This illustration shows the

basic sling hitches.

It also shows capacities for a
single sample sling, rigged
with each hitch.
The sample sling's Working
Load Limit in a vertical hitch
is 500 lbs.
Vertical Choker Basket Hitches
Sample Sling WLL (lbs.): 500 375 1,000 866 707 500
This sling has a Working Load Limit of 500 lbs. in a vertical hitch. sed in a choker hitch, it would have
a capacit! of "#5 lbs. sed in a basket hitch with the legs at a $0% angle to the load, it would have a
working load limit of &,000 lbs. sed in a basket hitch with the legs at a '0% angle to the load, it would
have a working load limit of ('' lbs., etc. ) Wh!* The angle at which a sling is used, and the number of
legs lifting the load can significantl! effect its capacit!. The formula for this calculation is shown below.
Vertical When a sling is used in a vertical hitch,
the full lifting capacit! of the sling material can be
utili+ed.
Choker ) ,ue to the stress created at the choke
point, slings rigged with this hitch achieve onl!
about #5- of their potential capacit!.
.lwa!s pull a choker hitch tight before a lift is
made ) never during the lift. (more, click here)
Basket Hitch !"0#$ ) The cradle configuration of
this hitch allows the two e/tending ends 0legs1 of
the sling to function as if the! were two separate
slings. The capacit! of the sling in this hitch is
twice that of the same sling in a vertical hitch, but
onl! if the sling angle of each leg is $0% 0see right1.
Lifting with both legs at $0% would normall!
re2uire two lifting devices or a spreader bar.
Basket Hitch !less than "0#$ )
When slings or sling legs are used
at an angle during a lift , the sling
capacit! is reduced. 3ow much it is
reduced depends on the sling angle
0see above and table, right1.
4ote that the rated capacit! of a "0%
5asket is onl! one half that of a $0%
5asket. 6ling angles below "0% are
strongl! discouraged. . sling angle
of '0% or more is preferred.
Sling Speci%ication &a'les )
6ling tables throughout our site
contain the Working Load Limits of
slings rigged with these hitches at
certain specified angles.
(orm)la %or a*+)sting the Working Loa* Limit o% a sling or sling leg )se* at an angle,
Vertical Hitch Working Load Limit 7 Number of Legs* 7 Sling Angle Factor WLL at s!ecified
angle"
The Working Load Limit for the sample sling above, in a '0% basket hitch would be calculated as follows8
#$$ lbs" 09ertical WLL1 / % 0num. of legs1 / "&'' 0sling angle factor from table1 : &'' lbs"
*Chain Slings: When adjusting the working load limit of four-legged chain slings, the number of legs entered in the formula must be
not !. "his is due to the difficult# of rigging a $uad leg chain sling so that all legs share the load e$uall#.
se the formula below and the 6ling .ngle
Table to estimate the lift angle.
H - L . Sling /ngle (actor
To calculate the reach for e2ual legs
needed to rig at a ;5% or '0% angle.
0each at 60 *egrees, L . 1 2 3
0each at 45 *egrees, L . 154 2 3
<n =ulti)Leg 6lings8
0each . L
6lings in a 5asket 3itch8
0each . 1 L 6 the *istance aro)n* the loa* (
from lift %oint to lift %oint.)
Loa* /ngle (actor . L - H
Load <n >ach Leg of a 6ling 0L
&
1 :
Loa* (lbs.) 2 Loa* /ngle (actor
7)m'er o% Legs8
?6ee also three and four leg slings below
To calculate the load on each leg of a sling
with une2ual legs8
Load on Leg L
&
:
Loa* (lbs) 2 3
1
2 L
1

H 2 !3
1
6 3
1
$
Load on Leg L
@
:
Loa* (lbs) 2 3
1
2 L
1

H 2 !3
1
6 3
1
$
&riple leg slings have 50- more capacit! than
double legs onl! if the center of gravit! is in the
center of the connection point and the legs are
adAusted to share the load e2uall!.
Bigging a 9)a* leg sling so that all legs share the
load e2uall! is ver! difficult. Therefore, when
adAusting the working load limit of four leg chain
slings, the number of legs in the calculation must
be " not ;. =an! riggers follow this model for
2uad leg slings of an! material, rel!ing on the
fourth leg for stabilit! onl!.
Choke /ngle ) When lifting or turning a load
rigged with a choker hitch, the angle at which a
sling is turned back on itself can reduce it's capacit!
below what is listed for its choker hitch, if the angle
is too severe. When a load is allowed to hang free,
the natural choke angle is about &"5%.
If the angle is less than &@0%, !ou must adAust its
Choker 3itch Working Load Limit b! the
appropriate choke factor from this table.
Choker Hitch WLL 2 Choke (actor .
/*+)ste* WLL
Choker Hitch 0ate* Capacit: ) . choker hitch
will have #5- of the capacit! of a single leg
vertical hitch onl! if the corners are softened and
the hori+ontal angle is greater than "0%.
se blocks to prevent angles less than "0%.
;ore <n%ormation,
0igging With Slings
Slings <ntro*)ction
Slings Warnings = Sa%e >perating &ips
Wire 0ope Slings <ntro*)ction
Wire 0ope Slings Warnings
Chain Slings <ntro*)ction
Chain Slings Warnings
We' Slings <ntro*)ction
We' = 0o)n* Slings Warnings
0o)n* Slings <ntro*)ction