Proper way to tie-down BX2350 to utility trailer

[gladehound]

Remember, no matter what system you choose, you are responsible for any damages that might arise from an improperly secured load. Better check your vehicle insurance to make sure you are covered. In today's society, the lawyers would make hash out of someone who caused damages from a bad load.
Make sure the tires and undercarriage of the tractor are clean and free of debris.

This is why I try to follow the more stringent commercial requirements for 10,000+ pound machines even though I'm privately hauling a machine that is < 10,000 pounds. The commercial set up works very well. The machine stays put with a 4 point tie down. And if anything ever does happen, you did it just like it says in the book which might help you in court.

One more comment about straps. They tend to get longer with humidity and shorter when they dry out. So they won't necessarily stay tight.

 

[Parkanzky]

I use straps with a square of old carpet or an old potholder anywhere they touch a hard corner. I put all the ratchets on one side so I can glance in a rear view and count them quickly, and I put a hand on every strap at every stop.

 

[PA-Kubota]

Anyone have pictures of yours tied down on the trailer?

 

[gladehound]

Anyone have pictures of yours tied down on the trailer?

Funny you should ask. Just took some with you in mind...



one thing I didn't mention is that the rear chains need to be attached to the trailer at least 1" behind the attachment point on the tractor and the fronts need to be attached to the trailer at least 1" in front of the tractor attachment points. But ideally, you want a 45 degree angle on the chain. My set up in the back is decent. In the front I actually have a bucket stuffed between the loader arms and the tractor frame so the chains don't have a straight run to the sides. Ideally, you want the chains strait from the tractor to the trailer. Also, ideally I'd have 5 binders not 4. I will be getting a 5th binder so I can have two separate chains going to the front just like on the back. Without two separate chains, if your tractor isn't perfectly centered to start with, it can walk towards center and cause the chains to get loose. This evening will be the first time I road it with the new binders, previously I used one chain in front and one in back and one binder only on the front to pull it forward until tight. However, with this set up it would get loose and move a bit. That is why I'm going to the 4 point tie down method for machine + 1 per attachment.

 

[gladehound]

one more comment about the third picture (the one of the hooks on the rail). The point here is to run the chain under the rail and push the hook down on the top of the rail. This way, if the chains get loose the hook stays on the rail. If you hook to the bottom of the rail, it is easy for the hook to become detached if the chain gets loose.

 

[Parkanzky]

Not a BX, but the concept is the same.

If you look really closely, you can see a potholder where the strap goes across the loader mounting point and a piece of commercial carpet covering the front edge of the bucket.

Towing Setup

The strap just goes through a clevis in the drawbar to secure the back. That's how it was delivered and I like it as an attachment point. Another strap holds the fork carrier down and two more are over the bucket.

I didn't have any electrical tape handy (I'm still working on a tongue box and towing supplies), but what I like to do now is fold the excess strap up and tape it to itself. Then it is cleanly out of the way and doesn't flap around. Tying it up like above works, but it is a bigger pain when it's time to unload.

 

[PA-Kubota]

OK I found some chains when we had a motorhome to tow the car behind. I'm thinking of 3 DOT approved ratchet straps 2 for rear and 1 for front along with chain front and rear. How's this sound?? Also what's thoughts on this type of strap end which would match the trailer attachment area.

 

[boggen]

OK I found some chains when we had a motorhome to tow the car behind. I'm thinking of 3 DOT approved ratchet straps 2 for rear and 1 for front along with chain front and rear. How's this sound?? Also what's thoughts on this type of strap end which would match the trailer attachment area.
View attachment 432720

for straps like you showing above. i put the long piece through center of the ratchet once. then pull all the excess through. and get approx 2.5 to 4 times rotation on the ratchet. i do not like loading up the ratchet with to much excess to point i can not undo the ratchet, but at same time you need to get enough rotations loaded up. so everything holds correctly. i generally have a flat head screw driver around just in case the ratchet gets bound up and will not release when it comes time to take the straps off.

as many others have said, and i will say it again. straps are easy to cut / fray. make sure when ya strapping stuff down there are NO SHARP EDGES it goes over / touches, wind, vibrations, bumps. will act like scissors and just destroy the strap quickly as it touches a sharp edge.

to note it. i have had "load shifting" i get everything chain'ed / strapped down correctly, but after a few miles down the road. if i pull over, there maybe a chain or strap that has come loose. tractors just weigh to much to man handle them, and once ya get them down the road they may shift around a little bit. when folks are noting "chain binders" most chain binders tend to have a "handle" that you can apply some extra leverage to, to snug things up more than you could with a ratchet strap. to help reduce "load shifting" per say. when i normally see a Professional chain down a vehicle to a trailer. you can literately see the car / wheels / shocks all get snugged down some as they put the binder on and tighten it up.

to note it. i have had straps fly off, due to load shifting. oh ya i had the suckers tight before i drove off. but a few miles down the road. load shifted. and there went one end of the straps.

a chain binder. tends to not only rely on the weight of the tractor / vehicle hauling but allows you to snug things down with a little bit more extra force. granted you still may get "load shifting". but... less likely or something coming so loose it falls off. and begins dragging on the road or getting caught up in tires.

