High-strength HV chain
Through-hardened pins and heavy plates for the drives that break ordinary chain. Ultimate strengths from 5,100 to 51,000 kgf.
For drives that break chain, not wear it
Chains fail in one of two ways. Either they wear out, which almost always comes back to lubrication, or they break: cracked plates, broken pins, fatigue. Breakage is a load problem, and the answer is construction. Through-hardened pins, uniform in strength through the full cross-section, in a heavy-plate chain built to absorb shock. Our guide to case- vs through-hardened pins explains the difference and when the upgrade pays.
That is what HV chain is. It is the specification for presses, shredders, heavy elevators, shock-loaded conveyor drives and anywhere the duty spikes far above the average load. If you are not sure whether your failure is wear or breakage, start with the fault finder. Fitting stronger chain to a wear problem wastes money.
Sizes & ultimate strength
ANSI pitches from 3/4″ to 2-1/2″. V denotes through-hardened pins.
| Chain | Pitch | Pitch (mm) | Inner width (mm) | Roller Ø (mm) | Ultimate strength (kgf, ave.) | Weight (kg/m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60HV | 3/4" | 19.05 | 12.57 | 11.91 | 5,100 | 1.81 |
| 80HV | 1" | 25.40 | 15.75 | 15.88 | 9,000 | 2.95 |
| 100HV | 1-1/4" | 31.75 | 18.90 | 19.05 | 13,000 | 4.45 |
| 120HV | 1-1/2" | 38.10 | 25.22 | 22.23 | 17,500 | 6.78 |
| 140HV | 1-3/4" | 44.45 | 25.22 | 25.40 | 25,000 | 8.12 |
| 160HV | 2" | 50.80 | 31.55 | 28.58 | 30,000 | 10.87 |
| 180HV | 2-1/4" | 57.15 | 35.48 | 35.71 | 31,735 | 15.20 |
| 200HV | 2-1/2" | 63.50 | 37.85 | 39.68 | 51,000 | 18.29 |
Full dimensional tables available on request. Supplied to order — contact us for current lead time.
Shock, spikes and heavy pulls
- Shock-loaded drives: presses, shredders, granulators
- Heavy bucket elevators and inclined conveyors
- Drives that crack plates or break pins on standard chain
- Where upsizing the pitch would mean new sprockets and guards. HV adds capacity at the same pitch
HV chain has the same pin-and-bush joints as standard chain. If your chain is stretching rather than breaking, the fix is lubrication, alignment or contamination, not strength.
Straight answers
What is HV chain?
A high-strength roller chain built with through-hardened pins and thicker plates. Through-hardening gives the pin uniform strength through its full cross-section, which raises the chain's resistance to shock loading and fatigue on heavily loaded drives.
When do I need high-strength chain instead of standard?
When the failure mode is breakage (cracked plates, broken or turned pins, fatigue) rather than wear. Those failures point to overload or shock, which is what HV construction resists. If the chain is stretching rather than breaking, HV won't help: fix the lubrication first.
Does HV chain run on standard sprockets?
HV chain follows standard ANSI pitches and roller diameters, so sprocket compatibility is normally straightforward, but confirm the drive with us before ordering, and we will supply matched sprockets machined to specification if needed.
Breaking chains?
Send a photo of the failure and the drive details, and we will confirm whether HV solves it before you spend.