Good job of chaining down your tractor?

[Dargo]

Naw, you're missing the whole point! Harbor Freight has bungee cords on sale this week. Four of the good blue bungee cords would cure all of his problems! Gees, isn't that obvious?

 

[Scooby074]

Man thats sketchy.

and ive been pulled over for a broken license plate light on my trailer

If the tractor was brought forward, id bet there would be too much tongue weight. I wonder if thats the reason that its so far back? Or did it shift like that on the way? Doesnt make sense that a guy would put it on that way.

I haul a B26 which is around 4000 Lbs give or take with a F150 4wd. Truck has the towing pack too. And even with functioning trailer brakes i can sure feel that trailer behind me. No brakes on that trailer is pretty scary.

And the tiedowns? If there was a accident, that JD would turn into a pretty impressive projectile. Glad im nowhere near this guy.

 

[Duffster]

Please don't change the subject as the thread continues. Here's the subject I am talking about: Flipping the hitch-nothing else, not repositioning the tractor, adding safety chains, etc.. The hitch has about a 5" drop to it. As you can see the hitch is flipped into the up position, creating more clearance for the hitch. Flipping it down, with the trucks excessive sagging condition would make the hitch too close to the ground. Whether it helps level the trailer won't overcome the drastic change in the hitch position.

"If done properly" is your way of changing the subject. Sure if a lot of things were changed (done properly) that set up could be made safe, but simply turning the hitch over only makes the hitch too close to the pavement for safety.

"Change the subject'' now that is a stretch.

What I meant by done properly is pull the safety chains up if they drag!

 

[KeithInSpace]

I thought the limit for a SMV was 25mph.

I honestly have no idea. I just thought it would be great if folks with wickedly dangerous trailers and/or loads could stand traveling slow. It would make the rest of us much more comfortable.

 

[Builder]

"Change the subject'' now that is a stretch.

What I meant by done properly is pull the safety chains up if they drag!

What you "meant" doesn't help me since I'm not a mind reader. Be more specific.

It still doesn't change the fact that all things left the same, if the trailer hitch were flipped, it would be too close to the pavement. Right now it looks to be ~15" off the ground. If it were flipped, it would be a change downward ~10" and that's too close. If he were to hit a large bump with that sagging suspension, it could dig in.

Safety chains need some slack in them so you can turn without binding.
So tell us how you would get the proper slack in the chains with the hitch ~10" closer to the pavement?

That's one of a few reasons any hitch needs to have clearance in respect to the pavement.

 

[Duffster]

What you "meant" doesn't help me since I'm not a mind reader. Be more specific.

It still doesn't change the fact that all things left the same, if the trailer hitch were flipped, it would be too close to the pavement. Right now it looks to be ~15" off the ground. If it were flipped, it would be a change downward ~10" and that's too close. If he were to hit a large bump with that sagging suspension, it could dig in.

Safety chains need some slack in them so you can turn without binding.
So tell us how you would get the proper slack in the chains with the hitch ~10" closer to the pavement?

That's one of a few reasons any hitch needs to have clearance in respect to the pavement.

Never mind, no point in wasting the keystrokes.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Never mind, no point in wasting the keystrokes.

I am done with this also. Some can be led to water but __________. Anyway the hitch is the problem, not he truck or trailer. Flipping the hitch is the cheap easy way of doing things. Getting a strait hitch with no drop would probably be the best over all solution along with proper tie downs between the tractor and trailer.

If he has the chains dragging a properly placed bungee cord would fix him up. We can argue all day about the truck sagging but I saw it first hand and was maybe down 3" at the bumper. As you can see he is a contractor and has 3 tool boxes loaded in the bed, a ladder rack that is hauling equipment, and he had a bed full of tools. That along with the tractor and trailer and I would say the F-150 is doing a great job at handling the load.

Chris

 

[kevinj]

Getting a strait hitch with no drop would probably be the best over all solution along with proper tie downs between the tractor and trailer.

Chris

I think you hit on Builders point. The drawbar has the wrong drop for that truck. The straight or 2" either way would be about right.

 

[Builder]

I think you hit on Builders point. The drawbar has the wrong drop for that truck. The straight or 2" either way would be about right.

Amen and Thank you.

 

[FlaDon]

I thought it was 25mph.

Used to be 15 MPH, now 25 MPH in the US and 40 km/H in Canada.