Securing Equipment on Trailer

[JB4310]

OK. Now that I finally got an Equipment trailer I need to learn how to secure loads properly. For now it's a JD4310 and a ford 1700.

I have moved the JD in my dump trailer but that was a hassle working with only 4 D-rings and the high sides in the way.

As far as connecting to the trailer, I have the stake pockets and rub rail, I think most will say drop chain thru pocket, come up underneath and hook on upper edge of pocket.
That's pretty simple and if it's the acceptable way of doing it, I can live with that.

What I would like is pictures of how you connect to machine.

I have plenty of HD 3/8 chain, 4 chain binders, 2 ratcheting web straps. just bought a couple hundred dollars worth of acs at AWdirect yesterday so I don't mind if it's overkill.

I've got a 20' trailer so there's no problem for fit, the guy I bought it from put a couple of tool boxes on the front of the deck and I would like to keep them there as they are handy for storing chains etc. the only problem is I can't pull the tractor up tight to the front, but since the trailer is so long I probably want to dock it back a little to balance the load. Should I bolt a pc of 4x4 down on the deck to pull the tractor up tight to or is that not necessary and the load binders will hold it in place with out stops?

Pictures help me get the idea quicker if any one has any.
I'm going out now to experiment.

Thanks
JB.

 

[Midsouth]

I don,t have any pictures right now but i may have to load tractor today and will get some if i do. The chains and binders will hold it without any trouble no need for a stop to pull it up to. I have to haul mine back from the front due to weight balance and trailer length.

 

[rdln]

Nice setup. Depending on your length of chain, I would cut them to length so that you only have to unchain the tractor end. Crisscross them if you want but use a length for each corner and a binder for each since you have them. Use a large clevis on the drawbar for the back attachment and weight bracket on the front. This might change depending on you desired tractor position and resulting angles to the current stake pocket locations.

Cut the chains to a length the allows a loop to dangle about 18" below the binder after ratcheting tight and looping tractor end of chain around attachment and hooking on chain close to attachment point.

When I load with the BB, I drape chains over the back and squeeze the BB down to the trailer bed at the same time. Might want to use a ratchet strap to tie down the rake or blade.

Now with the BH I Just rode with the boom locked but after enuff bumps the lock plate (1/2" thick) began to stretch. Now I just curl the bucket up let boom all the way down to deck and snug up with a strap. Somebody probably has a better way for this. The big backhoes I see just put the dipper vertical and bucket flat on deck with nothing tying it down.

When I needed both rake and BB, the rake would be on the back and bb fit nicely into loader bucket then front chains locked in BB to bucket.

Warning you will scratch paint. The loader bucket just doesnt stick out far enuff to have both a forward angle on chains and locate chains behind bucket. If you dont like this you could rap chains around front axle but again you scratch paint.

Again depending on tractor/stake pocket location, It might be slick to add a heavy forged EYE bolts to the rear axle/rops bracket to get both a rearward angle and avoid scratching 3pt implements.

Also If that was my trailer, I would move spare tire to just in front of fender and remove one tool box, put the other on the tongue or pick up an angled tongue box, they are pretty slick. I would have those boxes demolished if left there.

 

[George2615]

Using the pockets as you described is the correct way to hook a chain. If you don't have D-rings then the pockets will work fine.

I use 5 - 3/8" chains and ratchet binders to secure my tractor. 2 front, 2 back and 1 for the bucket. I used the side pockets on my trailer when I first bought it. Once I figured where I needed to place D-rings I welded them (6) on the sides and back of the trailer and use them now. Originally I would wrap the chain around the front loader support bracket. Later I welded 2 D-rings to the bottom of my loader support bracket (see pic). On back I installed 2 grab hooks to the rear lift arms (pic) Other pics are D-rings on trailer.

Bolting a 4x4 to your trailer will make sure you get the tractor parked in the same place each time you load it but is not needed. I use my trailer for hauling cars and trucks among other things so a 4x4 would be in my way. I pull mine on the trailer in 4WD low, set the brake, then lower the bucket and shut it off. Then I connect my rear chains, then front, then one over the bucket. No pics of it loaded right now since I don't have to take it anywhere and its raining at the moment.

 

[dawoodwa]

I use two straps on whenever I'm hauling. On the rear, if I don't have anything on the 3PH, I go thru the tires, and then catch the front on the loader arms with another. I put the straps so that they pull towards each other. I used to use the ratcheting load binders but now I only use the ratcheting straps.

