Transport of Equipment in Dump Trailers

[Dougster]

Have you thought about an equipment yard somewhere? Someone out of your line of work, that would let you store your stuff on their place for keeping up with their maintanance etc? When I had to move off our storage yard, the guys next door offered me that type of deal, would have maybe taken it but found a house with some land instead.

In fact, I have been in "casual-to-dead-serious" discussions with a couple of farms, a landscaping operation and a construction equipment rental operation. So far no great luck. One would leave my equipment too subject to theft and vandalism, one is too over-crowded to really be practical and a third is just too far away. The last one is hung up on liability and, I think, potential competition to their own offered services.

Dougster

 

[mikegt4]

Equipment is transported in dump trailers around here all the time.
There is one big problem with doing that (and may be the basis of a "new rule"). How can you properly "tie down" the load? Anything tied to the bed is only secured to the bed, not the trailer frame. I would think that some sort of method of accessing the frame through the bed or temporarely securing the bed onto the frame would be the only way to safely tie down.
Of course every piece of equipment I have seen hauled in a dump trailer has been "secured" by the bed's walls.

 

[Dougster]

Equipment is transported in dump trailers around here all the time. There is one big problem with doing that (and may be the basis of a "new rule"). How can you properly "tie down" the load? Anything tied to the bed is only secured to the bed, not the trailer frame. I would think that some sort of method of accessing the frame through the bed or temporarely securing the bed onto the frame would be the only way to safely tie down. Of course every piece of equipment I have seen hauled in a dump trailer has been "secured" by the bed's walls.

Every dump trailer that I'm considering has D-rings in all 4 corners. If my understanding is correct, those D-rings constitute perfectly good tiedown points for the tractor itself. I believe the issue... if there really is one... is the securing of the FEL bucket and BH dipper/bucket if located outside the box. In particular, I'm being told by folks who should know that the backhoe "hanging out the back" would not be legal even if latched with the bucket chained to the trailer at some appropriate point... and either flagged or lit. I still find that hard to believe... although in my state, anything is possible.

Dougster

 

[mikegt4]

Every dump trailer that I'm considering has D-rings in all 4 corners. If my understanding is correct, those D-rings constitute perfectly good tiedown points for the tractor itself. I believe the issue... if there really is one... is the securing of the FEL bucket and BH dipper/bucket if located outside the box. In particular, I'm being told by folks who should know that the backhoe "hanging out the back" would not be legal even if latched with the bucket chained to the trailer at some appropriate point... and either flagged or lit. I still find that hard to believe... although in my state, anything is possible.

Dougster

You are right Dougster, many dump beds have D rings. But, the bed is held on to the trailer frame by the pivot pins in the rear and the cylinder's rod in the front. All strong componets when operating as designed and in the up and down direction.

If, for instance, one has to do an emergency swerve the bed may move around on the frame. If the front of the bed was pinned or bolted down to the frame then the frame and bed would act as one unit. I have seen people that bolt a D ring to a wood trailer deck and call it strong! The wood was only occasionally screwed to the frame, just enough to keep it from falling off.

As far as a backhoe, I usually see them within the footprint of the trailer. You could back you tractor on so that the hoe is over the trailer tongue. IIRC, any load 2 feet over the end of a trailer usually gets the cop's attention, MA may be even more picky.

I remember as a kid watching backhoes towed behind dump trucks with the bucket over the tailgate into the truck bed, front tractor wheels up off the road using the FEL hydraulics and the tractors rear tires on the road. The swat team would probabley be called out today, especially in big government states like Taxachusetts.

 

[Dougster]

You are right Dougster, many dump beds have D rings. But, the bed is held on to the trailer frame by the pivot pins in the rear and the cylinder's rod in the front. All strong componets when operating as designed and in the up and down direction.

If, for instance, one has to do an emergency swerve the bed may move around on the frame. If the front of the bed was pinned or bolted down to the frame then the frame and bed would act as one unit. I have seen people that bolt a D ring to a wood trailer deck and call it strong! The wood was only occasionally screwed to the frame, just enough to keep it from falling off.

As far as a backhoe, I usually see them within the footprint of the trailer. You could back you tractor on so that the hoe is over the trailer tongue. IIRC, any load 2 feet over the end of a trailer usually gets the cop's attention, MA may be even more picky.

I remember as a kid watching backhoes towed behind dump trucks with the bucket over the tailgate into the truck bed, front tractor wheels up off the road using the FEL hydraulics and the tractors rear tires on the road. The swat team would probabley be called out today, especially in big government states like Taxachusetts.

Yeah, it is a different world now... and your point on the D-rings and potential motion bed-to-frame is worth asking about. I did ask the cops previously about using the stake pockets on my 20-ft, 10K equipment trailer when they didn't look all that strong compared to the specified tie-down loads... and the cops still said perfectly legal and fine. While they specify Grade 70 chain, etc. and follow the DOT tie-down rules... they couldn't care less about the strength (or lack thereof) of the tie-down points. Go figure.

But there is no way I can afford (or actually pull around) a monster dump trailer big enough to keep the BH completely inside the box unless maybe I latch the boom to one side (not desirable!). The tractor w/FEL+BH just fits on my 20-ft equipment trailer... and I'd have preferred 22 feet! The longest dump trailer I can even think about buying is 16 feet long.

Something has got to give.

Dougster

 

[QRTRHRS]

How much does your tractor with hoe weigh? Anything less than 10k total weight can have attachments pinned securely rather than lowered to the deck. Said attachments need not be chained to the deck either. I don't know if this helps you or not.

 

[Dougster]

How much does your tractor with hoe weigh? Anything less than 10k total weight can have attachments pinned securely rather than lowered to the deck. Said attachments need not be chained to the deck either. I don't know if this helps you or not.

Now that would be a major help if true. Holy Cow! The state cops surely never said anything about that... and we went over every micro-detail when I was buying my equipment trailer and tiedowns! If you can point me at that particular rule in writing, I owe you one VERY tall beer!!!

Dougster

 

[workinallthetime]

Now that would be a major help if true. Holy Cow! The state cops surely never said anything about that... and we went over every micro-detail when I was buying my equipment trailer and tiedowns! If you can point me at that particular rule in writing, I owe you one VERY tall beer!!!

Dougster

i will buy the second round !!!!!!!

 

[Dougster]

i will buy the second round !!!!!!!

You are just a rich, Kubota-driving, YUPPIE trouble maker!!! They should make you use EXTRA tie-downs!!!

Dougster

 

[Rara Avis]

Doug...here is the section you want...

393.130