What Is 81X Chain?

81X Chain

The 81X chain is a heavy-duty, steel-bushed conveyor roller chain with a straight sidebar design, widely known within the ANSI Engineer Class. It features a 2.609‑inch (66.3 mm) pitch and is primarily used for robust material handling applications.

81X Chain Dimension

Chain No.	Pitch	Roller diameter	Width between inner plates	Pin diameter	Pin length		Inner plate depth	Plate thickness	Tensile strength	Average tensile strength	Weight per me ter
	P	d1 max	b1 min	d2 max	L max	Lc max	h2 max	t/T max	Q min	Q0	q
	mm	mm	mm	mm	mm	mm	mm	mm	kN/lbf	kN	kg/m
81X	66.27	23.00	27.00	11.10	49.0	53.5	28.50	4.00	106.7/24250	128.9	3.78
81XH	66.27	23.00	27.78	11.10	60.7	65.1	31.35	7.94/5.55	151.9/34523	175.7	5.88
81XHE	66.27	22.20	27.00	11.10	59.5	63.0	28.50	6.30	83.3/18927	89.1	5.09
81XHH	66.27	23.00	27.78	11.10	65.6	70.0	31.35	7.94	191.1/43432	212.6	6.70
81XHS	66.27	23.00	27.00	11.10	63.6	68.0	31.80	7.60	152.0/34545	177.2	6.55

81X Chain Strength Variants

To meet different application demands, 81X chains come in several grades:

✔ Standard 81X – ~25,000 lbf tensile strength

✔ 81XH – thicker plates, ~34,000 lbf

✔ 81XHH (or XHD) – even heavier-duty, ~42,000–47,800 lbf

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81X Chain Sprocket

81X chains are compatible with 81X sprockets — typically made of cast iron or steel, with 6 to 20 teeth depending on the drive ratio. All strength variants (81X, 81XH, 81XHH) share the same sprocket profile.

As a professional chain and sprocket manufacturer, CTS® not only has 81X chains but also manufactures 81X chain sprockets that match them. If you have any needs, please contact us, and our technicians will be happy to help you.

81X Chain Custom

✔ Supplied in 10-ft rolls or pre-cut lengths

✔ With attachments (e.g., A1, K1) for paddles or scrapers

✔ Available in zinc-plated, nickel-plated, or black oxide finishes

✔ Stainless steel 81X is also available for corrosive environments

81X Chain Application

81X chains are ideal for heavy material movement across industries, including:

Timber mills (conveyors, stackers, sawmills)

Grain elevators & agricultural conveyors

Mill processing lines & general OEM conveyor systems

81X Chain VS. Other Chain

Feature	81X Chain	C2080H Chain	667X Agricultural Chain
Pitch	2.609 in	2.000 in	2.609 in
Sidebar Design	Straight	Offset	Curved
Strength Range	Up to 47,800 lbf	~10,000 lbf	~20,000 lbf
Use Case	Heavu-duty conveyor	Roller drives	Ag scrapers & conveyors

Choose CTS® 81X Chain

High shock-load capacity: tough against side loading and impact

Durable manufacturing: solid components plus heat-treated and shot-peened plates ensure longevity

Our 81X chains are made from high-performance carbon or alloy steel, featuring solid rollers and bushings, and heat-treated pins and plates. 81X chains' side plates are shot-peened for improved fatigue resistance, and the pins are typically quad-staked to prevent loosening under high loads.

We offer a wide range of industrial transmission chain options: drop forged rivet-less chains, welded steel chains, 81X lumber conveyor chains, roller chains, conveyor chains, heavy-duty roller chains, etc. Besides standard agricultural chains, we can also provide customized agricultural chains for your application.

If you have any questions about industrial transmission chains, please contact us for help.

Agricultural Chain