I have seen loads come off before and don't ever want to have it happen to me. I feel confident with the two straps, never go over sharp edges with them with out using something to protect against abrasion. About a year ago I got to see a D4H come off of a tag-a-long near my house, not a big tractor but was hard to handle upside down in the middle of the road. But I need to add that he just wasn't going down the road and it fell off, someone came into his lane and he got off on the side of the road and the trailer slid into the ditch before hitting a driveway culvert.

 

[JB4310]

Thanks for all the replies,

I fooled around with it this morning, thought I had enough hardware but I need more hooks, got a bunch of HD chain so I should be good there. I am gonna do all 4 corners with separate binders and 3/8 chain, it's a little overkill maybe but leaves little to worry about. Put a 2 ton ratcheting web over box blade just for the heck of it, didn't realize it's required, I didn't put anything on the loader thought about it but didn't think it was necessary since the tractor was so well secured, so I guess I'll use my other strap for the loader.

I think I found some sweet connection points on tractor without scratching anything, I bought one new binder with chain attached but now I realize it's better to be able to just crab the chain wherever you want with conventional binder. I was using 2 pcs of chain instead of one on 2 binders, don't know if that's OK, but when I get more hooks I'll make up one pc 6-7ft chains for all 4 corners.

Those shackles in the BH holes are pretty solid, gonna get slip chain hooks with latches for those 2 ends of the chain. grabbing that front frame extension seems solid to me also?

I just kinda went by feel as far as balancing load, as I was driving on the trailer I could see when the weight went back down on the tongue, went a little past that point and locked the parking brake.

Went to the quarry to weigh it, they weren't open but the gate was open to allow security in and out so I drove up on the scale and sure enough I could see the electronic read out thru the window as I suspected. Weighed just the trailer connected to truck but just trailer wheels on scale (6,680lbs) the truck and trailer together came in at 18,500 lbs.

Look at the pictures and let me know if there are any problems waiting to happen.

Thanks, JB.

 

[rdbrumfield]

That is a good system you have going.
In our state though, you need to toss a chain over the emplement. Some will tend to move from side to side and being way back in the trailer it can give a whiplash effect. Especially if you have to dodge something in the road. I know most tractors now days have the swing chains on the liftlinks, but they do tend to slack off a bit.

 

[john_bud]

Remember to locate the tractor so you get ~10% of the weight on the truck. One fairly easy way to determine that is with a tape measure. Measure the truck's rear bumper height with the empty trailer attached. Now, you know how much you weigh, so get onto the trailer and stand with your weight on the ball hitch. Measure how far the truck dropped. If you are like me and about 200#, you will want the truck to drop 3-5x that when loaded. It's typically about 1.5 to 2" of bumper drop with a nicely balanced trailer.

If the truck is too much like a dog dragging it's tail, you need to get a weight dist hitch.

 

[mjncad]

Remember to locate the tractor so you get ~10% of the weight on the truck. One fairly easy way to determine that is with a tape measure. Measure the truck's rear bumper height with the empty trailer attached. Now, you know how much you weigh, so get onto the trailer and stand with your weight on the ball hitch. Measure how far the truck dropped. If you are like me and about 200#, you will want the truck to drop 3-5x that when loaded. It's typically about 1.5 to 2" of bumper drop with a nicely balanced trailer.

I don't tow often John; but I like this simple tip for determining tongue weight.

 

[JB4310]

Yeah maybe I need a little more tongue weight, since this set up only leaves me 1320lbs before I reach 8K axle rating, if I take off the box blade and put my BH on it's gonna be cutting it close.

JB.

 

[wkpoor]

Remember to locate the tractor so you get ~10% of the weight on the truck.

I realize that is the excepted standard but I don't think every trailer needs that much. And some may need more. The distance from the hitch to the axle/axles will determine how much tongue weight is necessary for a good track. Look at boat railers. Typically they have about 5% but there axles are further back than most equipment trailers. My trailer if loaded level regardless of weight will track perfect. So tongue weight is really not a factor to me. Time and experience will tell what any givin trailer will need to pull straight.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I realize that is the excepted standard but I don't think every trailer needs that much. And some may need more. The distance from the hitch to the axle/axles will determine how much tongue weight is necessary for a good track. Look at boat railers. Typically they have about 5% but there axles are further back than most equipment trailers. My trailer if loaded level regardless of weight will track perfect. So tongue weight is really not a factor to me. Time and experience will tell what any givin trailer will need to pull straight.

