Ratcheting tie downs BROKE in transit!

[ducati996]

I would love to see some pictures of some setups using the chains and Binders - 2 points and four points with clevis's and without. Do some of you guys use the side railing slot on the trailer instead of the D-rings? What do you use to protect the paint when using chains?

Thanks

Ducati

 

[Soundguy]

Any chains that touch my 'trailer queen' tractors is passed thru a burlap sleave first... chains on the trailer? i don't care..

Soundguy

 

[fjblair]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( av8r, I took his advice and ordered what he told me. He told me to spend the extra money and go with the US made grade 80 chain with the factory welded on hooks and the higher quality US made 9,200 pound rated ratcheting load binders. )</font>

where can someone order this stuff if you can't buy it locally?

FB

 

[Dargo]

Here is where I bought my stuff AW Direct . They have good service and reasonable prices. They sell to people who depend on their equipment. Nothing against Rural King, TSC, or Harbor Fright, but you won't ever find a professional wrecker service or a professional over the road trucker who is responsible for his load buying any "made in China" chain or binders there.

You will pay more for the higher quality made in U.S. chain and binders, but it is relative. If you feel that your tractor isn't worth a hundred bucks or so, and you are not worried about potentially killing another innocent driver, save a couple of bucks and buy the cheap stuff. Hey, it's "rated" for the same strength. However, I challange you to find a single machine shop, crane rigging etc. that uses anything but U.S., Canada, or Japanese made chain and hooks for any overhead use.

As I said, I got my one and only "warning". I figure if I can't afford a few dollars extra to buy quality securing equipment, I can't afford to operate my tractor, or I sure don't think my tractor is worth going back to pick up if if falls off. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Good luck. Buying quality isn't going to cost you much more than going cheap.

 

[Dargo]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( What do you use to protect the paint when using chains?)</font>

This is what is wrapped around my axle Super strength loop and the specific "D" link is used to attach that sling to my grade 70 chain and load binder. Those slings will not stretch any at all, and have a stronger strength rating than the actual chain. As long as you don't put it over a sharp edge, and use the "D" link there you attach it to chain, you will not break it. You can get an 8' sling with a 16,800 pound capacity for under $35 bucks. I use one on each side of my rear axle. I've pulled hard on the binder, and those slings just do not stretch. I was worried that the sling would stretch and my load would get loose. Not!

Here are the slings I used Slings , and here are the "D" links Strap shackle to chain . Good luck and be safe!

 

[escavader]

DUCATI
Go to a local fire dept and see if they got some old fire hose to run the chains through.Works great last foreever,easy on paint
ALAN

 

[LBrown59]

Anybody else use the 2" wide ratcheting tie downs? I've gotten into the habit of using two of the tie downs on the front of my tractor and two on the rear, and not using chains anymore. I figured since the tie downs said that they had a 10,000 pound capacity that two of them on each end of my tractor would be sufficient. Wrong!!!

While running about 50 mph up a 2 lane highway yesterday I had both front straps break after going over a dip in the road. When they snapped, one of them caught the electric brake plug and also broke it. The http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=1472117way I knew that the straps broke was my tractor began to exit off of the rear of the trailer. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Now I also ask, have you ever been towing a load and have it become extremely tail heavy? Once the tractor moved to the rear on the trailer, the trailer immediately slung around my 1 ton 4X4 dually diesel Dodge like it was a toy! There are heavy black marks that go within 6" of being off of the left side of the highway (wrong lane) and then within 12" of going off of the right side of the highway. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I literally was all over the road and almost completely sideways. Without trailer brakes, I absolutely had all I could handle and then some trying to get the whole shooting match stopped with the rubber side down!

After what seemed like an eternity, I luckily managed to get the truck and trailer stopped. I have no idea how I didn't lose the tractor off of the trailer and how I kept it out of the ditches on both sides of the highway. I was also extremely lucky that there was no oncoming traffic because I was all over the highway. I still can't believe how much the trailer flung an 8500 pound truck all over the road!

I still can't believe that the only actual damage I had (besides two broken tie down straps - which I promptly threw away) was a flat right rear trailer tire from sliding sideways with a heavy load. The trailer didn't get into my truck, the tractor stayed on the trailer, and the trailer didn't flip.

Anyway, I'm getting a larger trailer that will accomodate my tractor better and I'll never use straps to hold my tractor on a trailer again!!! Both straps broke in the middle. Not at the hook, and not at the ratchet. There was nothing rubbing against the straps where they broke. They just flat snapped. I'm using nothing but chains again!

I only mention this incident to hopefully prevent someone else from having a disaster happen because of (supposedly) strong tie down straps break. I consider myself extremely fortunate and I don't expect to have another "warning" about not using chains to tie my tractor down on my trailer. If you use straps, please reconsider and use chains. Before yesterday I would have thought you were nuts if you told me that my tractor could snap two straps and come off of the trailer when I'm just driving down the highway. I learned my lesson and really got off easy for my ignorance. Sorry to preach, but that could have been a complete disaster yesterday and I could have very easily have not only destroyed my tractor, but there is no way I could have presented my trailer from smashing into oncoming traffic on the highway.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=1472117
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/1472117-post8.html


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[lawn_king]

I wouldn't move my machine across town without chains & binders, period!!

 

[sandman2234]

I think too many of us move loaded trailers without trailer brakes... and sometimes it catches up with us. Took that wild ride myself back in 1981 with a brand new p/u and my wife's cousin in the truck. He hasn't ridden with me since.
David from jax

 

[patrick_g]

There is a place for those ratchet straps, just probably not securing tractors to trailers to drive in traffic. I have a supply of the wide HD rachet strap type tie downs. I have them in two essential styles. One is much heavier than the other (less robust style is from HF) and I have them in different strengths/widths. They can be more convenient that chains BUT... When it comes to securing my tractor to the trailer for highway use I am definitely in agreement with lawn_king. USE CHAINS

CHAINS, Grade 70 DOT approved chains, heavier than needed and secured with boomers (AKA load binders.) I attach the hooks to the trailer such that they pass through the stake pockets and then hang on the pocket so gravity assists in keeping them in place should somehow a chain get loose.

I have both over center locking binders and the ratchet type. When I use the over center toggle type binders I wire the handle closed so if any slack develops the binder DOES NOT OPEN UP and make a lot more slack.

Before I get on the highway I always test the brakes and swerve a little left and right and then before going on the highway I stop, get out, walk back, and check to see if any slack has developed that needs to be removed. While driving I frequently look back at the chains via the rear view mirror to see if they are staying tight.

It is always possible that I could be in an accident, have a blow out, or some other catastrophic event but the way I chain my tractor to the trailer it is likely that when everything comes to a stop the tractor will be attached to the trailer right side up on its side or upside down but still attached. That will be a good thing as it shows due diligence and makes it hard for some lawyer to claim my practice is faulty and the load shifted causing the accident not say his client who was fixing her makeup in the mirror while talking on the cell phone and eating a burger (I wanted to make a hot coffee crack but it might not be sufficiently PC.)

Pat