Here's a thorough overview of the key elements of safely hauling construction equipment over the road: The Safe Road To Heavy Hauling Fraught with risk, moving machines can be done with proper preparation, equipment and training Let us know if there are things you'd like us to expand on. Thanks, Larry
Great post and artical CEwriter.Moving the equipment is half of the job in most cases.Heavy haulers & movers are some of the best & safest drivers on the road.Got to watch out for the drivers in the cars that think they are more important then everyone else.Speeding ,illegal lane change,passing on a double yellow line,I can go on and on.Allot of heavy haulers use a police escort when traveling though a city or high traffic area to tame down the cars on the route.
I have been searching the web for a long time to find a site that explains how equipment is to be chained down properly. This site comes as close as any I have found--can anyone recommend any other sites? In the meantime I have developed my own methods and so far I have not had any problems. I tie down all four corners whenever possible. What really frustrates me is that states all have different rules regarding flags, signage, and cargo securement. I run 95% of my miles in Nebraska and there are no clear recommendations regarding the aforementioned issures. I can ask two different DOT officers and get two different answers. If I can steal the wife's camera sometime, I'll post a few pics of how I secure combines, tractors, and sprayers and listen to recommendations. If anyone knows of site that clears all this up, by all means post the link. I want to be sure I am right
It's about tie-down vs weight... Whatever method you use to tie down offers suggestions to how much weight it can handle. Chain & bind with enough chains & binders to secure the total weight of the load. You can use dunnage boards for tires, chains for tracked vehicles. Proper weight distribution on the trailer is important not only for scale weight on axles, but control of the trailer with the power unit. Yes, you need safety equipment such as wide load signs & flags according to you district requirements...remember you are subject to official inspection. Don't get those darn killer binders, use ratchet binders...secure the load, move down the road to the first location where you may pull over safely, then check your binders for slack... Hammer Down! Also, spy on your driver(s) to make sure they are skilled with top-heavy loads!
Good topic of discussion. In addition to what's been posted above. A general rule of thumb I always used is to make certain that the piece is tied down well enough so that if it were to overturn, the equipment and all parts of it remain secured to the trailer. Hoe booms and buckets, end loader buckets, etc. Also, while transporting articulated pieces, the machine needs to be tied down so that there is no chance of wandering through it's articulation while being transported. It is always better to take the few extra minutes and throw another chain on.
Articulation locks are supposed to be in place when vehicles are transported.
Larry, Any chance that I can find your article anywhere at this point in time? The link in your initial post has expired. I would love to read it, as I am considering starting a second career in hauling heavy equipment. I've come to realize that I was born to be a professional driver, and after having looked at all areas of transportation (including mass transit), I feel that heavy equipment transport is the best fit for my temperament, ingenuity, and conscientiousness. I have a strong hunch that your article will be a solid foundation upon which to start my quest. Thank you for your attention. Jim
I'd also like to see a link to that page if it still exists somewhere.
Had a look today, the link to the article mentioned above was working again.
I just saw these thread while I'm browsing on forum. That article is a great guide to all beginners that wants to move equipments.