That is not what I find. I have seen many with 5% but they tow like crap at 65mph or faster, darn near scary. Most of what we sell has 10% to 15% with more leaning to 15%. The reason a boat trailer has the axles so far back is 80% of the weight is in the last 1/5 of a boat. We pick boats up with a crane a few times a year. The boats weigh between 10,000# to 30,000# using a spreader bar. The spreader bar is like the thing on a engine hoist that allows you to balance the load. On a 30' boat weighing 13,000# for example your CG will be about 6' from the transom. The transom is the rear of the boat for you land lovers.

Chris

 

[wkpoor]

My Chris Craft weights without fuel and other stuff 4800lbs. boat and trailer. I can lift the tongue myself so it obviously isn't 480lbs. Its tows perfect at any speed. Most of the boat I've been around don't carry the 10% and I do realize why the axles are far back and why they are able to get away with that. I still think its a case by case basis. Some trailers just plain track well regardless of how they are loaded and some are finicky. My neighbor has a cheap built 12' tandem that appears to be glued to the truck no matter how it loaded. Others I've towed have to be weighted forward alot or they wander. Maybe how well the axles are lined up umungst other factors determines how much is necessary.

 

[Diamondpilot]

My Chris Craft weights without fuel and other stuff 4800lbs. boat and trailer. I can lift the tongue myself so it obviously isn't 480lbs. Its tows perfect at any speed. Most of the boat I've been around don't carry the 10% and I do realize why the axles are far back and why they are able to get away with that. I still think its a case by case basis. Some trailers just plain track well regardless of how they are loaded and some are finicky. My neighbor has a cheap built 12' tandem that appears to be glued to the truck no matter how it loaded. Others I've towed have to be weighted forward alot or they wander. Maybe how well the axles are lined up umungst other factors determines how much is necessary.

If you can lift it up its not on the the right trailer or if on the right trailer its not on properly. I picked up a Ebbtide 2300 Mystique on a Custom Built Tennessee tandem axle trailer in Chicago 2 years ago with a F-150. It was empty with less than 5 gallons of fuel and weighed right at 6,000#, towed like a dream and the guy who rode up with me commented also how well it towed.

Took it to my house, topped it off with fuel, water, anchor, gear, ect and hooked it up to the same truck and it towed like crap. Tracked fine but made the rear of the truck bounce all over the place. Call Tennessee and the tech told me to move the front bow stop forward 4". Made all the difference in the world. Probably added 500# of tongue weight. Just moving the CG forward 4" really put some weight on the pin/ball due to the arm/lever length of the trailer.

If you are happy then leave it but its not right. As you and I both know you should have between 10-15% of the weight on the tongue. It may handle fine behind your 1 ton van but put it behind a Trail Blazer and could be a dangerous hand full.

Chris

 

[wkpoor]

It may handle fine behind your 1 ton van but put it behind a Trail Blazer and could be a dangerous hand full.

That is probably the other part of the equation. Me and my bro did towing tests with the same boat (6000# boat and trailer) with my van and his 1/2 Silverato. My van was very stable feeling and his truck had some wiggle in the but end.
Also amazed at how well my van can pull from the ramp vs a PU truck. Both 2WD his will spin and mine never has on any ramp.

 

[Diamondpilot]

That is probably the other part of the equation. Me and my bro did towing tests with the same boat (6000# boat and trailer) with my van and his 1/2 Silverato. My van was very stable feeling and his truck had some wiggle in the but end.
Also amazed at how well my van can pull from the ramp vs a PU truck. Both 2WD his will spin and mine never has on any ramp.

Yep, your 1 ton is what is making it tolerable. You should look into moving the boat forward if the axles are fixed by moving the bow stop. Or on some older boats the axles could be move to a variety of different locations. They has 5 or so sets of hole to bolt the spring purchase too. Just loosen the bolts and use a come-along to move the axle aft. Just check to make sure you can still lower the motor all the way down without contacting the trailer cross brace.

Your brothers 2 wheel drive Silverado would greatly appreciate more tongue weight. It would help with wheel spin on the ramp and make it tow much nicer. On the ramp angle of 30 deg or more with such little tongue weight on that trailer it will be pulling up on the ball if the weight is really low. I have seen a trailer come off a ball on the ramp and tip back on the motor. The guy forgot to couple it and drove nearly 5 miles with no issues until he went to back down. The safety chains held so we chalked the trailers wheels and 4 or 5 of us had to hang from the boats bow to get it to lower down on the ball as he backed up the SUV. He could not understand why it went down on the motor but at home on level ground when uncoupled it would stay on the tongue jack.

