How do you chain down your 50 HP tractor for transport?

[sixdogs]

As long as the straps are in good shape and rated for the weight of the load, NOTHING in ANY DOT rulebook says that you cant use them UNLESS you are hauling crushed cars. Anything else you can use them.

Thank you.

 

[aczlan]

Most trailers here are homemade. The tractors have bale stabbers on the FEL and a stabber on the tractor 3pt. The rear stabber also has a GN ball on top of it. Lights are never added to the trailers and they are pulled on public roads by either the tractor or a truck. Coming from the rear all you can see in the road ahead of you is a haystack moving down the road. They never strap them on either. Real common to see bales in the road ditches or rolled out into a farmer's field. Yesterday I stopped when grading roads and pushed a big bale out of my friend's corn field and into a nearby ditch. Asked him who's bale it was and he said no one claimed it. Had been laying there a couple months. They shelled corn around it.

That just makes me shake my head.
Surface mount LED stop/turn lights $16: Amazon.com: CCIYU 2 Pack Red 1 LEDs Oval Rubber Mount Sealed LED Brake Stop Turn Tail Light w/grommet Trailer Truck Rv Sealed: Automotive
4' Trailer side 4 way flat plug $2.52: Amazon.com: Hopkins 4825 4 Wire Flat Vehicle End Connector with Splice Connectors: Automotive
50' 4 wire trailer wiring $35: Amazon.com: Flat Trailer Light Cable Wiring Harness 5ft 14 Gauge 4 Wire 4 colors: Automotive
Total: $53 to let people behind you know that you are stopping, turning, etc.
Or, go wireless for $80: Amazon.com: Blazer C634 LED Round Wireless Towing Light Kit - Under 8-Inches - Red: Automotive

Aaron Z

 

[ovrszd]

That just makes me shake my head.
Surface mount LED stop/turn lights $16: Amazon.com: CCIYU 2 Pack Red 1 LEDs Oval Rubber Mount Sealed LED Brake Stop Turn Tail Light w/grommet Trailer Truck Rv Sealed: Automotive
4' Trailer side 4 way flat plug $2.52: Amazon.com: Hopkins 4825 4 Wire Flat Vehicle End Connector with Splice Connectors: Automotive
50' 4 wire trailer wiring $35: Amazon.com: Flat Trailer Light Cable Wiring Harness 5ft 14 Gauge 4 Wire 4 colors: Automotive
Total: $53 to let people behind you know that you are stopping, turning, etc.
Or, go wireless for $80: Amazon.com: Blazer C634 LED Round Wireless Towing Light Kit - Under 8-Inches - Red: Automotive

Aaron Z

Not defending them at all here.

You'd just have to see the trailers I'm talking about. They are built with a centered frame. Horizontal pipes sticking out each side to cradle the bales. Low to the ground so bales can be loaded/unloaded with a tractor 3pt.

As I said earlier, from behind all you see are bales of hay. There's no protruding framework to fasten lights to. If the law enforced lights they would all have to be modified. What manufactured trailers I do see here are single row trailers with one row of bales down the center. The "bed" tilts to the side to unload them using gravity. They all have lights and most have brakes. The homemade ones never have brakes.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Any of you guys weld D rings to axles or somewhere on the tractor for easy transport?

 

[4570Man]

Any of you guys weld D rings to axles or somewhere on the tractor for easy transport?

The only steel on most tractors is the drawbar and the brush guard.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

The only steel on most tractors is the drawbar and the brush guard.

I forgot axles at cast

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

So I ordered a few things from amazon lol.

Amazon.com: CURT 8378 Weld-On Tie-Down D-Ring: Automotive
Gonna weld those to the front frame or brush guard.

Amazon.com: SHAZO 3/4" Shackles 2 Pk Unbreakable 2 Tons (4, lbs) Breaking Strength - Maximum Strength D Ring Shackle For Vehicle Recovery, Hauling & More! Towing Accessory Jeeps & Trucks - Tow Strap Hooks: Automotive for the rear drawbar

Load Binder, 71 lb., Size G7 5/16 in.: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

2 of the fancy handle folding binders to go with 2 20ft chains I already have. Between x2 7,000lb binders and 4 3,333lb straps I figure I will be covered on tying down a 5300lb tractor lol. But didn’t want all to be straps.

 

[sixdogs]

So I ordered a few things from amazon lol.

Amazon.com: CURT 8378 Weld-On Tie-Down D-Ring: Automotive
Gonna weld those to the front frame or brush guard.

Amazon.com: SHAZO 3/4" Shackles 2 Pk Unbreakable 2 Tons (4, lbs) Breaking Strength - Maximum Strength D Ring Shackle For Vehicle Recovery, Hauling & More! Towing Accessory Jeeps & Trucks - Tow Strap Hooks: Automotive for the rear drawbar

Load Binder, 71 lb., Size G7 5/16 in.: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

2 of the fancy handle folding binders to go with 2 20ft chains I already have. Between x2 7,000lb binders and 4 3,333lb straps I figure I will be covered on tying down a 5300lb tractor lol. But didn稚 want all to be straps.

Good choices but I do think that shackle is on the light side... (They are 20 tons!)

How do you figure the breaking strength requirement? Is it all of the chains and straps added up have to be double the weight of the item being hauled? I forget.

 

[lostcreekranch]

When I modified my LS grill guard, to actually provide some protection, I also added a pad eye made from 1/2” plate. I can install a twisted shackle to run tie down chain thru. Rear chain goes thru a standard clevis to drawbar.





When I load my tractor, on my gooseneck trailer, I get tractor into position, for good weight distribution, and install chains and ratchet load binders on front and rear. I adjust rear load binders to mid-thread then pull tractor forward until rear chain is tight. Then tighten front chains. I have a regular stopping place, about 2 miles from ranch, where I can pull off and retighten binders.

I use 2” ratchet straps, with chain ends, for installed equipment and bucket or grapple.

 

[sixdogs]

When I modified my LS grill guard, to actually provide some protection, I also added a pad eye made from 1/2” plate. I can install a twisted shackle to run tie down chain thru. Rear chain goes thru a standard clevis to drawbar.

View attachment 531691

When I load my tractor, on my gooseneck trailer, I get tractor into position, for good weight distribution, and install chains and ratchet load binders on front and rear. I adjust rear load binders to mid-thread then pull tractor forward until rear chain is tight. Then tighten front chains. I have a regular stopping place, about 2 miles from ranch, where I can pull off and retighten binders.

I use 2” ratchet straps, with chain ends, for installed equipment and bucket or grapple.

View attachment 531693

That hook on the brush guard is the right way to go. The tension pulls correctly on the clevis. Many guys, because of no way to hook like yours, have a clevis that goes the other direction and the tightening of the chain put a lot of pressure on the clevis pin rather than the clevis itself.