Tie Down Straps with loops for tractor

[can do]

How can anyone argue chains vs straps without addressing the weight of the tractor? My Max 26xl with FEL and hoe weighs about 3200#. I use 4 straps that are rated WLL 3300# + each. Axle straps and strapped left to right, right to left in the rear. Axle straps and strapped left to left and right to right in the front. FEL and hoe are on the deck and strapped also. Am I doing something wrong?

If I was hauling the old Farmall M I would probably look into chains but haven't had to do that yet.

That's exactly how I plan to haul my M-F 50; That weighs 4,200 lbs. on my 20 ft. trailer with a 2 ft. dove tail; That weighs 2,000 empty with a gross weight of 7,000 lbs. The tractor will not have any implements on it; Or on the trailer. I'm only hauling it 30.5 miles to have some service work done at the dealer. Not that it matters I drove trucks for 44 years, But I do know about being dot compliant, & most of all doing it safely. I'm still in the habit of doing my pre trip, & post trip inspections on all of my towing equipment; As well as my trailer, & travel trailer.

 

[JWR]

F=Ma -- in dynamics the force is the mass x the acceleration. None of us REALLY have a quantitative clue how many g's of deceleration the load will experience if we hit something, when we jamb on the brakes, etc. Neither do the people making the regulations. What we DO know is the huge backlog of millions of miles and trips worth of experience. Common sense: Does the tie down look like it would hold the load, say by dangling it stationary if it had to? That is one 'g' to dangle the load by the tie down statically. Probably overkill for most of us. A lot of things in life call for good judgement... so use it.

I think two examples will suffice here:

This was not a good enough tie down.

On the other hand this one was tied down more than well enough:

I'm assuming the Kubota on Trailer involves the ROPS being hard against the sod and holding the whole thing vertical? Doesn't really seem photoshopped...

 

[workinonit]

I love these threads. I call them Straps vs Chains. For me it's like watching a football game that my team isn't playing in. I don't have a preference so popcorn and an unbiased opinion make for some good quality entertainment.

 

[Helogabals]

I need your expertise on this

Germany

On that semi were 2 such tractors.
Both tied the same way, with 4 ratchets, one each corner

 

[JWR]

Expertise?
Surprising that the signage is in English. That top link perched up there in apparent storage position looks too small for its' duties. That's a big assed, well anyway healthy looking, tractor...

 

[bcp]

Expertise?
Surprising that the signage is in English. That top link perched up there in apparent storage position looks too small for its' duties. That's a big assed, well anyway healthy looking, tractor...

I believe that is the front of the tractor.

Bruce

 

[ultrarunner]

I use made in USA Macs tie down products for tractors and classic cars.

Professional Tie Down Systems for Any Vehicle | Mac's Custom Tie-Downs

Learn why U.S. made Mac's ratchet tie downs, axle straps and wheel nets outperform the competition and are the choice when safety and security matter!

www.macscustomtiedowns.com

 

[JWR]

I believe that is the front of the tractor.

Bruce

Sure, it definitely IS the front end. But in Europe many, if not most, large tractors use a front end 3pt hitch besides the std rear end one.

 

[sandman2234]

Pay attention to the long haul 18 wheelers. The large 4" wide straps with heavy steel (not hooks) ends are common. The ratchets are available at my TSC and other stores to be welded or bolted on to your trailer or convenient location. They usually tighten with a tire iron or similar and are made of 3/8" steel or better. But those same gurus driving 18 wheelers also seem to nearly always use chain and tighteners for tractors and heavy steel stuff as opposed to boards and bags and packages. I am told the old over-center chain tighteners are no longer "legal" and one must use the PITA threaded turning type. I throw out a few points of opinion not caring where they fall ...
1) I've never been stopped while hauling in 30 years of not very frequent experience. Doubt I ever will be.
2) DOT inspectors are looking mainly for obvious offenders, not you guys trying to move a farm tractor. They are in general not going to bother you.
3) Serious day-in-day-out haulers pick their tie downs based on what they are hauling. Straps if they work well, chains if they think it is better.
4) I do not give a crap what DOT inspectors or State Police or other patrol folks think or do. Worst case I pay their fines. What I really care about is that the load I am hauling is not going to come through the cab at me. And secondarily that it not be bouncing loose around the trailer bed. So the chain or the straps I choose are based on the weight of the object that may be moving at 70 mph in my rearview mirror when I hit something. If my own criteria is met, the inspectors criteria will also be met and exceeded in almost every case. Honestly I do not care what their criteria is, I care about protecting me and that automatically protects others nearby.

I am one of those long haul 18 wheelers...and I have seen a lot of other drivers that don't have a clue as to how to properly tie a trailer down! (Most of my days are spent hauling a dry van nowaday)
If you aren't much at tying things down, or pay no attention to the simple laws of phyics, then the last thing you need to worry about is the DOT, as the chances of that happening soooner than the DOT catching you is a given!!
David from jax

 

[JWR]

Amen brother !!