Also your boat should sit on the trailer with the transom having 2" of bunks minimum sticking out. If not when trailering your transom takes a beating with the weight of the engine/outdrive hanging off back there. You never want the bunks ending before the transom. On the boat I was talking about earlier the bunks were 2" shy of the transom. That was the first question the trailer tech asked me. That is why he wanted me to move the bow stop forward 4" so that it would leave 2" of bunk exposed.

Ok, enough boat talk, back to the original post although a boat is a load on a trailer that needs to be distributed and secured properly.

Chris

 

[john_bud]

I realize that is the excepted standard but I don't think every trailer needs that much. And some may need more. The distance from the hitch to the axle/axles will determine how much tongue weight is necessary for a good track. Look at boat railers. Typically they have about 5% but there axles are further back than most equipment trailers. My trailer if loaded level regardless of weight will track perfect. So tongue weight is really not a factor to me. Time and experience will tell what any givin trailer will need to pull straight.

Yes, boat trailers with the rear axles farther back tow differently than an equipment trailer.

And your point is.....?

Topic of discussion is equipment trailers and as the others have stated, 10% tongue weight is about right. Maybe more, maybe less ... that's true. But where do you start ? At 0% tongue weight that may be a dangerously unstable ride? Or at the normal value? Me, I'd rather start at the expected normal value and moderate from there. It's safer to have too much tongue weight than too little -- right?

jb

 

[wkpoor]

And your point is.....?

Topic of discussion is equipment trailers and as the others have stated, 10% tongue weight is about right. Maybe more, maybe less ... that's true. But where do you start ? At 0% tongue weight that may be a dangerously unstable ride? Or at the normal value? Me, I'd rather start at the expected normal value and moderate from there. It's safer to have too much tongue weight than too little -- right?

Actually my point is a 10K fully loaded trailer at 15% would be 1500lbs of tongue weight. Even at 10% and a 1000lbs. your into 1ton territory. So how are all these 1/2 and 3/4 ton bumper pulls able to do it? Then there is me with the 14K trailer. I have a titan hitch with a 2000lb ball mount which isn't the norm for most people. I guess thats where I'm coming from. Then think about all these SUV's out there supposedly towing 6-8K and there is no way they can handle the 10-15% tongue load.
I'm guessing may be at 1000lbs tongue when I'm loaded to 12K. I know thats considered light but it pulls perfect and I'm saying that because my axles are quite far back.

 

[George2615]

Actually my point is a 10K fully loaded trailer at 15% would be 1500lbs of tongue weight. Even at 10% and a 1000lbs. your into 1ton territory. So how are all these 1/2 and 3/4 ton bumper pulls able to do it? Then there is me with the 14K trailer. I have a titan hitch with a 2000lb ball mount which isn't the norm for most people. I guess thats where I'm coming from. Then think about all these SUV's out there supposedly towing 6-8K and there is no way they can handle the 10-15% tongue load.
I'm guessing may be at 1000lbs tongue when I'm loaded to 12K. I know thats considered light but it pulls perfect and I'm saying that because my axles are quite far back.

My 3/4T can handle 1000 lb. tongue weight and 1500 lb. with a weight distribution hitch. Its on the hitch label.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Actually my point is a 10K fully loaded trailer at 15% would be 1500lbs of tongue weight. Even at 10% and a 1000lbs. your into 1ton territory. So how are all these 1/2 and 3/4 ton bumper pulls able to do it? Then there is me with the 14K trailer. I have a titan hitch with a 2000lb ball mount which isn't the norm for most people. I guess thats where I'm coming from. Then think about all these SUV's out there supposedly towing 6-8K and there is no way they can handle the 10-15% tongue load.
I'm guessing may be at 1000lbs tongue when I'm loaded to 12K. I know thats considered light but it pulls perfect and I'm saying that because my axles are quite far back.

I love the Titan Hitch, have 2 of them. One on the F-250 after breaking the factory and one on the F-350. Actually its not a Titan, its Fords 2.5" hitch with the same load specs as the Titan.

As for the SUV with 10%. Most have a Class III Hitch which is rated for 5,000# 500# tongue weight. With WD Hitch it jumps to 7,500# and 750# tongue weight or even 10,000# and 1,000# tongue weight on a Pickup with a Class III/IV.

Chris