Rate my Haul job - 1st time hauling heavy equipment

[ThreeEdwardsM]

Curious how y'all think I did, and what I should do different next time.

I probably over-did it, honestly, but I had my whole family in the car for a 12 hour drive, so I didn't want to risk anything. And, to be honest, I'm not sure you can over-secure a load, at least by my philosophy. I was probably most of proud of how balanced I got the load with both a trailer and with a load I was unfamiliar with.

The tractor had sat for years, and was in a packed, dark barn on a 95 degree day, so I opted to haul it out and get it running after. Used chains and a chain hoist to get it on the trailer, then chocks and brute force to get it positioned on the trailer.

I got it running on the trailer the next day, actually - drained and replaced the fuel, cleaned the sediment bowl, filled the radiator, filed the points, cleaned and checked the spark plugs, checked all the wiring connections, and replaced the battery. Fires right up now.

Tow vehicle is 2017 Lexus GX 460 with a 6,500 pound towing capacity, a Curt tri-ball hitch (used 2"), and a U-Haul toy hauler that weighs 3,155 pounds empty. The M weighs 2,600 pounds.

As for tying it down, I put the widest, thickest ratchet strap I had over the bell housing, initially just to pull the load straight into the trailer and hold it steady while I secured it. It's got a 5,000 pound break strength.

I have a grade 80, 3/8" chain in the front, with axle straps rated to 3,333 pounds over both sides of the front axle and a binder rated to 9,200 pounds. My original plan was a chain and binder on each side of the front axle, but the chains and tie down angles I had to work with didn't really make that the most feasible. I prefer chains to straps, but I also wanted at least 4 tie down points, and since the front axle chain was technically only one, I opted for front tire bonnets on both sides rated at 3,333 pounds as well.

Then in the rear, I put axle straps rated at 3,333 pounds over both rear axles, and then ran a grade 43, 3/8" chain down to each corner of the trailer, and used 9,200 pound-rated chain binders to tighten. The orange ratchet strap was just there to hold the seat on.

Once it was tied down tight, I put a little more air in the tires.

I've got a few loose filler caps, so I taped those down, then I checked the load and the axle and brake temps on both the tow vehicle and the trailer every 150-200 miles.

Towed really well overall.

 

[showcrop]

It looks extremely dangerous to me. The tractor is well secured to the trailer, but it looks like it is balanced on the trailer instead of putting a good amount of weight on the car. In a situation where you need to take evasive action, or simply changing lanes at higher speed, the trailer will want to swing further than the car, which can easily make you lose control. I always look for the back of my one ton Ford to settle from 3-6 inches as I load my tractor, to insure adequate tongue weight.

 

[Dingo3]

Fairly decent description of loading a trailer. Especially the Weigh Safe portion.

When I haul cars the heavier front of the car goes towards the truck.

 

[john in la]

The chains on the back look good.
The straps on the front tires look good.
That gives you a 4 point tie down.
The rest is wrong.

The binder on the front needs to run parallel to the chain.
The strap over the trans needs edge protection
And the seat is not an appropriate tie down location.

 

[ThreeEdwardsM]

It looks extremely dangerous to me. The tractor is well secured to the trailer, but it looks like it is balanced on the trailer instead of putting a good amount of weight on the car. In a situation where you need to take evasive action, or simply changing lanes at higher speed, the trailer will want to swing further than the car, which can easily make you lose control. I always look for the back of my one ton Ford to settle from 3-6 inches as I load my tractor, to insure adequate tongue weight.

That's good feedback. I will say this - the GX has active self leveling air suspension - it doesn't matter how much tongue weight is there, you're not going to see it. There's more tongue weight there than you think. It settled at least 3-6" initially when I got the tractor in position - that's what I was looking for as I pushed the tractor back - but then the GX leveled itself out again.

The trailer tracked beautifully with absolutely no fishtailing.

 

[ThreeEdwardsM]

The chains on the back look good.
The straps on the front tires look good.
That gives you a 4 point tie down.
The rest is wrong.

The binder on the front needs to run parallel to the chain.
The strap over the trans needs edge protection
And the seat is not an appropriate tie down location.

Thanks. When do you know to use edge protection on a ratchet strap? Is the answer "always", cause the bell housing is pretty smooth. I assume you mean the slip-on web guard protectors?

I was least confident about the front binder, so that's good to know for the future. If had kept the front chain as is, and just put an inline binder on each side, would that have worked?

I think I was most annoyed that no matter how strong my chains and binders were, the weakest link was the 3,333 pound-rated axle straps, but I really didn't see any other way without scratching the tractor.

