Tractor tie down question

keeney · Oct 18, 2006

Safer than trailering:

Sell the tractor.

Wire the money ahead to where you are going.

Buy a new tractor when you get there.

deereguy · Oct 18, 2006

I just found this out last year.....living in Ohio, it is illegal to have a SMV (slow moving vehicle) sign visible from the rear if it is loaded on a trailer. In other words, if a motorist comes up behind you and you are pulling a trailer with your impliment, tractor, etc and the SMV sign is visible- it is ticket-able.

Now I flip up the seat and strap the seat up to the steering wheel so it isn't visible.

Birdman · Oct 19, 2006

deereguy said:
I just found this out last year.....living in Ohio, it is illegal to have a SMV (slow moving vehicle) sign visible from the rear if it is loaded on a trailer. In other words, if a motorist comes up behind you and you are pulling a trailer with your impliment, tractor, etc and the SMV sign is visible- it is ticket-able.

That is also true here in Indiana.

Soundguy · Oct 19, 2006

Wow.. glad I don't live in any of the communist states that are present in the usa...

Soundguy

schmism · Oct 19, 2006

Soundguy said:
Wow.. glad I don't live in any of the communist states that are present in the usa...

Soundguy

(cause soundguy lives in little cuba... MUCH better)

we use 3" straps. (no chain) has the added safty that its relitivly easy to tell when the straps are getting worn and need to be replaced.

AlanB · Oct 20, 2006

I was thinking of this thread yesterday when I saw a dump truck, pulling a mini excavator, that, I kid you not a bit, they drove over the chains and parked on top of them......

All I can figure is they did not want thier chains to escape

Soundguy · Oct 20, 2006

I'm closer to talahassee than miami...

My point was that florida seems to be quite a bit more farm friendly than other states. DOT doesn't dink with farm plated vehicles or people pulling trailers with smv's still on the tractor unless there is a glareing safety violation, or they think it is comercial. If it looks farm or private.. they pretty much let you run your own pattern unless you are doing something unsafe, or otherwise illegal ( speeding... moving violation.. etc. ) I realize other states DOT are obviously doing thier 'own thing'....

Soundguy

schmism said:
(cause soundguy lives in little cuba... MUCH better)

we use 3" straps. (no chain) has the added safty that its relitivly easy to tell when the straps are getting worn and need to be replaced.

Farmwithjunk · Oct 23, 2006

Soundguy said:
I'm closer to talahassee than miami...

My point was that florida seems to be quite a bit more farm friendly than other states. DOT doesn't dink with farm plated vehicles or people pulling trailers with smv's still on the tractor unless there is a glareing safety violation, or they think it is comercial. If it looks farm or private.. they pretty much let you run your own pattern unless you are doing something unsafe, or otherwise illegal ( speeding... moving violation.. etc. ) I realize other states DOT are obviously doing thier 'own thing'....

Soundguy

It's "illegal" in just about all states to improperly use an SMV emblem. That said, it's extremely unusual to have any police ENFORCMENT of that issue in any state. The biggest "violation" of use of SMV emblems is folks (usually in the country) using them to mark driveway entrances. The more improper uses, the less "impact" they have when used correctly. People become less "conditioned" to expecting a tractor on the road when they see so many used to mark Uncle Joes driveway.

I'm familiar with hauling tractors in KEntucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. In all 5 cases, it's techically illegal to haul a tractor with a rearward facing SMV unless you're TOWING under 25 MPH. I'd suspect that's the case in just about every state. However, I've never heard of a case where that law was actually enforced.

Soundguy · Oct 23, 2006

I agree.. it's a selective enforcement issue.

Soundguy

firemanpat2910 · Oct 23, 2006

Soundguy said:
I'm closer to talahassee than miami...Soundguy

But Tallahassee is in Ga, isnt it?

Every one from south fla that comes to Tallahassee says "Are we still in Fla?" My place is 15 miles north of Tallahassee in Havana. We pronounce it HAY-Vanna , the orrigin of the shade tobbacco that was the outer wrappings for HAVATAMPA cigars. The Swisher Sweets came from a few miles up the road from the proprety where I keep my tractor.

Highbeam · Oct 23, 2006

I use 4 chains and 4 ratcheting binders. All the DOT regs I've ever read refer to the WLL of the tie down material so don't worry about the other specs.

In regards to the setting of the two front chains and then moving the tractor back to tighten them- I've tried that too. It doesn't work unless you are perfectly centered between the tie downs, meaning as you back up one or the other chain will get tight when the other is still slack. Much easier to use four binders.

Soundguy · Oct 23, 2006

My MIL's parents had a tobacco farm near that area.

I like that country .. Jasper is another place that you can't tell which side of the line you are on.

Soundguy

firemanpat2910 said:
But Tallahassee is in Ga, isnt it? Every one from south fla that comes to Tallahassee says "Are we still in Fla?" My place is 15 miles north of Tallahassee in Havana. We pronounce it HAY-Vanna , the orrigin of the shade tobbacco that was the outer wrappings for HAVATAMPA cigars. The Swisher Sweets came from a few miles up the road from the proprety where I keep my tractor.

patrick_g · Oct 29, 2006

If you elect to have stake pockets on the sides of your trailer and use them to secure your grade 70 chains then here is how you hook them:

Drop the hook through the center of the stake pocket and then bring the hook up on the oputside of the pocket and attach it to the top of the stake pocket. This uses gravity to hold the hook on the pocket so that if something shifts and you get some slack in the chain the hook doesn't fall off the pocket.

