Chain and Binder - general tie down question

[KeithInSpace]

No brainer. G70.

I run 5/16 and think it is a good weight. Pretty easy to handle. You can run 3/8 if you feel strongly about it, but I think it's totally unnecessary. that G70 chain is very, very, very tough stuff. I had them cut it at TSC and it broke their chain cutter thingy.

As far as 4 chains vs. 2, I dunno. Honesly, the tie-downs are probably more prone to breaking than your chain. I use 2 chains looping through 4 tie downs and 4 tie points on the tractor and feel pretty good about that arrangement. In a wreck, I figure the entire hitch assembly is going to tear out of the back of my truck before the tractor flies off the trailer. Just a guess, though. Don't want to find out.

I run a 4WD Expedition (regular length) with all the tow-trimming, very similar to yours. I have a Tekonsha P3 controller. I have a heavier trailer (10k) and have hauled within 100# of the GCWR without any trouble at all. With your 7k trailer, you'll always be in the sweet spot of that rig. Very good pulling truck.

 

[Chris86303]

Just a "heads up" on a good price, I have discovered the local HomeDepot carries a 5/16" X 20' Grade 70 "binder chain" for about $40.00. Hard to beat that price if shipping is involved

Rebel, I actually saw the 5/16" chains you were talking about at Home Depot and Lowes over the weekend. I think they were either $32 or $37 (plus tax) for 20 footers with hooks installed (grade 70) made up in a carry bag. Not a bad deal at all considering the weight and shipping costs.

If I can find the chain locally I might use the grade 70 5/16" on the front corners and the 3/8 grade 70 on the back because of the hills I have to maneuver through when taking it for service. The one 7 mile 6% grade hill (freeway) carries some pretty heavy traffic all in a hurry to get nowhere. I've had to do some pretty tricky stuff just driving on it let alone towing 5 to 7000 of tractor and trailer down one way and up on the way home. Thanks !!

 

[Chris86303]

No brainer. G70.

I run a 4WD Expedition (regular length) with all the tow-trimming, very similar to yours. I have a Tekonsha P3 controller. I have a heavier trailer (10k) and have hauled within 100# of the GCWR without any trouble at all. With your 7k trailer, you'll always be in the sweet spot of that rig. Very good pulling truck.

Thanks Keith, I feel pretty good with the Expedition EL. I've towed the rental tractor TLB from Home Depot before (which I think is heavier than my B3200 will be with TLB) and didn't have any problem with power but the setup they have isn't very good, way to much weight on the hitch. There is no room to balance the load because of the size of the trailer they have it on. I have to check, it might be a 10K trailer, it sure is a brut for their setup.

 

[JB4310]

After reading here about the chain at Home Depot I made it a point to look at the chain at Lowe's today when I was there. they had a 20' pc of grade 70 3/8 chain in a bag for $35.00. it was the only thing in the store rated G70, everything else was G40, all the chain, hooks and accessories.

I'm almost positive it was 3/8", and had G70 hooks as well, I'll check again next time I'm there.

JB.

 

[JB4310]

After reading here about the chain at Home Depot I made it a point to look at the chain at Lowe's today when I was there. they had a 20' pc of grade 70 3/8 chain in a bag for $35.00. it was the only thing in the store rated G70, everything else was G40, all the chain, hooks and accessories.

I'm almost positive it was 3/8", and had G70 hooks as well, I'll check again next time I'm there.

JB.

Guess I'm wrong, just checked their web site, this is all I can find.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?acti...44&Ne=4294967294&Ntk=i_products&Ntt=tow+chain

 

[Chris86303]

Guess I'm wrong, just checked their web site, this is all I can find.

That's what I thought, both HD and Lowes here carry the same 20' lengths with hooks, grade 70 5/16"

 

[JB4310]

It's true there is strain for and aft but there is more strain on the rear due to braking and a potential for the highest stress during an emergency stopping situation. As opposed to the strain on the front due to hill climbing or accelerating, although if you have a powerful tow vehicle and a heavy foot I guess you could put some serious strain on those front chains as well.

I will also put my higher rated hardware on the rear, (2 new G70 binders and chains) I have some old high quality 3/8 chain that may even be better than G70 but since it's not marked you have to assume it's the lower grade, I put that on the front with the 2 china binders I got with the tractor, they're still rated for 5400 WWL so well within my needed capacity.

JB.

 

[KeithInSpace]

...strain will shift from the front to the back as you go up hill and down hill.

Seems that setting the parking brake, leaving the HST in gear, and putting the FEL/BH buckets on the deck would mitigate most of the "casual" roll a tractor would experience, correct?

I wouldn't load a car on a trailer, leave it in Neutral with no brake on and rely ONLY on the straps to keep it in place...belt and suspenders, you know...

 

[megaboz]

Harbor Freight has the chain and binder
- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
3/8" x 14 Ft. Grade 43 Trucker's Chain $27.00
- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
9200 Lb. Ratcheting Load Binder $24.99

Shipping is about $12.

For a little over $200 you can securley tie all 4 corners down. I would tie all 4 corners as opposed to two. Tailers bounce and so will your load. Also, tieing all 4 corners will also help to keep the unit from tipping over.

I agree witha previous post that if you were to put 4000 lbs worth of load on the axles, you would break you tractor. However, I would be more concerned with using a weaker chain still. If you would get a little bit of slack and then it would tighen up, there would be more stress put on the chain then when it is just binded.

THis might cause an arguement, but chains do get weak with time/use/abuse. I had a chain (I don't know it's weight rating), I pulled stumps with it all the time with my truck. Well, one day it snapped, luckily missed my truck as it flew buy. Man those things can spring like a rubber band. Anyway, I put a new hook on the chain and tried to pull that stump out again, it broke even easier the second time.

Hopefully with a stead load and no yanking on the chain with high pressure you would never see that. I agree with another poster that asked how much is your equipment worth? SPend the extra $50 to save yourself thousands and give you piece of mine.

I think the general opinion on here is know what you want, and go one bigger. I know that statement was geared toward tractors, but really can apply to about anything.

I know I used 4 10,000 straps, while they worked well, I will be upgrading to chains when I get my trailer. Most likely the same I posted links for above.

 

[Ken45101]

Why put binders on the rear? Why not put the chains on, then move the tractor forward a bit to snug it up, then use binders on the front to hold it there? Seems like an easier and maybe more reliable approach.

Ken

 

[megaboz]

To be honest, never thought about that, but there is the possibility that the chain tension would not be the same on both sides, so that would be one reason.

I know I would not try to straighten the tension equally by driving forward to make my tractor pull equal tension on the lines (sliding the tractor to get it lined up completely straight.).

 

[Chris86303]

Why put binders on the rear? Why not put the chains on, then move the tractor forward a bit to snug it up, then use binders on the front to hold it there? Seems like an easier and maybe more reliable approach. Ken

It would seem to be easier for the initial tie down but if you were towing it any distance and it loosened up you would have to start the tractor, lift the FEL and/or BH, move the tractor forward and then retighten the front binders or ratchets and reverse the FEL/BH binding. Pretty time consuming for the long haul.

If you used binders on all corners to begin with you could just go around in a minute or so and tighten the 4 ratchets and move on down the road.

I've never hauled anything, no matter how well it was initially tied down without it loosening up as you bounced down the road.

 

[crazyal]

Why put binders on the rear? Why not put the chains on, then move the tractor forward a bit to snug it up, then use binders on the front to hold it there? Seems like an easier and maybe more reliable approach.

Ken

This is how I move my 580K all the time. I use a 30' chain in the back into two loops with the slack in the middle then drive forward until tight. I set the brake then do the same in the front. By doing it this way the chain is doubled up in each corner and because I leave slack in the middle if one corner came loose the other side would still hold.

I use the lever style binders, got them from Northern tool. US made with a loop for a lock or clip to keep the lever from flipping back. Sorry but don't bother with a binder from China if you value your equipment. Finally I always chain down the hoe, I was told once it was law, don't know. It locks both up and from going side to side but I would rather have a chain on it and know I'm safe.

 

[RobertN]

Why put binders on the rear? Why not put the chains on, then move the tractor forward a bit to snug it up, then use binders on the front to hold it there? Seems like an easier and maybe more reliable approach.

Ken

Because DOT requirements are to bind or ratchet strap all four corners.

Search this site; it has been discussed a number of times in the past. There is some really good info out there.

FWIW, I emailed and phoned my state trooper, Ca Highway Patrol. They said independantly bound on each corner; either chain and binder, or ratchet strap.

