LL24 Series Leaf Chain

Exceptional Tensile Strength

The LL2488 delivers a minimum ultimate tensile strength of 680 kN (154,545 lbf) — making it one of the most powerful standard leaf chains available in this pitch class. Even the entry-level LL2422 provides a solid 170 kN minimum, more than sufficient for medium-duty forklift cycles in fast-paced UK distribution centres.

ISO 4347 & DIN 8152 Compliance

Full conformance with both international and European standards ensures the LL24 series meets CE machinery directive requirements without additional modification. This is particularly valuable for UK businesses supplying equipment into European markets post-Brexit, where dual-standard certification reduces documentation burden.

Consistent 38.10 mm Pitch Geometry

All four variants share identical pitch, plate depth, plate thickness, and pin diameter. This dimensional uniformity means your maintenance team can stock a single set of sheaves, anchorages, and replacement pins across your entire fleet — cutting spare parts costs and reducing unplanned downtime during shift turnarounds.

Scalable Load Range

With four lacing configurations spanning 4.47 kg/m to 16.30 kg/m in weight and tensile strength scaling from 170 kN to 680 kN, the LL24 family supports a broad spectrum of lift capacities within a single, well-managed product line. Engineers can uprate a mast system simply by changing the lacing configuration rather than redesigning the entire chain circuit.

Premium Alloy Steel Construction

Each link plate is precision-pressed from high-carbon, heat-treated alloy steel, delivering a hardness profile that resists both abrasive wear and cyclic fatigue. Pins are ground to tight tolerances and surface-treated, ensuring smooth articulation even in high-frequency lift cycles typical of UK cold-store and automotive assembly environments.

Suitable for Demanding UK Environments

From the damp, salt-laden air of portside facilities in Southampton and Bristol to the high-humidity cold stores of Midlands food logistics hubs, the LL24 series is available with optional surface treatments to extend service intervals. The robust construction is matched to the realities of UK industrial operations running multiple shifts per day.

Link Plate Material

Each link plate is stamped from medium-to-high carbon alloy steel, typically 40Cr or 42CrMo grade, before undergoing a carbonitriding or through-hardening heat treatment that raises surface hardness to approximately 50–58 HRC. This balances wear resistance at the pin holes with sufficient core toughness to absorb dynamic shock loads — a critical requirement in forklift mast duty cycles where loads are applied and released thousands of times per shift.

Pin Construction

Ground to a maximum diameter of 14.63 mm, each pin in the LL24 series is produced from case-hardened alloy steel with a surface hardness exceeding 58 HRC. The ground finish reduces peak bearing stress at the pin-plate contact point, extending the fatigue life of both components. Pins are press-fitted and peened to prevent axial migration during operation, maintaining chain width tolerances throughout the service interval.

How a Leaf Chain Works

A leaf chain transmits tensile force rather than torque — it connects the carriage of a forklift mast to the hydraulic cylinder or counterweight via anchor points at each end. As the cylinder extends, the chain transfers lift force directly to the carriage. Unlike drive chains, leaf chains do not engage sprocket teeth; they operate purely in tension. This means articulation angle is minimal and loading is predominantly axial, which is why lacing density (the number of link plates in parallel) directly determines the load rating of the chain.

Application Environments in the UK

The LL24 series is found in a remarkably wide range of UK sectors. In automotive plants such as those in the West Midlands, LL2466 and LL2488 chains are specified for heavy pallet shuttles and body-in-white transfer systems. In food & drink logistics around Yorkshire and Lancashire, LL2422 and LL2444 configurations handle chilled-store reach trucks operating in -25°C environments. Port equipment at Felixstowe and Tilbury regularly specifies the LL2488 for container handler mast assemblies.

“The consistency in plate thickness and pin finish was immediately obvious when we fitted the first batch. We’ve now standardised the whole fleet on LL2444 and the maintenance schedule is noticeably more predictable.”

— Maintenance Manager, 3PL Operator, Birmingham, UK

“We specified LL2466 for our new high-bay racking system at our Doncaster distribution centre. The chain has been running daily for 18 months without a single unplanned replacement. The price point for the quality delivered is genuinely competitive versus anything else we tested from UK distributors.”

— Procurement Director, Retail Logistics, Doncaster

“Our engineering team needed a custom pin-length modification to accommodate a non-standard mast anchorage on a bespoke reach truck fleet. Ever Power’s applications team handled the brief efficiently, confirmed the modified LL2422 met our tensile requirements, and delivered within the lead time quoted. That kind of responsive service is rare in the chain supply market.”

— Senior Engineer, Material Handling OEM, Bristol

“Port operations place extreme demands on lifting equipment — salt air, continuous cycling, heavy uneven loads. We trialled the LL2488 on four container handlers at our Felixstowe facility and the chain elongation rate over 14 months of operation was well within LOLER inspection tolerances. We’ve since approved it for our entire eastern England fleet.”

— Fleet Manager, Port Logistics, Felixstowe