Loading Regulations by State?

[GeneD14]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I bought 4 hooks, and cut my 2x20' chains into 4x 10' chains. I figure if I need 20', I can hook them together. Makes them easier to handle anyway.
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I did the exact same thing a few weeks ago. 10' chains are a dream to handle compared to 20'. My friend saw how I tie down my tractor with the 10' chain and now he is making up a set to use on his Bobcat and trailer.

 

[rmonio]

20' chains are heavy and unwieldy - yes - but I think I'll leave them intact unless the state starts to get really picky around here. I will probably ask the DOT (discreetly) the legal ramifications of not having a tractor restrained by 4 separate chains and 4 separate binders vs. the 2x2 configuration that I have now...

-Bob

 

[GeneD14]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 20' chains are heavy and unwieldy - yes - but I think I'll leave them intact unless the state starts to get really picky around here. I will probably ask the DOT (discreetly) the legal ramifications of not having a tractor restrained by 4 separate chains and 4 separate binders vs. the 2x2 configuration that I have now...
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I am not as worried about the DOT as I am personal safety. I want to live to see my Grandkids.
The safety advantage of of 4 separate chains are: 1) Twice the holding strength 2) If one chain comes off you still have opposing chains helping to keep the load centered.

 

[DKinWA]

If you're tractor is under 10,000#, it doen't necessarily require four chains and binders. Section 9 of the manual states you may use two tiedowns provided they prevent front to back, side to side and vertical movement. In addition, your working load limit of your tiedowns would need to exceed 50% of the load.

Personally, I think one per corner even on smaller machines is cheap insurance. On my dump truck and equipment trailer, I keep 4 - 10', 3 - 20' and 4 -3' chains plus plenty of binders so I usually have what I need. With the recent deaths/injuries from unsecured loads here in washington, I'm not taking chances and losing everything I own in a lawsuit.

 

[DK35vince]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If you're tractor is under 10,000#, it doen't necessarily require four chains and binders. Section 9 of the manual states you may use two tiedowns provided they prevent front to back, side to side and vertical movement. In addition, your working load limit of your tiedowns would need to exceed 50% of the load.)</font>

I was stopped last summer in a DOT check (Pa.) with a skid steer and small roller on the trailer.(each of which weighed around 7000# ). I had 2 chains on each machine. The DOT said that was a NO,NO. Minimum 1 chain and 1 binder on each corner of each machine regaurdless of weight.
Told me the laws had changed in early 2004.
The Pa. DOT had a local breifing/course conserning the new laws that I attended this past winter.
We were told 1 chain/1 binder each corner of each machine minimum.( no minimum weight/ all machines)
Additional chain must go on bucket. If a backhoe is on it must be pined to prevent swing and also be chained.
Chains must be rated to exceed 50% of load.

 

[rmonio]

Ok. I'm sold. I'm going to get my 20' chains cut in half and go with 4 binders from now on. Since my BoxBlade and Loader are secured to the tractor, do they need chains and binders also then?

-Bob

 

[LarryRB]

yes, they need to be secured. The old days it was written "live" load.. Anything with rubber tires, and even crawler tracks regardless of what it was, size, color, weight or otherwise, needed a chain each on each corner. So nothing really new, just a different way to write it down...

 

[tomnky]

How about a recommendation on chains and binders Larry?

No since scrimping a few dollars on this. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[LarryRB]

I went to Lowe's, they have the 3/8 schedule 70 (tie down) chains already bagged and ready to go. I have the latch over binders and really don't care for the wratchet type... Can't remember now, I think about 32.00 for a 20' chain and I forget what the binders were, maybe 18 each?

 

[tomnky]

Seems someone told me that here in Ky the ratchet binders was the only ones approved now.

Maybe I am all wet but that's what I use anyway. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif