Why four binders?

[sandman2234]

Why four binders on two chains? Hmmm, might be due to the chain crossing the load, and the friction causing one side to be extremely tight, and the other not so tight, giving the false inpression that the load is secure. On simple loads like a tractor, the chain usually doesn't hang up on the load, or it is obvious when it does. The laws were written by people who don't have a clue, and are relying on their interpetation of what some expert told them.
Just because you see a wrecker driver using a winch cable as the front hold down, doesn't mean he is right or wrong, just his way of doing it. I don't remember the last time I saw a wrecker driver (rollback type) with anything except the front cable and the two rear chains. Cable breaks, and the car is coming off the bed onto the top of the mini-van tailgating the wrecker. I don't know about the rest of the country, but roll back drivers are the lowest paid people I know that drive for a living, and the quality of drivers is sometimes lacking. This experience was learned from a good friend owning a wrecker company that his Dad started and getting good help at a rate they could afford was always a challenge. Even when I was unemployed, he couldn't afford me, as my unemployment was about what they paid.

JB4310,
Nice job of securing your tractor!! Just nit-picking, but in the event of a huge accident where the tractor is trying to come off the trailer, it would probably be better for the front strap to be pulling rearwards, as the front bucket would want to lift under frontal impact. Since you do such a good job, keeping the bucket on the bed would be an added bonus. Not that it is going to do anything if it does go up, but keeping heavy things from moving is the main concern of why we use straps and chains in the first place. If everyone tied down everything everytime we moved it like you do, there would be a lot less problems out on the road.
David from jax

 

[sandman2234]

I stopped to help a "Hotshot" driver on the bypass around Macon that was hauling a CNC milling machine, along with a harvester on a trailer. The mill had moved off the timbers it was sitting on, and dropped onto the deck, breaking the deck boards.Sitting uneven didn't do much for it's small base, tall hight. Being tarped, it was kind of interesting for me to have recognized the milling machine as one owned by a friend from another internet board, that I had tried to help secure transportation for. I did know that it was being moved on the route I was driving on the same day, so that helped.
Anyway, during the chaining of the machine, the driver added another chain and secured it on the side of the trailer, to the scrub rail. I explained to him that the flat bar running down the side of the trailer, outside of the pockets is not meant to be a point on which to attach any type of restaining device, as it is simply a scrub rail. D.O.T loves to catch flatbed drivers hooking to those rails, as it gives them a chance to get an autograph.
David from jax

 

[pennwalk]

I have had the flip over binders style release

I have seen guys that have a lot of experience wire the handle down. It hardly takes any time and it pretty much guarantees that the binder will not pop open.

Chris

 

[Midsouth]

When using snap binders it is best to wrap the extra chain arond it or wrap a bungee cord around the handle to keep it from coming undone. Personally i like the ratchet binders better. I have also had the snap binders twist when undoing them and that can really hurt.

 

[n8586m]

Pennwalk, Midsouth, I always tie the binder handle down, it's just that they can and have opened when not tied down. The tight chain won't come loose unless there is a catastrophic failure of some other component.

 

[Skyco]

I don't remember the last time I saw a wrecker driver (rollback type) with anything except the front cable and the two rear chains. Cable breaks, and the car is coming off the bed onto the top of the mini-van tailgating the wrecker.

Around here I don't think most even use two chains on the rear, usually just the winch cable and one hook and chain, in the back. I've seen some with nothing but the front winch cable holding it! But then I've seen a tracked Bobcat just parked on a trailer with nothing securing it but gravity The SC TP seem to be few and far between and the regular cop hasn't a clue usually I suspect.

 

[radioman]

Having four binders makes sense. Suppose the front is tied with chains only and moved back till tight and back with binders. What if due to geometry of the chains it got a slack on one side but you cant tell due to the amount of tension on it. the back is evenly tight due to binders. lets say the binders can exert 2klbs of tightness on each chain. But what about the front that is tight by hand or pulled back from the binders from rear? There wouldn't be 2klbs of tension on each chain. If there is 2klb of tension in rear, the tension would be divided in half due to "slack" in the front so in theory there would be 1klbs of tension on each chain.

 

[LoneCowboy]

393.112
Each tiedown..........must be designed.....that the driver of an in-transit CMV can tighten them.


Anything BELOW 10,000lbs requires at least TWO tiedowns at the front and the rear of the cargo to prevent it from moving in any direction. (side to side, forward, rearward, vertically) (393.128)

ABOVE 10,000lbs requires at least FOUR tiedowns (same as above for rest) (393.130)

The WLL limits of the chains must be correct, direct vs. indirect methods, etc. (393.100-114)

But almost all compact tractors fall below 10,000lbs and are less than 20' in length.

BUT, you also have to secure the loader and the backhoe arm if you have one and they must be lowered to the vehicle. (393.130.b.1)

Because hydraulics alone won't keep it from moving you must tie that down also. most people forget that. If it's pinned in place, it's fine, but most loader arms can move vertically and are not pinned in place.

US DOT only, don't know about Canada.

BTW, your G70 5/16th chain rates at 4.700lbs, your binders should rate for at least that. The weakest link and all that.

 

[DieselPower]

I see roll backs everyday hauling cars with 2 chains in the bed in the back and nothing more that the bridle and cable pulling to the front. Then there are the others I see with the wheel straps (which I hate) somewhat loose and the vehicle rocking back and forth as it goes down the highway. And these are supposed to be the pros!

If they don't have two tie down points on the front then they are breaking the law. Not all towers are professional and many drivers do it the "easy" way correct or not. As far as the 4 point tire basket tie down straps they may not look like they would work but they do. I had a friend actually roll a rollback a few years ago with a F250 extended cab P/U on the bed that was secured by the 4 wheel basket straps. The truck never moved on the bed. One of the advantages of this system to the tower is a slightly softer ride. The vehicle being transported on the bed still has a fully functional suspension system. Another advantage is that many new low riding cars and high end cars don't have T-slots or tie down points in the frame rails and you have to use the basket tie down strap system. A lot of my friends who own towing companies were hesitant to use the strap tie down system when it first came out but most all use them now. The one big disadvantage to them is they are not as durable as chains and have to be replaced rather more frequently. Get a cut in the strap or see that one of the red over stretch indicating threads has broken and you have to replace it.

 

[Q-Saw]

JB4310 -

Those clevises look like a good way to attach your rear chains. It was hard for me to see, but I assume those are in the upper mounting holes for your BH subframe. Did the clevis pins fit the holes well, or did you use a bushing?

Also, any significance in the purple and brown color for your ratchet binders? Your tractor looks very secure.

- Marty

 

[Farmwithjunk]

It all boils down to how the law is interpreted and enforced by the man with the badge and the gun. As with so many laws, you can argue extenuating circumstances, other viable options, and just "my opinion" until you're blue in the face. When "Smokey" has you sitting along side the road, and he's writing a citation that's longer than the GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL, MY opinion, YOUR opinion, and the next guys opinion matter little......only one that counts? SMOKEY's.

It's the law. Doesn't have to make sense.........Just has to be done that way.

My commercial liability insurance has a provision where certain claims can (and will be) voided if applicable laws are violated. ie.....4 chains, 4 binders, no matter if I think I can do it a better way or not.

 

[kevinj]

This is a question for all you trailer experts. Why do you use a binder on all four corners? I don't care what a law might say, I want to know the actual reason behind it. I put my tractor on the trailer where it needs to be for balance. Then I hook the two front chains as tight as I can by hand. Then I put one chain on the back and with the tractor in neutral and brake off, I use a ratchet binder on the back chain to tighten the front chains until the rear tire starts to flatten. I then use a flip over binder on the second rear chain. So what would binders on the front do except provide at failure point? The front chains are tighter than Dick's hat and there is no way they can ever come loose as opposed to flip over binder that can and have opened.

