The C hook takes its name from its shape: a deep, narrow hook that reaches around and under material rather than dropping onto a lifting point. That makes it the tool for plate, sheet, coil and stacked material where there is no eye to hook and no room for a sling to pass underneath. The clevis fitting connects directly to the chain end link. Grade 8 alloy steel to BS EN 1677-1, with Working Load Limits from 2 tonnes to 8 tonnes and an unusually wide temperature range of -40 °C to +200 °C.
Key Features
- Deep C profile: Dimension L1, the reach, runs from 25 mm on the smallest to 52.5 mm on the largest, letting the hook get under and around material that has no attachment point.
- W.L.L. 2 t to 8 t: Four capacities with a 4:1 safety factor, minimum breaking force from 78.4 kN up to 314 kN.
- Clevis fitting: Connects direct to the chain end link, keeping the assembly short and removing a component.
- -40 °C rating: The Grade 8 Cobra range is rated 20 degrees colder than the Grade 10 equivalent, which matters for outdoor winter work and cold store applications.
- Grade 8 alloy steel: Conforms to BS EN 1677-1, quenched and tempered, in the Cobra red finish.
- Full traceability marking: Material grade, manufacturer's identification, size, product ID mark and traceability code.
Technical Specifications
| Product Code |
Chain Dia (mm) |
W.L.L. (t) |
M.P.F. (kN) |
M.B.F. (kN) |
A (mm) |
B (mm) |
E (mm) |
H (mm) |
K (mm) |
L (mm) |
L1 (mm) |
N (mm) |
Ø1 (mm) |
Weight (kg) |
| CG8CCH8 |
7/8 |
2 |
49 |
78.4 |
9.5 |
35 |
20 |
28 |
90 |
136 |
25 |
21.5 |
9 |
0.48 |
| CG8CCH10 |
10 |
3.15 |
77.2 |
123.5 |
13 |
46 |
26.5 |
39.5 |
127 |
189 |
32.5 |
28 |
13 |
0.89 |
| CG8CCH13 |
13 |
5.3 |
130 |
208 |
16.8 |
59 |
36 |
52 |
166.5 |
246 |
42 |
36.5 |
16 |
1.51 |
| CG8CCH16 |
16 |
8 |
196 |
314 |
18.5 |
72 |
44.6 |
59 |
206 |
298 |
52.5 |
42 |
19.7 |
2.62 |
All dimensions in millimetres, weights in kilograms. M.P.F. is Manufacturing Proof Force, M.B.F. is Minimum Breaking Force. The 16 mm size is available to order, contact us for price and lead time.
BS EN 1677-1 | Grade 8 | 4:1 Safety Factor | LOLER Ready
Grade 8 alloy steel conforming to BS EN 1677-1. Minimum Breaking Force is four times the Working Load Limit. Each hook is marked with material grade, manufacturer's identification, size, product ID mark and traceability code, and supplied with a certificate. Under LOLER 1998, lifting accessories require thorough examination by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 12 months, or 6 months where used to lift persons.
Suitable Applications
The C hook exists for material with no lifting point. It suits steel plate and sheet handling, coil and reel lifting, stacked and bundled material, timber and board packs, and any situation where a sling cannot be passed underneath or where a conventional hook has nothing to grip. The narrow profile lets it enter tight gaps between stacked items. Because the load is held by shape rather than by a closed connection, the hook must stay loaded and vertical throughout, so it is not suitable where the load may tilt, swing or be set down and picked up repeatedly without re-checking engagement.
More About This Product
Shackles are the most-handled component in any lifting operation, and that is precisely why they wear out first. A sling gets rigged and derigged; a shackle gets rigged, derigged, dropped, driven over, thrown into a box and picked up by whoever needs one. Most lifting gear fails from a single overload; shackles fail from accumulated inattention.
The grade markings matter more than most people realise. A Grade 6 high tensile shackle to BS EN 13889 and a Grade 8 alloy shackle look similar and share the same body shape, but the alloy version carries considerably more at the same size. Once a shackle is in a box with fifty others, the only way to tell them apart is the marking — which is why an unmarked shackle has to be scrapped no matter how good it looks.
