Trailering a Super C

[BillB52]

Looking for some towing advice. I will be taking my newly rebuilt Super C to a local tractor show. This will be my first time having any tractor on a trailer (previously a race car long ago). The tractor has front wheel weights and frame weights, which limits what I can attach to the sides of the frame near the radiator. Can I safely and without damage to the tractor use the optional triangle shaped plate that fits at the top of the bolster as an attachment point for my front chains?) Not sure what that plate is used for?) Are the bolster and worm wheel steering shaft strong enough for a tie-down point? Could I use shoulder eye bolts in the 3/4"-10 threaded holes in the flat area on the sides of the bell housing? Should I use 1 or 2 chains to secure the front end?

 

[MtMan]

I don't want to give you bad advice on where to put tie down chains on your tractor, but in the state of Pa. you need 4 chains to tie down a tractor or other machines. If you have a tractor with a bucket you need 5 chains and if its a backhoe you need 6 chains. This is D.O.T. laws.

 

[caterpillar guy]

On all of them A,B,C,and B/N I have used all of the above listed things. I have used the plate somebody put on the front steering pedestal with a clevis and chain or strap. Do keep in mind you can break the block if you over tighten things. I would refrain from tieing to the middle of the tractor like at the clutch housing.
I don't like pulling on eye bolts as they are not designed for pulling on at angles or sideways. The plate on the front or along the side will work very well. The drawbar on the rear for the back. If you are concerened about the paint use a piece of a 4 inch nylon strap and wrap before putting the chain on.
I have hauled all kinds of show tractors for over 11 years to the Bridge crossing in MI for the same people for all of that time. Some had paint jobs that cost more than the tractors did new. And hauled equipment all over the US for 15 years over size to lawn mowers.

 

[Oregon Tractor Jack]

You should always use one tier down on each corner at a minimum or as local laws require. You should only use chains and binders. Shoulder eye bolts are only designed to be used in straight tension. Do not ever put a lateral load on them. I bought some weld on chain hooks and welded them to some 3/8" steel plate. They are bolted on the implement mounting points on the bell housing.

OTJ

 

[BillB52]

Thanks to everyone for your advice. I didn't know the eye bolts weren't made for lateral loads. They [u:7bc12e96ea]were[/u:7bc12e96ea] definitely in my plans.

 

[Handsome Devil]

T

Well good to ask for ideas on how to if you don't know. Your smart enough to ask. Common sense really applies to hauling equipment and experience is best, but all of us hauled our first load once. And all of us are capable of making mistakes or poor judgment. I do not get real carried away in chaining tractors that I haul. Please do not take this as a unsafe view of safe hauling. I use heavy duty chains that are more than capable of handling the job. My thought is your chaining down to stop movement not to keep the machine on the trailer if you drive over a cliff or get rear ended by a semi. They or at least my tractors to not go sideways nor are they going to tip over sideways unless I flip my truck and trailer over into a ditch or rollover. I drove semi for over 23 years and I am careful about safety and not having trouble on the road. The time to prevent trouble is before you take off. And as important, remember your pulling a heavy trailer and drive accordingly regardless if your chained up good. I use a 1 ton GMC dually and a HD gooseneck that empty is a lot of weight. If some yokel pulls out in front of me empty or loaded I am not going to be able to stop and avoid creaming them if it too close. Same for the semis you pass on the highway and cut back in front of them trying to remove the chrome off their bumper. Stopping in time is real important so drive like your pulling a heavy trailer and not on the way to the supermarket. This is as important as chaining up safely and dodging rude and careless drivers. Regards, John.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

People giving advice and then wagging their finger in your face stating, "IT'S THE LAWWWWW!" are usually wrong. Not necessarily about the advice, but about it being "THE LAWWWW!"

Four chains is perfectly fine. Four chains is smart. Use 'em if you got 'em. Nobody's going to fault you for securing the load too well. Four chains is not necessarily "THE LAWWWWW!" though.

Straps vs. chains is personal preference. As long as either is rated for the weight being secured, and are in good shape they are fine. People telling you "straps are ILLEEEEGALLLLL" are just trying to impart their personal preference on you through fear mongering.

Use your head, secure the tractor well, drive sensibly, and nobody will bother you. You're a guy hauling personal property, not commercial.

 

[mattofvinings]

What I would attempt would be to use the triangular flat area just behind the radiator. Use some heavy flat bar, lets just say 3/8" x 3" and punch or drill a hole in it for a heavy hex bolt to go into the casting. Then bend it to suit the angle of your chain, in the direction of the trailer tie-down point.

If you have the capability, torch, punch or use an endmill to carve a slot in the end of it which is suitable for a grab-hook to enter the slot.

 

[hadley]

(quoted from post at 00:15:19 09/21/19) I don't want to give you bad advice on where to put tie down chains on your tractor, but in the state of Pa. you need 4 chains to tie down a tractor or other machines. If you have a tractor with a bucket you need 5 chains and if its a backhoe you need 6 chains. This is D.O.T. laws.

You say you don't want to give bad advice but then you go ahead and do it anyway! What you said are not DOT laws in Pa.

The following is what PA specifies:

4 Chains or straps are only required if the chains or straps used are not rated for the total weight of the equipment being tied down, or if the equipment itself weighs over 10K.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

You say you don't want to give bad advice but then you go ahead and do it anyway! What you said are not DOT laws in Pa.

The following is what PA specifies:

4 Chains or straps are only required if the chains or straps used are not rated for the total weight of the equipment being tied down, or if the equipment itself weighs over 10K.

It's not the advice that's bad. It's stating that "IT'S THE LAW" that's bad.

 

[hadley]

(quoted from post at 16:05:28 09/23/19)

You say you don't want to give bad advice but then you go ahead and do it anyway! What you said are not DOT laws in Pa.

The following is what PA specifies:

4 Chains or straps are only required if the chains or straps used are not rated for the total weight of the equipment being tied down, or if the equipment itself weighs over 10K.

It's not the advice that's bad. It's stating that "IT'S THE LAW" that's bad.

True