Since you are from Michigan read this.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/cdlmanul_16090_7.pdf

 

[n8586m]

OK Kevin, I have just finished reading that. Here is the only part that refers to securing a load:

3.3.2 Cargo Tiedown
On flatbed trailers or trailers without sides, cargo
must be secured to keep it from shifting or falling
off. In closed vans, tiedowns can also be important
to prevent cargo shifting that may affect the
handling of the vehicle. Tiedowns must be of the
proper type and proper strength. The combined
strength of all cargo tiedowns must be strong
enough to lift one and one-half times the weight of
the piece of cargo tied down. Proper tiedown
equipment must be used, including ropes, straps,
chains, and tensioning devices (winches, ratchets,
clinching components). Tiedowns must be
attached to the vehicle correctly (hooks, bolts, rails,
rings). See figure 3.2.
Figure 3.2

The phrase "chain binders" is not present.

I also read the following: Federal Motor Carriers Saftey Administration, DOT Regulations; per 49CFR, Part 393The following is what the Feds say about securing a load: Use of tiedowns.

1. Tiedowns and securing devices must not contain knots.
2. If a tiedown is repaired, it must be repaired in accordance with the applicable standards in paragraph (e) of this section, or the manufac-turers instructions.
3. Each tiedown must be attached and secured in a manner that prevents it from becoming loose, unfastening, opening or releasing while the vehicle is in transit.
4. All tiedowns and other components of a cargo securement system used to secure loads on a trailer equipped with rub rails, must be located inboard of the rub rails whenever practicable.
5. Edge protection must be used whenever a tiedown would be subject to abrasion or cutting at the point where it touches an article of cargo. The edge protection must resist abrasion, cutting and crushing.

Once again no reference to a "chain binder". So, what law actually uses the phrase "chain binder"?

 

[JB4310]

JB4310 -

Those clevises look like a good way to attach your rear chains. It was hard for me to see, but I assume those are in the upper mounting holes for your BH subframe. Did the clevis pins fit the holes well, or did you use a bushing?

Also, any significance in the purple and brown color for your ratchet binders? Your tractor looks very secure.

- Marty

Yes they are in the backhoe frame with bushings, these are alloy ones rated higher than the grade 70 chain, the slip hooks are rated 6600 just like the chain.

I had a thread started about binding down equipment where I mentioned that if I didn't have these holes available I'm not sure where I would connect on the rear, also if I do have the BH on, not sure where I'll connect.

The purple binders are alloy from AWdirect which are rated for use with 3/8 grade 70 chain, I think they are 6600# maybe higher. The red ones are China binders rated for G43 chain (5400#) I got these for free with the trailer, eventually I'll upgrade them to the grade 70 stuff. I think I read somewhere that if your pulling one corner down with a certain grade/rated chain and binder then the opposing side should have an equal rating.




Regarding OP's question about binders on just the rear.

After looking at my picture of the rear of my tractor in post #12 of this thread, you can see how high the chains are tied to the tractor above the axle line. Now imagine no chain at all on the front, what would happen when you start cranking down the rear binders? If the brakes are locked like they should be, then the front would start rising as the tractor hinges on the axle.
So you can see the front chains would not be pulling the front of the tractor down they would be just preventing it from lifting, especially when the front chains are connected low on the front of the tractor and out in front of the tractor to the trailer.
Don't know if this idea makes any sense but that's what I was thinking looking at the picture.

This brings up another issue that has not been discussed as far as I know, that's the angle of the chains, I read on the warning tags on the new binders something about a minimum angle of 30 degrees down from and away from the connection point on the load being bound. That would be tough to comply with in all circumstances.

JB.

 

[kevinj]

OK.........then read this one. 393.112, 393.128, and 393.130

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Cargo_Securement_Changes_75611_7.pdf

 

[n8586m]

Kevin, now I have read those sections. No requirement for "binders". Section 112 says tie downs have to be adjustable. If my front chains loosen, I release the tractor brake, tighten the rear binders until the front is tight again and reset the brake. Letter and intent of the law met.