Understanding the Load Path
A shackle has two distinct load-bearing elements and they do different jobs. The bow takes the sling; the pin takes the load. Reverse that — put the sling on the pin and the load on the bow — and two things happen. The sling bears on a smaller radius than it was designed for, and any movement in the sling starts to rotate the pin.
On a screw collar pin that rotation is the failure mechanism. A sling shifting under a settling load, or vibration transmitted from plant nearby, will slowly unscrew the pin over minutes or hours. It rarely happens quickly enough for anyone to see it happening.
The second consideration is angle. A shackle loaded in line with the pin carries its full rating. Loaded at an angle across the bow it carries substantially less, and published derating tables cover a limited range of angles — beyond that range no figure is published because none applies. On a multi-leg sling every leg is at an angle by definition, which is why the bow shackle exists and why putting a multi-leg sling into a dee shackle is a genuine mistake rather than a preference.
How to Use the C Hook
- Select by W.L.L., not by fit: Choose the capacity for the load first, then confirm the hook physically fits the material.
- Engage fully: The material must sit hard into the back of the C, not on the tip. A partially engaged C hook is the most common failure mode.
- Lift vertically: The hook holds by geometry and gravity. Any tilt or angular pull can allow the load to slide out.
- Balance the load: Where two hooks share a load, confirm both are equally engaged and the load is level before taking the weight.
- Never lift over people: A shape-retained hook can release if the load shifts. Keep the area beneath clear.
- Do not modify: Never weld, heat, machine, drill or repaint a Grade 8 hook.
Warning: This hook retains the load by shape only. Never lift over people or occupied areas. Never allow the load to tilt or the hook to go slack while loaded. Never tip load. Never exceed the marked Working Load Limit.
Safety Information
- Never exceed the Working Load Limit shown for the size.
- The load must be fully engaged into the back of the C, never on the tip.
- Lift vertically. Angular loading can allow the material to slide free.
- Do not lift over people or occupied areas.
- Use only with Grade 8 chain and components of the matching size.
- Withdraw from service any hook showing opening of the C profile, distortion, cracks or wear beyond the manufacturer’s stated limit of original dimensions.
- Never weld, heat treat, machine or repaint.
- Thorough examination by a competent person required at intervals not exceeding 12 months under LOLER 1998.
Inspection and Maintenance
The measurement that matters is the opening of the C, dimension L1 together with B. An overloaded C hook spreads, which both reduces its strength and makes it more likely to release a load. Record both dimensions at first use and check at each thorough examination. Also inspect the inner faces of the C for wear and gouging from material contact, since that is where the load bears and where sharp plate edges cut in over time, and check the clevis pin for straightness and full engagement. Withdraw anything worn beyond 10% of original dimensions.
Downloads
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a C hook actually for?
Material with no lifting point and no room for a sling underneath. Steel plate in a stack, coiled strip, bundled sections, board packs. The hook reaches in and under, and gravity keeps the load seated. It is a handling tool rather than a general rigging component.
Q: Why is this rated to -40 °C when the Grade 10 range stops at -20 °C?
Different alloy specification. The Cobra Grade 8 range is rated to -40 °C, the Cobra Plus Grade 10 range to -20 °C. If you are working outdoors in genuine winter conditions or in cold storage, that difference matters and may outweigh the capacity advantage of Grade 10.
Q: Can I use one C hook on its own?
Only if the load balances on it, which is rare. Most plate and coil lifts use a pair on a two-leg assembly so the load sits level. A single hook on an unbalanced load will tilt, and a tilting load can slide off.
Q: What does M.P.F. mean?
Manufacturing Proof Force, the load each hook is tested to during manufacture. It sits between the Working Load Limit and the Minimum Breaking Force, at roughly 2.5 times the W.L.L. It confirms the component has been proof loaded, and is not a permitted working load.
Q: Why is the 16 mm size not priced?
It is available to order rather than held in stock. Contact us with your requirement and we will confirm price and lead time. Full specification for it is in the table above.
