Somebody told me recently that the DOT now says binders must be placed on the passenger side only. The logic is supposedly that when they loosen up, and the driver gets out along the roadside to tighten them, if they're on the driver's side he'll get run over by somebody. If they're on the passenger side, he'll be safe from that. Is this true, or is somebody pulling my leg? (I mean, really, it sounds just strange enough to be true...)
It sounds like something that the DOT would come up with.
Help me understand what kind of binders are you talking about?
Binder is the tool used to put tention in the chain to hold the load on the haul vehicle. Usually either a ratchet type or skull buster type.
I would think that the DOT would be happy that you have what your hauling chain down.
Dunno but I used to put them both sides, depending on the load.
Well, I use 4 on most of the stuff I haul... especially tracked equipment. Two on the drivers side and two on the passenger side... and I try to at least use an on ramp or rest area, to check them. Even if you only have the binders on the passenger side, I'd think you'd still have to check the chain tension on the drivers side. It would be a real pain to use that technique any way... always tending to pull the load to the passenger side, when you re-tighten... :cool2 I know it can be done that way, but I just don't like it. OCR
I've always preferred them on the driver's side because they're easier to see in the mirror, so you can tell if they're getting loose. I guess if they're on the passenger side and you can't see that they're loose, you won't pull over to tighten them, so you won't get run over. Same result, uh, sort of... :beatsme
It's no problem. Your friendly DOT officer will pull you over...on the shoulder of a busy highway...to let you know (probably with an official piece of paper) that your binders are loose...so you can get out and tighten the [offending] binders [that caused you to get the official paper] on the passenger (safe) side of your truck/trailer. Makes perfect sense for a government agency.
I have always put them on the drivers side so i could keep a eye on them.
Yeah... I'll go along with all three of you. OCR
It probably goes state by state, or province by province, doesn't it? Anybody encounter any change in the laws, or is this all hearsay?
as it was explained to me there should be one chain per corner of machine being towed. for my backhoe they also want one over the loader bucket and to hold down the hoe bucket. i use a strap to keep them happy on the stabilizers. so this would mean 2 chains minimum on the drivers side. sounds like they will need to decide which laws to comply with. also learned a few days ago that your emergency brake box wire to connect to the truck can not be run through the same hole that your trailer hitch chain is hooked to. i think there may be to many in the DOT and they are starting to get bored and creative. dangerous situation for us.
I was kinda thinkin the same thing, that they want a 4 point attachment to machinery. I wonder if what digger was told relates more to hauling material loads on a flatbed where drivers typically have a chain across the load with a binder on one side? I think on machinery they want a chain/binder connected to each corner of the machine, which would mean 2 binders would be on the passenger side as well as 2 on the driver side. Hmmm...looks like we're still gonna get run over digger! capt_met, you up in the tri-cities area?
that makes sense atco as far as the chaining goes. and yes i am up in the tri-cities area. east of j.c. and bristol.
Elizabethton...maybe?
A town DOT cop sat behind my lowbed as the driver unloaded a machine on to a job, he then proceeded to tell my driver to put the machine back on the trailer put 5 chains on because he only had 4 hook the lowbed back up, unhook the lowbed, unchain the machine and put it on the job. My driver refused to the DOT cop called to have him arrested and the cop came down and told the DOT cop he had no right to do that and told the cop to leave and we were all set. The town DOT around here is 100 times worse than the state. But after getting off subject I agree it must have to do with flatbed haulers and not lowbeds. What do they want you to put all the strain on the chains on one side?
hit the nail on the head.
Yep, been through there taking US 321 to Boone NC.
So, if it's a safety issue to require the binders on the passenger side for a material load, isn't requiring another pair on the driver's side for machinery requiring you to commit an un -safe act? Again, I was told this by somebody on the job, not by anybody connected with law enforcement, so I don't know how true it is. (But obviously, by the responses here, it seems believable to those of us on this side of the law...)
I hear ya bro, twisted world we live in eh? :dizzy After all...just how "safe" is it to haul something like a 637 Scraper anyhow?
digger, the logic is right... I think, maybe... lol This all seems to stem from a small mistake, that apparently went unnoticed, and I believe, remains unnoticed. Although rare, these small errors can cause a phenomenon similar to "group think", or in Military Aviation... commonly referred to as "target fixation". In general or civilian aviation, you probably know about the airline pilots that became so fixated on a faulty indicator lamp, that they ignored many other warning indicators, and flew into the ground. This whole issue can probably be traced back to this simple mistake... but, by being neglected, and not remedied, creates a spreading, or "mushrooming" effect. The mistake: "Mushrooming" effect: But, I could be wrong, too... OCR
I have heard that the DOT "likes" having the binders on the right, so they can look at them as you go through the scales. I like having them on the left, and besides, it is one less thing for them to decide to pull you in for at the scales. I also like them on the left because it is easier to see them in the left mirror, since it is closer to you. Obviously this does not work on equipment with 4 corner securement, but most of us haul other stuff like pipe and lumber from time to time.
Thats the way i run. If i do need to pull over to check them i try and park the truck to create a barrier between me and traffic.
Binders on one side....maybe for a skidsteer. But anything heavy..won't work and ain't legal!!
Always ask to see the rule in writing, then write down the section and page it is from. They like to make stuff up, making them produce it in writing usually ticks them off, but also makes them quit the BS.