If you attach the hook to the bottom of the pocket then you are depending on tension to keep the hook engaged and if for any reason there is ever slack the hook falls free and disengages. If you use single stroke binders (non racheting) then use a scrap of wire to wire the handle in the closed position. then if you loose tension for any reason the binder doesn't just fall open which they will easily do if you get slack in the chain for any reason.

Pat

jayhaitch · Oct 30, 2006

My trailer has 4 tie-down rings attached to the floor, so hook up should be easy. Ratcheting binders are ridiculously expensive here for some reason, regular load-binders are much less. All the easily accessible chain is Chinese however

Thanks to everyone. You've clarified a ton of questions. I'll look for US or Canadian made 1/4 or 5/16" grade 70 chain, and 4 load binders. Thanks again!

Soundguy · Oct 30, 2006

Since we are talking chain, My vote would be the 5/16 chain. it should be very similar in price per foot to the 1/4 and give you extra margin for error.

Also.. check to see if your 'D' rings are attacked to frame members, and not just decking.. 10k# of chain rating attached to a 2x6 deck member won't last long in an accident.. etc.

Soundguy

RHP · Oct 30, 2006

Seems like everyone is using 4 chains?

I have always used 2 long chains, one in front, one in back. Through the "D" ring, around the frame of the tractor, back through the other side "D" ring, get a grab with the chain binder and up to the chain coming from the frame. Tighten down with a cheater bar if necessary, wrap extra chain around the load binder so it can't come open.

Repeat at the rear of the tractor.

You only need 2 chain binders this way, and have 2 long chains as part of your chain supply to pull neighbor's tractors out of the muck when they're hopelessly trapped!

Soundguy · Oct 30, 2006

Some states require 4 tie downs from corners.

Soundguy

mchasal · Oct 30, 2006

RHP said:
Seems like everyone is using 4 chains?

I have always used 2 long chains, one in front, one in back. Through the "D" ring, around the frame of the tractor, back through the other side "D" ring, get a grab with the chain binder and up to the chain coming from the frame. Tighten down with a cheater bar if necessary, wrap extra chain around the load binder so it can't come open.

Repeat at the rear of the tractor.

You only need 2 chain binders this way, and have 2 long chains as part of your chain supply to pull neighbor's tractors out of the muck when they're hopelessly trapped!

Right, and with 2 chains if ANYTHING fails the equipment is loose. If you lose a single tie-down, chain, hook, binder or you mess up one of the steps in your process, you are in trouble. Imagine that rear chain not being there, going down the road at a reasonable speed, and having to try and stop suddenly. I can picture that Massey Ferguson logo getting bigger and bigger in my mirror as it's sliding towards the back of my head. With 4 chains you can lose one and the machine is still reasonably secure.

As far as I know, 4 tie downs are required above a certain weight. A lot of CUTs and SubCUTs will fall under that limit, but I know I feel a lot better with 4 back there instead of 2.

Farmwithjunk · Oct 30, 2006

mchasal said:
As far as I know, 4 tie downs are required above a certain weight. A lot of CUTs and SubCUTs will fall under that limit, but I know I feel a lot better with 4 back there instead of 2.

4 separate chains/tie-downs are required on WHEELED cargo over 10,000. Under 10,000, 2 chains will suffice, but they need to be pulling towards 4 corners of the trailer.

One area where some people neglect to follow the "law" is with securing implements and/or loaders and back hoes attached to a tractor. They must have separate chains/tie-downs in addition to those holding the tractor.

For instance, you have a TLB. It would require one chain on the hoe, 2 chains on the tractor and one more on the loader. Tractor would get 4 chains if the total weight of the TLB is over 10,000. Very rarely do I ever see a TLB chained this way. Apparently it isn't enforced to the letter of the law, here anyway.

patrick_g · Oct 31, 2006

Roger that, Roger.

In Oklahoma our ODOT doesn't beat up the private farmer/rancher all that bad. I personally never even considered 1/4 inch chain and use 3/8 for my tie downs with non-racheting binders and hooks secured to stake bed pockets. It is surely more than enough and shows due diligence plus should there ever be an incident. If you get in an accident and roll the trailer even 1/2 inch probably wouldn't help but 3/8 indicates I was more than prudent.

I use only two chains, one front and one back and have no problems. It seems that my diamond plate tandem fenders (pretty stout) have only a couple inches of clearance on the rear wheels at max wide (only way I ever use the tractor.) The tractor can't slide more than an inch sideways on the trailer to the left or right (hasn't slid at all in last 5 years.) I never take the FEL off the tractor since doing it a couple times for practice when the tractor was new. I have something on the FEL structure, either a FEL bucket or palet forks usually but sometimes a hay spike. I usually ensure that the implement in front is snug against the pipe rail for a little extra security.

I intend to weld some sturdy D rings around the trailer to have places to secure straps.

By the way, if you have a cab then be sure to close and LOCK the doors prior to hitting the highway. If a door opens at a decent speed it can be ripped right off or at least tweaked enough to smash the glass.

Pat