After searching the Heavy Equipment forum, I found the interesting comment from a user that had attended at meeting on this very subject. "Another thing that I found out....you would think that when using 4 individual chains you would use 4 binders. Lets take a roller for example...you can put the 2 chains in the front...back the roller up to tighten the chains, put the 2 chains on the rear with binders."

Now if you are hauling a tracked machine that would not roll, then to met the letter of the law you would need a device to take up the slack on each tie down. i.e. one binder per chain.

 

[George2615]

In response to those who posted about the rollback drivers securing their load (such as a car or truck) by the winch cable in front and 2 chains in back and the OP.

They are securing the load by not much more than the minimum required. If the load is under 10K the law says they only require one tie down in front and one in back. They usually attach the rear chains then use the winch to tighten them up. In my opinion this is wrong because if the winch brake or cable fails they can lose the load.

If you use only the minimum for under 10K loads of one tie down front and one tie down rear and either one fails then the other becomes slack and the load is not secure. With 4 tie downs and if one fails there are still 3 securing the load which is a greater safety factor.

The law does not state you must use chain either. There are other devices / materials that can be used for securing loads. They simply need to exceed the Working Load Limit (WLL)

 

[kevinj]

Kevin, now I have read those sections. No requirement for "binders". Section 112 says tie downs have to be adjustable. If my front chains loosen, I release the tractor brake, tighten the rear binders until the front is tight again and reset the brake. Letter and intent of the law met.

After searching the Heavy Equipment forum, I found the interesting comment from a user that had attended at meeting on this very subject. "Another thing that I found out....you would think that when using 4 individual chains you would use 4 binders. Lets take a roller for example...you can put the 2 chains in the front...back the roller up to tighten the chains, put the 2 chains on the rear with binders."

Now if you are hauling a tracked machine that would not roll, then to met the letter of the law you would need a device to take up the slack on each tie down. i.e. one binder per chain.

I guess you can pick nits all day. They clearly address tensioning devices in the laws. Chain & binder, rachet & strap. Some things just go together. As you said the driver must be able to adjust the tension, you can move your little tractor but it is not practical to unchain and move equipment for the want of a binder.

If you have a loader and a rear implement now you have to loosen many things and move the tractor. I guess that after many years of professional hauling that I just assume that it is chain & binder to be compliant. I for one will not loosen a whole load just to adjust one chain.

Never was cited for infraction other than a misload so I guess I tied the loads down well enough to make the diesel bear happy.

 

[JB4310]

If my front chains loosen, I release the tractor brake, tighten the rear binders until the front is tight again and reset the brake. Letter and intent of the law met.

n8586m,
That doesn't sound like the intent of the law, they could of worded it better by say something like "individualy adjustable, independent of the rest of the load".

Are you saying this has happened to you or only if it ever happens in the future?

If it has happened even once I would think that's all it would take to give up on that system, spend the $80. and get 2 more binders.

Another thought, why put the binders on the rear, why not the front? With chains only on the rear it would seem less likely they would get loose since the load is always trying to move forward with braking.

JB.

 

[n8586m]

The intent of the law is that the chains, or straps, have to be able to be tightened by the operator. It does not say that they must be able to be tightened individually. Binders front or rear does not matter. If the fail, they fail. Since they are rated as grade 70 then they should have the same strength. No law that I have been able to find says each chain or whatever, has to have a binder, just that they have to be able to be tightened. I don't want the tractor to fall off the trailer backwards. That will probably kill some one. If it moves forward, it is going to come up to the bulkhead of the trailer or the back of the truck. Not a great situation but better than falling off the back of the trailer. And, that will only happen in the case of a stop. It seems clear to me that having binders on all four chains is just a myth that cannot be substantiated by any reference to law, just opinion. I am going to load up the tractor on the trailer and haul it down nearest DOT enforcement office and show it to them. I will report their findings pro or con.