The ratchet strap over the seat wasn't a true tie-down, I just had tools and parts in the seat tool box, and didn't want to lose them or the cushion. I guess I could have just taken it all out and put it in the vehicle.

 

[ThreeEdwardsM]

Fairly decent description of loading a trailer. Especially the Weigh Safe portion.

When I haul cars the heavier front of the car goes towards the truck.

Thanks, Dingo. I'm not convinced the front of this tractor is heavier than the rear, especially with a small two-banger and the rear wheel weights. I suspect the fulcrum on that tractor is somewhere around the front dash area, but I could be totally wrong. Many of the examples I saw of towing compact tractors were on the trailer rear-first, so I opted to go with that. I think my take-away from the video is just put a scale under the tongue next time and don't guess.

 

[ThreeEdwardsM]

Something else I wasn't sure about as I did my own self-critique - when I see others who know what they're doing use chains, the put the hook as close to the tie-down points as possible on each end, then take the slack out of the middle with the binder pretty close to the trailer end of the chain. I didn't do that. I put the hooks as close to the middle of the chain as possible, then took the remaining slack out with the binder. Does it matter?

 

[ThreeEdwardsM]

Also, talk to me about angles (the angles the chain makes between the tractor and the trailer). I know they matter, but don't understand how. I noticed Mike did an "X" pattern on the front here - was that to keep the chains out of the way of the front tires, or was there likely another reason?

 

[Dingo3]

Thanks, Dingo. I'm not convinced the front of this tractor is heavier than the rear, especially with a small two-banger and the rear wheel weights. I suspect the fulcrum on that tractor is somewhere around the front dash area, but I could be totally wrong. Many of the examples I saw of towing compact tractors were on the trailer rear-first, so I opted to go with that. I think my take-away from the video is just put a scale under the tongue next time and don't guess.

You’re probably right considering the rear wheel weights. Sounds like you have done a bunch of research. If it handles well at speed your probably good to go.

 

[ThreeEdwardsM]

You’re probably right considering the rear wheel weights. Sounds like you have done a bunch of research. If it handles well at speed your probably good to go.

Adding one of these to my tow kit, thanks to this conversation: https://a.co/d/0elCxcfC

 

[MeanGene1]

Sounds like you did some research and were thinking about the tongue weight. I do that with my F350 dually, come forward enough to drop the back of the truck a few inches, and then level it back up with the air bags. Seems that wherever you are, the gendarmes do not like to see straps on any kind of tractor, and you don't want anything they can see that will want them to take a closer look

 

[lodoc]

The strap over the trans needs edge protection

Have had success using sections of old fire hose for edge protection whether you feed chain or straps through it. Also protects painted surfaces from chain bites. Between the thick rubber core and durable canvas exterior it's some 'tuff stuff'.

 

[MeanGene1]

Yep, old fire hose works very well, also good to protect hydraulic hoses- a 50' roll of 1-1/2" hose will go a long way on hoses

 

[Ray,IN]

This is the recommended method: https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/PPP/PPP-75.pdf

 

[ThreeEdwardsM]

Sounds like you did some research and were thinking about the tongue weight. I do that with my F350 dually, come forward enough to drop the back of the truck a few inches, and then level it back up with the air bags. Seems that wherever you are, the gendarmes do not like to see straps on any kind of tractor, and you don't want anything they can see that will want them to take a closer look

I think I just trust chains more if something goes horribly wrong.

 

[showcrop]

I think I just trust chains more if something goes horribly wrong.

There are many, many, many, straps that are far stronger than many, many, many chains.

 

[Ray,IN]

There are many, many, many, straps that are far stronger than many, many, many chains.

However, if a strap has a tiny cut or snag in the material the strap is considered "out of service"; a commercial trucker/hauler will be deadlined by DOT police until a new strap is used in place of the old strap.

 

[showcrop]

However, if a strap has a tiny cut or snag in the material the strap is considered "out of service"; a commercial trucker/hauler will be deadlined by DOT police until a new strap is used in place of the old strap.

And a driver will be deadlined by an inspector for too small or incorrect grade of chain. There is only one load that requires chains instead of straps. That is rocks as in huge blocks of granite.

 

[MeanGene1]

And a driver will be deadlined by an inspector for too small or incorrect grade of chain. There is only one load that requires chains instead of straps. That is rocks as in huge blocks of granite.

I have at least a half dozen "transport" chains, running the grader I used to sweep them out of the grass where drivers had lost them- that, and the short- handled 4lb hammers that the temp fence guys use. I would have to disagree that I wasn't required to use proper chains to tie down those D8 dozers- pretty sure a CHP would have a cow if he saw straps tying down a big dozer. Personally, I have never seen anyone tie down a big dozer with straps