 

[RobertN]

This is how I move my 580K all the time. I use a 30' chain in the back into two loops with the slack in the middle then drive forward until tight. I set the brake then do the same in the front. By doing it this way the chain is doubled up in each corner and because I leave slack in the middle if one corner came loose the other side would still hold.

I use the lever style binders, got them from Northern tool. US made with a loop for a lock or clip to keep the lever from flipping back. Sorry but don't bother with a binder from China if you value your equipment. Finally I always chain down the hoe, I was told once it was law, don't know. It locks both up and from going side to side but I would rather have a chain on it and know I'm safe.

DOT rules are a chain and binder on each corner, one chain/binder over the bucket, and one chain/binder restraining the hoe. It is though, open to some state vs fed interpetation.

The best advice given in previous threads like this, is study and find out both the Federal regs, and the State regs. Sometimes the state regs are tougher than federal...

 

[JB4310]

As far as using just chain on the back with no binders goes, it seems to me that you would still have that opposing force as long as you had both back corners independent of each other.

But it still seems it would be a little tighter with 4 binders though, since as you crank down on binders the tires squat down taking the energy, if you only cranked front binders then the back would not suck down much IMO.

Regardless of whether it's legal or as stable or not, your definitely not saving any time by getting off the machine hooking 2 chains on back then getting back on, pulling forward trying to keep equal tension on both, then getting down to finish hooking up the fronts.
IMO just drive on to the sweet spot, set the brake, get off and hook up chains on back or front first, snug binders, go to other end, hook chains and tighten binder tight, go back to first end and finish tighten them and you should be done.

JB.

 

[Ken45101]

Remember that the strain will shift from the front to the back as you go up hill and down hill. Going up hill the strain will be at the front keeping it from rolling back. Going down hill the strain will be at the back keeping it from rolling ahead.

There is unlikely to be very much strain on the front tie downs going uphill. If I remember my math right, a 5000# tractor would only apply a 500# load going up a 10% grade, even with the tractor brakes off.

You would need to add the strain due to acceleration but I don't think many of us are going to be doing any significant acceleration going up a 10% grade pulling a tractor.

The biggest chance of strain on the front tie downs would be if you were rear ended by a speeding 100,000# coal truck. In that case, I wouldn't worry too much about what happens to the tie downs.

Ken

 

[megaboz]

You would need to add the strain due to acceleration but I don't think many of us are going to be doing any significant acceleration going up a 10% grade pulling a tractor.

Ken

I take it you don't own a Duramax?

 

[WantedWolf]

maybe more for hauling a car/truck then a tractor, But does anyone place blocks (like railroad ties) under the frame and then air down tires and then bind down with chains?. Hopefully removing any potential for slack the suspension might give on your chains.

I am thinking of doing this for the move to haul an f150 with stock rack cramed with stuff. I have certainly maxed out the suspension on the junker 150 and I think it would carry better stiffened on blocks. Am I wrong
?

 

[RobertN]

The biggest chance of strain on the front tie downs would be if you were rear ended by a speeding 100,000# coal truck. In that case, I wouldn't worry too much about what happens to the tie downs.
Ken

Well... The guy that owns the local tractor shop I use, got in an accident. He was on a curvy rod, towing with a crewcab F450. He had a 20' dual axle trailer. He had a ~50hp Ford tractor, and a disc loaded up. Tractor was chained and bound on all four corners. Disc had a couple chains and binders across it.

Some guy lost it in a curve just as the tractor guy was going through the curve. Barely grazed the truck, but hit the trailer HARD. Broke two wheel off one side; broke the stubs off the axles, tire, rim, brakes, backing plate and all. Tore the fender off. Bent a piece of 4" box steel on the disk. Hit a rear rim on the tractor.

The guy had to be flown out to a trauma center. Car was trashed.

My tractor guys trailer was totaled. Disc ruined. But, he was chained and bound tight. Neither the tractor, nor the disc, moved on the trailer.

I have been chaining and binding on all four corners, and over extra implements for a while. That accident just reinforced my earlier decision.

Extra chain and binder are cheap compared to a $12k tractor, $1500 trailer, $10-40k pickup, your life, and the life of those around you.

And, it does not take a 100,000lb coal truck to ruin your day