Ok I’m converting all my anchors over to super stakes and wanting to know the best size chain to use. I’m thinking MB #2 straight link but not sure if I should go up to #3. I pulled 30 traps yesterday and broke off 5 I had attached with 3/32 7x7 cable so wanting to give chain a try. I can’t find the working strength of the mb #2 or #3 but I’m thinking both are substantially stronger than 3/32 cable. I’m thinking #2 should be more than enough but wanted to check to see what others are using before a buy a bunch of chain.

#2 is plenty, assuming nonwelded attachment points, theyll fail well before the chain will. Welded attachment points, its a matter which weld is weakest.

#2 works the best for me. If I ever have one break when I'm pulling them up, it's usually my weld that has broken but have never had one break with a catch.

I prefer the #3 myself...one time purchase.

I use both cable and chain. WolfFangs with the cable and super stakes with the chain. I go back and forth on which I like best. Have never had either fail me. I build the cable stakes myself for very little, vs a sizeable investment for good chain and stakes. With the frost in the ground, I can just clip and go. Chained stakes are a pain to pull. Every year, I struggle to decide. Would really prefer to go with one.

#3. One time and your done. I’ve had #2 American fail. Twice. #3 has never let me down. Plus a 1/4” quick link fits in it easy.

I use the finned superstakes with chain and retrieval cable. I have had MB #2 Twist Link chain fail a couple of times. The failure was the weld on an actual chain link and not at the attachment point. I have not had a failure with MBs pre made superstakes with #2 straight link chain.

When you say fail, is that from animals or from pulling the stake.?

One broke driving the stake and one broke pulling. #2 MTP chain. Unfrozen ground.
Run #3 MTP chain now and welded 5/8” lock washers for connecting to the stake head. Never had a problem. Works awesome.

My failures with the #2 twist link were from animals. I have the retrieval cable for pulling so there is no stress on the chain when pulling. I actually pulled the stakes with the retrieval cable after the failures and the S hook and a few links of chain were still attached.

SteelTraps (here on Tman) uses #7 chain and pulled them with his truck.

When I used SuperStakes I had #2 US made chain, but I dug most of em up with a spade shovel in this sand. Did break a few with my homemade pry bar puller.

I have a bunch still with #2, but as anchors need replaced or as I setup new traps, I'm going strictly with #3. I've broken quite a few pulling them out that had #2 chain, only had 1 or 2 break with #3, and that was from using the truck to pull them out of frozen ground

I run finned super stakes. Used to use a retrieval cable but since I went to the bigger chain I pull with a puller. No problem in our dirt here.

I've broke a few with #2 pulling them with a puller in frozen ground. Never had a coyote break #2

Cable is cheaper, just saying.

I was thinking of splitting one side of a link with bolt cutters then welding it back together. Do you think a S hook or lock wash would work better?

Lock washer much...much...much better.

Don't think I'd try the re-welding a link

I like #3 chain. Pulling the chain stakes out of hard ground can really stress #2 chain, even break it sometimes. Most trap chain on coyote traps is #3, I don't see a reason to go smaller with the stake chain.

I just ordered 100 grade 8 5/8” lock washers. Have 100ft of mb#3 chain coming as well. What I don’t use on the stakes I’ll use on a few drags I’m going to build.

Question : are you flattening the lock washer out and weld the seam or are you leaving it offset and welding the shoulders on both sides of the offset seam? I hope that makes sense.