I’ve got a number 3 double longspring I picked up somewhere,, it’s got outside laminated jaws,,,but the chain was still in the original clevis…I just felt like tinkering with it. To center swivel it and put it in to use.

I have some old baseplates laying around… so I just drilled some holes and bolted them onto the frame ( I don’t own a welder) . I’ve done 3 dozen Montanas like this..
However,,, I couldn’t locate any of the d rings I had left… so I put a 1/4 inch quick connect on the bottom,,, and looking at it ,, I don’t feel comfortable with it…
Any opinions about this??

I know people use them. In the past I used them too but I lost a trap once and that was one too many. I am probably overreacting but I don't like losing traps and animals. The quick link was used between the anchor chain and the end of the trap chain, between swivels. The set was on private ground on a sandbar along a creek. There were no boot tracks or even disturbed sand outside of the catch circle and the animals path in and out. The quick link was on the ground outside of the catch circle a bit and open just enough for the chain link to pop through. I had used pliers to tighten it down but apparently the fight from a coyote was enough to loosen it. Now I used welded J hooks for everything. Again, probably an over correction and not necessary but that memory has stuck with me.

I use 3\16 quick links on my cable stakes. So far I haven't had any problems. Make sure they are tightly closed. I've even held incidental wolves with them, which I wish wouldn't get caught. Not fun to release.

All I use. pliers and wrench to tighten them up. Don't tighten too much or they can strip.

If I used them I’d weld them but I have trust issues. LOL

I use 1/4” quick links at wolf and wolverine sets with zero issues. As others have mentioned tighten them with a wrench or pliers. Wouldn’t trust them only finger tight.

Thanks guys

I have used the 3/16 they have held cougars for me. I held a small bear once too. I think they are rated at 660 pounds.

wws

This

The problem with using them as a d-ring is you’ll be side loading them which they aren’t necessarily designed for.

I’ve caught thousands of coyotes using a large quick link to attach the chain to an earth anchor. I’ve never had one fail on a coyote.

But the load is then “in-line”, which is how they’re designed to take it.

I have wrecked some pulling anchors, but I can exert a tremendous amount of pressure on them with my big puller.

I use them to attach swivel and chains to bases on my longsprings for coyotes. Have used them for many years with no issues.

3/16 quick link is what I use to attach my super fin stakes. I have not experienced a failure with more wolves than I care to deal with and 6 different bear. I will break #2 chain when pulling before the link will fail. Slowly switching to #3 as I go.

X3
I used to snug them finger tight and thought that was good, usually had to use a wrench or pliers to loosen them. Then one day I caught a double on wolves... And both of them had spun the quick links loose! One was just loose enough to see most of the threads, the other one was so loose there was an open gap and it only took less than a turn to be wide enough to pass the chain link through. I know a guy who used to use 3/16 for wolves and caught a bunch without issues. Then one day he caught a particularly large male and it had opened it up enough that after he dispatched it he grabbed the chain and it fell out of the quick link.

I did have one batch that would strip if you overtightened with a wrench, must have been poor quality control in the Chinese factory that week. Never had that issue with any others I've bought.

Thanks guys,,, definitely appreciate the advice

Maybe Loctite if your worried?

I’ll add, the quick links I’ve gotten from the snare shop are really good.

The ones I’ve gotten from FnT are definitely a different manufacture and not nearly as good. They’re softer. A lot of times they’d stretch when I was pulling them thus making them impossible to unscrew and remove. Had to cut them off.

I have all of my quick links at the bitter end of the chains for the purpose of anchoring solid also. Not sure if a quick link would take less or more of a beating mid-chain or on a drag attachment, as I don’t use them for that.
One thing is I will take two wraps of the chain on the object that is the anchor. Usually a 3-6” diameter live alder or spruce. I think that soaks up a bit of the shock moment at the link attachment.