I like that approach....I think they make stuff up too....you can 10 different answers from 10 different DOT cops on the same thing.
how true. we used to be just farmers hauling our own stuff across state lines. we called the state, il, we were goin into, to see if we were ok. they said yeah. right accross state lines got pulled into the weigh station and they said we were illegal, we told em to show us why... they flipped thru the book for a half hour and found nothing and turned us loose. lol, suckers.
digger242j,I have no knowlege and have not herd of a new ruel about load binders on one side.But I have to say out of force of habbit I Try to arrange my tie downs so the load binders are on the starbord side of the truck or trailer.We always keep the chains & binders on the starbord side on the trucks & wreckers so we are not stepping out in traffic when working.
when i move my backhoe and dozer I only use 2 binders and 2 chain the binders go on the driver side
I tend to agree with JDOFMEMI.
Binders on one side only............. Kinda tough when ya need a 4 point tie down. jr
Your "friendly" DOT officer is full of it. There are one set of rules (nation wide) not all of are good, but it's what we have. Depending on what you're hauling and which type of securement system you use....... but let's say you're hauling bundled pipe, lumber, etc. You should have tightening (binders, ratchets, etc) on both sides. Example: Ever seen a load as described above secured by straps and all ratchets are on the same side? When you tighten down, you're pulling all in the same direction, that's when you get a "blow-out" load. They should be alternating from one side to the other. If you look at flats, steps, etc with mounted sliding ratchets, many will place them all on the street (driver) side. None of my rigs are setup this way. And further more, if you read (carefully read) the current load securement ruleing, you are to "alternate" the tightening devises from side to side. If you are using chains on an excavator for example; You must have independent securement in all horizontal directions, how are you going to chain the the street side tracks with no binder? Do you really think you'll pull the curb side tight enough to tighten the street side? Sounds like your "officer" went to the 2-hour ticket writing class. Good luck
Here in CA we can't use chains that go all the way across load and bind on drivers side, one chain and one binder per corner and one on boom if excavator or hoe. The way it was explained to me was if one binder broke, there should be 3 other points holding it down. Don't forget the tie wire on the snap binders either, i got pulles over and got a fund raiser invitation (ticket) for not having tie wire or excess chain wraped around binders.
my thoughts also..excavators get one on eash corner and one over the bucket. backhoes get the same, dozers get one on each corner....all of that BECAUSE DOT SAYS SO
I prefer boomers all on the drivers' side when possible... The DOT is a pain in Kansas.... if you get stopped, better have at least 4 boomers... even on a skid steer Scales come out the truck in a heartbeat... never been overloaded
ive always used chain and binder on each end of my backhoes.on my skidsters and bobcat 435 excavator i use a blue 10,000 strap on each end of machine never have any problems for tie downs.marker lights and crap like that is what im always getting nailed on :beatsme
I got the same explanation on the 4 point thing.I Had a water truck with 4 binders and 2 chains with slack in the middle essentially making 4 points Ontario PD Gave me a ticket for not having 4 tie downs and made me put two more chains.Went to court and beat it.Motorcycle cop,I even took the elevator down with him he was mad Mine was the only case that won up to that point while I was waiting.Ha Ha now I'm careful when I go through Ontario. Other cities to try and avoid Culver City, Beverly Hills,Anaheim,Irvine and pretty much any others with motorcycle cops
The joys of being a "truck driver" a bunch of local Pd's around here are setting up their own pajama patrol DOT pickups. Fremont so far is the worst but i have heard that Cupertino has one also.
Same thing down South with the cities. Temecula has one now, and they are out daily. They had a big writeup in the local newspaper, and said they did it because of the number of local trucking companies, but there are few based in Temecula, since city rules forced most out of town. They also admitted to the money they would make with it, "but that is not why we got one, it is about safety" No local truck is safe from harassment now, especially when the state budget is so out of whack.
I always have 2 chains/binders pulling forward, 2 pulling backwards and one over a front bucket/backhoe/etc. I have been asked a few times about my chaining, but only harrassed once. Attitude has some to do with whether you get a ticket, so does the knowledge a cop has or the lack there of. I use ratchet binders and set them close to the edge of the trailer so that once they are tight I hold the binder & lock the handle down onto the deck so I dont have loose chains going down the road. Snap binders still have their place but I'll never haul again without ratchet binders. I was taught, when in doubt, overchain.
I’m a little late here but I was pulled in to a DOT check about 3 months ago and I was hauling a load of scrap burn out plate. I had 4 bundles on the flat bed, and had 2 chains and 2 binders on each, and they were on the driver side. The DOT cop never questioned me about them on the driver said. All he asked me to do was double check the one chain on the rear stack and see if I could make it any tighter. Whenever I chain and bind loads I put them where they are best suited for me and to do the best job they can. If they all are on the driver side then so be it, all on the passenger side then so be it. When I haul scrap I have them all over the place. Left side, right side, and sometimes in the middle. When I haul equipment it is at least one for each corner.
Nick, with smaller dozers and such I do it the same way, 4 binders and 2 chains with slack in the middle and DOT said that it was just fine. With 120, 160 and 200 size excavators on our beavertail trailers I just put my 1/2 inch binders from the track to the deck of the trailer with no chains and then put one chain and binder over the bucket and that was OK'ed by the man with blue gloves as well.