can't raise in the top picture, because he has stays mounted. This is the purpose of stays, to keep the drawbar at a constant height and prevent it from lifting.
Stabilizers, on the other hand, are to prevent the drawbar or other implement from swinging side-to-side, and don't prevent it from being raised, if used properly.