Strapping it Down!

[George2615]

If it was me, I want to tie down to more than a D ring with 2 bolts on it.

David Kb7uns

Those D-rings are rated for 10,000 lb each and are secured with grade 8 bolts. They are rated for way more than my tractor.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Trailer tie downs are expected to hold the cargo (tractor or otherwise) down during normal transport of stopping, cornering etc. No one is expecting the tie downs to hold during, say a drive off a 100 foot cliff or driving into a concrete wall. Read the FED rules for required strengths of tie downs.

 

[Grizz262]

As promised, here are some photos, (if the link works) of the secured tractor. I took all the advice and combined it the best I could, the only thing I wasn't able to do was cross the chains, this was simply due to the configuration of the trailer and tractor combined, and the implements on it. However, I was able to get my hands on some 1 3/4" old fire hose and lined the chains. I also purchase grade 70 chains and ratcheting chain binders, with folding handles. These binders where very easy to use and were rated at 7100 Lbs. Finally, to secure any additional chain (20 foot 5/16") from falling off the trailer and dragging about the road, I purchased some heavy duty zip ties and just zipped the chain to itself.

tracktorbynet's Library | Photobucket

 

[LiveRoll]

IMHO, by looking at your photo's, I would shift the tractor a little more towards the front of the trailer to transfer a little more weight to the tongue, it looks like it may be a little "tail heavy" which could lead to handling problems while on the road.

Cheers

Roger

 

[Diamondpilot]

Those jack stands would not fly around here. Have you tried backing the tractor on?

Chris

 

[jejeosborne]

Jack stands have to go. Also your strap over the loader will chaff and break around the sharp edge of the bucket. I never run an unprotected strap around anything not round. The wind buffeting the straps and the road vibrations will cut a strap very quickly. Just trying to save you some money.

 

[Soundguy]

anythin i have with sharp angles or corners gets a piece of old carped as a buffer.. or run thru old fire hose. ( i use that for chain.. etc... protects paint. the carpet is for straps.. etc.

 

[MossRoad]

I'll third the comment about straps and cuts on sharp corners. I cut one fairly deep once on a very short drive. Lesson learned.

 

[PoorPlowboy]

Sit the front bucket down flat and chain off of the brush guard going forward over the bucket and you won't need the strap on the bucket. The chains will hold the bucket and the tractor.

I might would consider chaining or strapping the BH bucket down rather than forward. Not sure it would be any more stable though.

 

[tractorshopper]

+1 on the tongue weight. I drive mine forward on the trailer until the rear of my truck drops at least 2-3". If you don't have tongue weight, the trailer will drive you and accidents become more and more likely. You will be very jack-knife proned. My loader bucket is usually completely forward of the squared off section, basically overhanging 2' of the tongue to where I have to watch how sharp I turn the trailer to avoid hitting my truck tailgate with the bucket. I have a 16' bed on my trailer and probably 4 or 5' of tongue to the ball. I usually have a box blade or tiller on the rear, not a backhoe, which is much heavier, so your weight should probably be even more forward than mine.

Your tie downs look good. With my loader bucket forward of the front bar, my chains never interfere with my loader. I seriously want a 20' foot trailer to have more room to do it right, but I'm well under my weight limit and have never had to turn so sharp as to put a loader tooth into my tailgate yet; just not ideal.

You may want to hook the trailer to your truck and then load the tractor both forward and backward to see what gives you the best combination of tongue weight and situation on the trailer space.

Good luck.

 

[MossRoad]

On the flip side of that, too much tongue weight, and you lose steering and braking on the tow vehicle.

 

[Soundguy]

makes having a goose neck so much nicer when loading kinda odd weight stuff.

 

[breadtrk]

But George.... That brush guard is only held on with 2 grade whatever Korean bolts, just something to keep in mind.

And to whomever said it don't have to hold on a 100 ft cliff, yes it does because if it comes off that trailer and hurts someone on the way down, you will lose everything because you didn't have it secured.

 

[MossRoad]

makes having a goose neck so much nicer when loading kinda odd weight stuff.

I can only imagine! I'll never have the need for such a trailer/towing rig, but boy, would I like to have it! :laughing:

 

[MossRoad]

But George.... That brush guard is only held on with 2 grade whatever Korean bolts, just something to keep in mind.

And to whomever said it don't have to hold on a 100 ft cliff, yes it does because if it comes off that trailer and hurts someone on the way down, you will lose everything because you didn't have it secured.

I can pretty much gaurantee that if it doesn't hold on a 100ft cliff, you won't have to worry about losing everything because you'll be dead.

 

[swines]

If your tractor has a parking brake apply the brake after you get the tractor positioned on the trailer. You'd be surprised at how much a tractor can rock forward and back regardless of the transmission type. You'll save yourself multiple retightening of the tie downs on a long trip.

 

[breadtrk]

It is just a small ball. Trailer can get real crazy in a wreck, they come loose more often than not. When it comes loose, you own it all the way to the end. It the load and trailer stop intact and the wreck is not your fault, good. Even if it isn't your fault and that load come loose from the trailer, you own everything all the way down.

My point being is that just keeping it from moving back and forth on the trailer isn't good enough. The whole point of chaining it down is to make it one unit. YMMV. My sister works for a trucker hater firm. If that load comes loose, don't make a bit of difference whose fault the wreck was. That loose or improperly secured load will let the guy at fault retire.

 

[MossRoad]

If your tractor has a parking brake apply the brake after you get the tractor positioned on the trailer. You'd be surprised at how much a tractor can rock forward and back regardless of the transmission type. You'll save yourself multiple retightening of the tie downs on a long trip.

I usually put the machine on the trailer, put the tie downs on loose, take the brake off, tighten it down completely, then set the brake again. (I don't have a transmission, so there's no 'in-gear' or 'out-of-gear' for me). And my parking brake is a pin-in-slot type, so I'll stomp on the go pedal and spin the tires until I see the pins engage in the slots(I can see them in the cockpit).

When I used to work for an intermodal shipping company we'd chain down army trucks and postal vehicles on railcars and do the same thing. Chains, neutral, tighten, in gear (or park), parking break, check chains again.

 

[George2615]

But George.... That brush guard is only held on with 2 grade whatever Korean bolts, just something to keep in mind.

And to whomever said it don't have to hold on a 100 ft cliff, yes it does because if it comes off that trailer and hurts someone on the way down, you will lose everything because you didn't have it secured.

You better double check your brush guard. Mine is bolted on with 4 metric class 10.9 bolts which are the same strength as American grade 8 bolts.

Bolt Grade Markings and Strength Chart

 

[gtrippleb]

I can pretty much gaurantee that if it doesn't hold on a 100ft cliff, you won't have to worry about losing everything because you'll be dead.

That's my father in-law's thoughts also. He gives me a hard time every time he helps or watches me chain down my T2320. I just like to know it's secured on the trailer.