Description
What Is the LL28 Series Leaf Chain?
The LL28 series leaf chain — sometimes called a lashing chain or plate link chain — is a high-performance lifting chain engineered for vertical load applications where reliability is non-negotiable. Conforming to DIN 8152 and ISO 4347 international standards, each LL28 leaf chain unit is constructed from precision-stamped alloy-steel plates interconnected by hardened pins, creating a flat, flexible structure that distributes load evenly across multiple contact surfaces. This design philosophy is what gives the LL28 its outstanding tensile strength-to-weight ratio, making it the go-to solution for forklift masts, counterbalance systems, overhead cranes, and vertical storage equipment throughout the United Kingdom and beyond.
Unlike roller chains, the LL28 leaf chain has no inner plates or rollers — its compact plate assembly runs directly over guide pulleys and sheaves with minimal clearance, enabling engineers to maximise the usable mast height in forklift trucks and reduce the overall system footprint. With pitch sizes standardised at 44.45 mm and lacing options ranging from 2×2 to 8×8, procurement teams can select the precise plate lacing configuration to match specific load ratings without over-engineering the assembly. Ever Power manufactures the LL28 range under strict quality management procedures, with each batch undergoing destructive tensile testing to verify ultimate and average strength values before despatch to clients across England, Scotland, and Wales.
Why Choose the LL28 Leaf Chain?
Exceptional Tensile Strength
LL2888 delivers up to 800.0 kN (181,818 lbf) ultimate tensile strength — among the highest in its class — ensuring complete confidence under peak dynamic loads in forklift and crane applications.
DIN 8152 / ISO 4347 Compliant
Full dimensional and mechanical compliance with internationally recognised standards means the LL28 leaf chain integrates directly into existing OEM mast designs and satisfies LOLER inspection requirements across UK sites.
Multiple Lacing Configurations
Available in 2×2, 4×4, 6×6, and 8×8 plate lacing, the LL28 range scales load capacity proportionally, enabling precise engineering selection without costly custom fabrication.
Alloy Steel Construction
Heat-treated alloy steel plates and case-hardened pins resist fatigue, wear, and corrosion in humid warehouse environments, cold-store facilities, and outdoor port handling operations common across British industrial sites.
Global B2B Supply Chain
Ever Power supplies the LL28 leaf chain to OEM manufacturers, MRO distributors, and plant engineers with competitive lead times, consolidated LCL/FCL shipping from production facilities, and dedicated UK account management.
Custom Specification Service
Beyond standard catalogue items, Ever Power’s engineering team develops bespoke LL28 configurations — special pin lengths, corrosion-resistant coatings, or non-standard lacing — to match unique OEM or retrofit requirements.
How the LL28 Leaf Chain Works — Principle, Materials & Typical Applications
🔎 Operating Principle
A leaf chain transmits force through a series of interlocking steel plates pinned together to form a flexible tension member. Under load, the applied force travels through the stacked plates simultaneously, with each plate carrying a proportional share. This multi-plate sharing principle is fundamentally different from roller chain drive — the LL28 is purely a tension element, not a power transmission drive. In forklift mast assemblies, a pair of leaf chains runs over anchor pins at the base of the mast and over pulleys at the top, converting hydraulic cylinder extension into carriage lift with a fixed mechanical advantage. The absence of rollers keeps the chain profile slim, tolerances tight, and the system highly predictable under cyclic loading.
⚙ Material & Manufacturing
Each LL28 series leaf chain component starts as high-grade alloy steel strip, precision blanked to tight tolerances before heat treatment. The link plates undergo carburising and quenching to achieve a hard surface layer over a tough, ductile core — resisting both surface wear and subsurface fatigue crack propagation. Connecting pins are manufactured from case-hardened alloy steel rod, precision ground to diameter tolerances of a few micrometres to ensure consistent press-fit assembly without distortion. All components are shot-peened after heat treatment to introduce beneficial compressive residual stresses that extend fatigue life in high-cycle applications. Surface finishing options include zinc phosphate plus oil (standard), bright zinc plate, and stainless-compatible coatings for aggressive environments.
🏗 Typical Application Scenes
- Counterbalanced and reach forklift truck masts (1.5–25 tonne capacity)
- Automated warehouse stacker cranes and ASRS systems
- Dock levellers and vehicle loading platforms
- Hydraulic scissor lifts and vehicle inspection hoists
- Overhead crane equaliser beams and lifting attachments
- Press brake back-gauge drives and CNC machine tool axes
- Offshore and port handling equipment operating in marine environments
- Agricultural and forestry machinery lift mechanisms
Technical Design Drawings
Technical Specifications — LL28 Series Leaf Chain
All dimensional and mechanical data conforms to DIN 8152 / ISO 4347. Tensile strength values are batch-verified by destructive testing at our production facility. Contact Ever Power engineering for lacing configurations not listed below.
| DIN/ISO Chain No. | Pitch P (mm) | Plate Lacing | Plate Depth h2 max (mm) | Plate Thickness T max (mm) | Pin Diameter d2 max (mm) | Pin Length L max (mm) | Ultimate Tensile Strength Q min (kN / lbf) | Average Tensile Strength Q0 (kN) | Weight per Metre q (kg/m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LL2822 | 44.45 | 2 × 2 | 37.08 | 6.0 | 15.90 | 32.2 | 200.0 / 45,455 | 224.0 | 5.10 |
| LL2844 | 44.45 | 4 × 4 | 37.08 | 6.0 | 15.90 | 56.4 | 400.0 / 90,909 | 448.0 | 9.90 |
| LL2866 | 44.45 | 6 × 6 | 37.08 | 6.0 | 15.90 | 80.8 | 600.0 / 136,363 | 672.0 | 14.60 |
| LL2888 | 44.45 | 8 × 8 | 37.08 | 6.0 | 15.90 | 105.2 | 800.0 / 181,818 | 896.0 | 19.40 |
ⓘ All values are nominal. Consult Ever Power technical team for working load limits (WLL) and appropriate safety factors for your specific application.
Our Manufacturing Facility & Custom Chain Solutions
Ever Power operates a purpose-built leaf chain production campus equipped with CNC plate blanking lines, automated heat treatment furnaces, precision pin grinding centres, and dedicated assembly and inspection areas. Our facility has the capacity to produce standard LL28 leaf chains at high volume while simultaneously handling complex custom projects — including special pitch variants, non-catalogue lacing, extended pin configurations for wide-load applications, and surface treatments such as nickel plating, hot-dip galvanising, or specialised lubricant pre-treatments for cold-store and food-grade environments. Our in-house metrology lab operates coordinate measuring machines and servo-hydraulic tensile testing frames, generating traceable test certificates with every order. Whether you need a full container of catalogue LL2844 or fifty metres of a bespoke LL28 variant engineered to your CAD drawing, our team responds quickly, communicates clearly, and delivers on time.
Customer Success Case
A real-world example of how the LL28 leaf chain solved a critical reliability challenge in UK industrial operations.
Midlands Automotive Logistics Depot, Birmingham, UK
Industry: Automotive Parts Warehousing & 3PL | Application: Reach Truck Mast Replacement
A large third-party logistics provider operating a fleet of 34 reach trucks at a Birmingham distribution centre was experiencing premature leaf chain wear every 8–10 months — well below the manufacturer’s recommended service interval of 18–24 months. After a detailed consultation with Ever Power’s application engineering team, the root cause was identified as a combination of inadequate lubrication scheduling and a chain specification that was borderline for the actual peak load cycles encountered in multi-shift automotive parts handling. Ever Power recommended upgrading from a 4×4 to a 6×6 LL2866 leaf chain across the entire fleet and provided a tailored pre-lubricated variant with an extended maintenance interval recommendation. Following changeover, the same fleet achieved 22 months between inspections with no unplanned chain failures, reducing the client’s annual chain replacement spend by approximately 40% and virtually eliminating unplanned downtime during peak despatch windows.
What Our Customers Say
“We’ve been sourcing LL2844 leaf chains from Ever Power for our forklift overhaul business in Manchester for three years. The dimensional consistency batch to batch is outstanding — zero fitment issues and our engineers appreciate the test certificates that come with each order.”
“The custom LL28 specification Ever Power engineered for our automated cold-store racking system in Glasgow was exactly what we needed — nickel-plated plates, extended pin length, and documentation for our LOLER compliance file. Lead time was better than any domestic UK supplier we tried.”
“We compared three suppliers on price, delivery, and technical support before awarding our LL2888 supply contract to Ever Power. Their application engineers answered our load calculation queries within hours and the samples passed our in-house destructive test on the first submission. Recommended without reservation.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Source LL28 Leaf Chain for Your UK Operation?
Whether you need a standard catalogue item or a fully bespoke LL28 configuration, Ever Power’s engineering team is ready to assist. Send your enquiry today and receive a detailed technical and commercial response within one business day.
✉ Contact Us: [email protected]
edit by gzl
