How do you tie your tractor down when trailering?

[Jstpssng]

I.E., where on the tractor and trailer do you attach your tiedowns, What do you use, and how many?
After reading this thread I won't be using racket tiedowns, although many use them without incident; but I tend to err on the side of caution; perhaps even overkill, as I'll be using 3/8 inch binder chain to hold down my little 2800 lb tractor. Hard to believe, but my father uses those el cheapo cable come-a-longs to hold his tractors down. Then again he's been hauling them for years, so I guess he knows more than I do.

Also appreciate any comments on using trailer brakes, as I've never had a trailer with them.

 

[Soundguy]

I've never had a problem with ratchet tie downs.. course i buy the ones that are rated 3x the weight of the unit.. and use 2-3 of them..e tc.

Comealongs use steel cable.. that's pretty strong stuff.

What about brakes did you want to know.. are these surge (hyd) breaks? or e-brakes. What type of controller do you have? What year/make/model of tow vehicle..

Soundguy

 

[GeneD14]

I have a grade 70 transport chain on each corner of the tractor. I use an X pattern in front and back and run the chain through D rings on the trailer. I have D rings welded about every 4' along each side of my trailer. Each chain has it's own binder and I wire the binder handle so it can't work loose. If the tractor has a loader I also chain that down separately with one chain. I try to position the binders near the outside edge of the trailer so that I can see them in my rear view mirrors.

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

I use grade 70 "binder chains" only.... ratcheting "screw type" binders... and BRAKES BRAKES BRAKES. I spend a great deal of time and effort to insure my trailer/truck brakes are in top shape all the time. I tow a great deal in "city traffic"... Lots of stop and go, lots of bad drivers. Saftey is very important to me.

I attach the front TWO chains to the axle mount casting. The other ends attach to built-in chain rings in my trailer. Rear chains go through the drawbar "hanger". That is the strongest pint of the tractor in my opinion. I use ONE chain on any attached implements, fastened in much the same manner as the chains securing the tractor. Any "loose" implements on the trailer get TWO chains and TWO binders. (all grade 70)

I attemt to be the D.O.T. saftey poster boy.....

Nylon straps may do the job, but they aren't legal when hauling a wheeled vehicle on a trailer. (Federal law, but ENFORCED at will by individual states)

I try my best to NEVER give the D.O.T. the slightest crack in the armour. Once they find a flaw in your plan, the door flies open.....

Also, there are a host of other requirements should you be "commercial" in any way....(i.e. Fire extinguisher, log book, med card, ect.....)

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Nylon straps may do the job, but they aren't legal when hauling a wheeled vehicle on a trailer. (Federal law, but ENFORCED at will by individual states)
)</font>

Can you post applicable sections of this 'law' I can't find anything on it in the FDOT handbook. Also.. Many of the flatbed style trailers we have recently purchased at work have integral nylon straps for tie-downs. These are trailers with ramps. and dovetails.. clearly made for vehicles.. not cargo.. etc?

FWIW.. the section in the fdot manual I can place my hands on only specifies that the load be secured with 1+1(per10') tie down, choked wheels.. and then went on to suggest seperate front corner tie downs.. etc. never mentioned chain, strap.. etc.

Soundguy

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

Gonna have to do some diggin' to find it, but it's there. I had it all explained in infinate detail last Jan. by a Kentucky State Trooper. As was explained, the "NEW LAW" went into effect last Jan 1st.

I'll try and come up with such as soon as I can.

 

[SnowRidge]

Just some info on tie down straps:

I have seen three kinds currently for sale, nylon, polyester, and polypropylene.

Nylon stretches more than polyester, which means it can absorb impact loads much better than polyester. It also stretches when wet, which means it can loosen under wet conditions. Nylon is degraded by the sun at a faster rate than polyester.

Polypropylene degrades in the sun at an alarming rate. In my opinion, polypropylene tie downs are a non-starter.

After reading a number of posts in other threads, it seems likely that at least some people use the term "nylon" when they are referring to any woven fabric tie down, regardless of its actual make up.

 

[SnowRidge]

Soundguy, here is the applicable section from the Code Of Federal Regulations (CFR).

Note that for webbing, it refers to an industry association standard WSTDA-T1 1998, revision 4. Unfortunatley, the association wants money for that. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

From what I can tell, the applicable section of the CFR hasn't been revised since 2003, at the latest, so it's hard to see how the trooper's statement that nylon straps are no longer allowed is accurate.

The industry standard does appear to have been revised in 2005, however since the CFR does not refer to the 2005 revision (as far as I can tell), it would not be applicable as a federal regulation at this time.

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

Looks mighty clear... (as clear as gov. regs can be anyway) Now I'm off to hunt up Kentucky STATE statutes pertaining to such. If they mirror federal, like they're SUPPOSED TO, I got rifled by a State Trooper over nothing.....

 

[Highbeam]

I am a little curious about the X-ing of the chains on the red tractor. What's to prevent the tractor from rolling out of the cross chains? Seems either corner of the tractor could lift and as it lifts the chain gets looser. Never seen an X chain like that. I realize the tires are in the way of a straight chain but you could back the tractor up.