TIP: CHAIN BINDERS. + cheater bar. a cheater bar = normally a piece of pipe that slides over handle of chain binder handle. so you can get extra leverage. i think everyone ends up having a cheater bar in there tool box along with chain binders, that i can remember over the years. ya you shouldn't need a cheater bar, BUT, stuff happens.

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were to toss chains / straps around...

just do not over tighten stuff to point ya bend stuff on tractor. ya need to find good attachment points for strapping / chaining stuff down.
NO = front axles / front tires = one chain / strap comes loose. and the other side causes wheels / axle to turn. and then you just lost both chains / straps on the front.
MAYBE = most tractors have some sort of "frame mount like bumber" kinda U shaped up in front. = on smaller say riding lawn mowers / SCUTS (sub compact utility tractors) may be thin piece of metal. and if ya look at them wrong they will bend. most likely on these smaller tractor this U shape is removed to allow access for a snow blower attachment or the like.
MAYBE = some place on the front there more likely some holes within the "frame" to drop a hook through. or maybe a fist size hole you could toss a chain / strap through on the front end frame. be careful that chain/strap can not slip. and take something out that is important to tractor.
YES = see owners manual = most likely denotes locations to chain / strap / hook into, for hauling the equipment.

tractors with FEL (front end loader) ya middle of tractor. but the frame work for them, tends to lend a nice spot for a chain / strap. and no wires / hoses / sheet metal or like in the way to get damaged.

NO = rear end of tractors. for primary strapping / chains. you do not want to hook to lower lift arms of 3pt hitch they are hydrualic. and move to easily.
MAYBE = there are many spots on rear end that might be good. but you may need some sort of bolt / loop. to attach a chain /strap. most 3pt hitch rear end tractors have spots for sway chains, stay straps, check chains, even draw bar that hooks up below the PTO shaft.
MAYBE = i get a little edgy, trying to loop something around "final drive" / rear end axles. strap / chain can slip around to much or get hung up on something possibly and bend it. when ya go to tight the chain / strap.

NO = going through rims of tires, most rims are to easy to dent / scratch, destroy.

MAYBE = FEL (front end loader) if you have bucket hooks on top, might be a good spot to attach to.
NO = FEL = going around hyd cylinders or any hoses on the FEL arms / bucket. you will tear something up.
MAYBE = you do not need to make an X pattern, but simply say "front left of trailer, then over top of bucket, under FEL arm, and then down on the right some place on trailer. primary goal for me would be simply making sure FEL can not rise up. vs sliding back and forth.

MAYBE = 3pt hitch attachments. i want to keep the 3pt hitch attachments for bouncing upwards. 3pt hitchs do not have a down force. like a backhoe does, and all 3pt hitches will let anything raise them at any time. you already have tractor chain/strap down to trailer. so 3pt hitch equipment attached to back of tractor is not going to go any were. expect bouncing up and down. try to find a spot further away from "tractor" for something going across 3pt hitch attachment.
MAYBE = 3pt hitch attachments. a remind 3pt hitchs allow free movement left to right. just due to nature of lower lift arms and top link of a 3pt hitch. and bouncing up and down may cause 3pt hitch attachment to shift sideways some. and may require a second chain / strap.
--for me primary goal is to keep the 3pt hitch attachment from raising up and/or staying up.

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no photos from me. more of trying to get ya info to understand this or that. due to most cases for me, it is "scratch head" ok what do i need to chain/strap down. and were can i get my run chain across / around or hook into. ((normally walking around and bending over in ackward positions with my neck/head cranked 20 different directions looking for spots)) along with how much chain / strap i have on hand, to get job done. ya i don't like last part of the last sentence. but it is what it is.

 

[Jj1479]

I'm in Somerset Pa an I asked a state trooper while we were filling up at sheetz gas station to look at the way I strap mine down an he told me that my bx25 needs to be secured down at each corner. He said running one strap over the front bucket of the machine an one over the back is not acceptable in his opinion as the machine can still shift. So instead of arguing this is what I did to make it easier for me. I welded D rings to the tractor an backhoe. Then my kubota dealer sold me 4 of these kubota straps. Said with 4 total I will be well secured.

 

[Parkanzky]

I'm in Somerset Pa an I asked a state trooper while we were filling up at sheetz gas station to look at the way I strap mine down an he told me that my bx25 needs to be secured down at each corner. He said running one strap over the front bucket of the machine an one over the back is not acceptable in his opinion as the machine can still shift. So instead of arguing this is what I did to make it easier for me. I welded D rings to the tractor an backhoe. Then my kubota dealer sold me 4 of these kubota straps. Said with 4 total I will be well secured. View attachment 432763 View attachment 432764 View attachment 432765 View attachment 432766

I like the attachment points on your frame. I will look into options for something like that on my tractor.

I do not believe that four separate straps are required for smaller loads like your BX and my 2-series. However, I do agree that running a strap over the front bucket to secure the tractor is not acceptable. I strap my tractor down using hard points on the frame/drawbar. Then, I strap down the bucket/fork carrier and anything on the 3PH separately. I won't rely on hydraulic cylinders to keep anything secure, and that's what you're doing when you try to hold the tractor by the loader arms.