how to tie down excavator

[eianewb]

so i am still new to all this. i loaded my excavator on my trailer for the first time the other day and couldnt figure out a real good way to chain it down. i have seen binders go right from the trailer to a pad, but i am a lil leary of that as you would only have the pad bolts holding everything, but i cant make a straight shot from the holes in the carbody to the D rings. i have also saw (on a mini ex) the chains running thru the tracks, between the frame and the track, and straight down to the D rings, but my tracks overhang the trailer by 4" on each side so i dont think that would work for me.

just wondering what you all do, and if you had any pics it would be great, so i am not confused like you prolly are now after reading my descriptions, lol. :D

thanks

[eianewb]

thanks for all the help guys, lol :)

altho i guess if i would a read down a few more posts i coulda answered some of my own questions. :Pointhead

[tonka]

1st question i got is how big id your excavator....

oh and you don't tie it down you chain it down.....

and here's how i'd do it, not backed up on the neck of the jeep, but the tracks on your deck, and the binder and chains this way

[handtpipeline]

I don't have any close-up pics of it, but we've done it this way for as long as I can remember. The only piece of equipment I don't cross chain is backhoes usually. If I'm just going a few miles, sometimes i'll go from the inside of the track to the trailer on the dozers, but if I already have the chains out, i'll cross chain even then. We've been stopped by DOT with them both ways, and never had the method of securement questioned.

[OCR]

Same way... excavator.
46541
46542

Same method for dozer, too. Never had a problem.


OCR

[Oversizeload]

1st question i got is how big id your excavator....

oh and you don't tie it down you chain it down.....

and here's how i'd do it, not backed up on the neck of the jeep, but the tracks on your deck, and the binder and chains this way

Do you have the 345 over the jeep the get the height down or get more weight towards the tractor and jeep? I think it the later cause the cab of the excavator has to pretty high the way its sitting.

[-NICK-]

1st question i got is how big id your excavator....

oh and you don't tie it down you chain it down.....

and here's how i'd do it, not backed up on the neck of the jeep, but the tracks on your deck, and the binder and chains this way
Hey Tonka I got a trailer just like that ;)I saw a guy have an excavator slide off the other day.What ever you do make sure you are even on both sides,and maybe A couple extra chains just in case.trust me It got my attention.

[-NICK-]

Do you have the 345 over the jeep the get the height down or get more weight towards the tractor and jeep? I think it the later cause the cab of the excavator has to pretty high the way its sitting.
Its to get the weight towards the jeep and tractor.Otherwise you overweigh the trailer axles.The way it is with the stack taken off its just under14'.

[theother7axle]

tonka has it right.though california laws are messing with us recently!they(DOT) want half the machines weight in chains/binders holding the machine down.other than that BS ,5 binders will do for most excavators.chaining from the tracks seems universal.

[KAC1023]

I just came across this site by searching the name of the crane Co with the flipped crane through the concrete deck in Australia. I drive a low deck in the Bx., for the smaller Excavators (PC138's and 75's we have) I go through the tracks, up through the foot steps on the side. I then use a ratchet between the tracks under the cab to take up slack. it sucks cause you get dirty, under the cab and your in a awkward position when you do it. As far as bigger machines with overhang I go from the track directly to the lip on the side of the deck for all four corners and then toss one across the bucket.

[powerjoke]

Dont have any pics of my bigger machines boomed down but, in MO the track's are NOT considered an integral part of the frame and DOES NOT count at all! so, we have to chain to upper and lower with at least 50% of machine weight in working load of chain.

and on any digging machine there has to be at least one chain and boomer on the hydraulic shovel part of any machine (but not dozer's)

oh' and if a chain doesn't have a boomer on it, it does not count at all. So no more throwing a chain on something and backing up to tighten and calling it good.

Trust me, we get hassled all the time......even with an EMPTY lowboy :roll eyes: and it's not just us, if you do any work at all around here they'll screw with you 3-4 times per year

we wont even talk about how many chains they want to see on a articulated peice of iron :eek: lol

Pj

[Cretebaby]

!they(DOT) want half the machines weight in chains/binders holding the machine down..

Isn't that a federal requirement?

[OCR]

the track's are NOT considered an integral part of the frame and DOES NOT count at all!

I've wondered about that, myself... must be ok in Montana though??

Trust me, we get hassled all the time

Lol... and when the guy sees that last picture.......

That was the guy???... lol


OCR... :D

[gumper]

Here's how we do it....4 ratchet binders , one at each end of the track, from the inside of the track to the edge of the trailer. Then a chain and binder over the bucket and another over the front blade. Never even been stopped so far. The machine never seems to move on the trailer.

Would this be legal in NY/NJ? I know the local HE dealer does the same with their machines....

[powerjoke]

I would guess it would make your front axle a little heavy?

OCR: yeah thats the ASS that is always bothering me,.....here we are with an EMPTY lowboy lol

Pj

[ontrac]

I was stopped by the DOT and he said that I had to chain it and not use the tracks. That is not how the Law reads. If it has factory tie downs they must be used. If not the outward most attach point. I see ratchet boomers on tracks everywhere, it is better than any other method I have used. Also the chain must go from one side to the other to get full weight credit, if not only half. So if you go to the machine with a chain and back you only get half the weight of the chain (if marked). Unmarked chains get the lowest rating. Makes it tough if hauling anything over 25k.

[nedly05]

I've been through DOT with binders on the tracks in 4 corners, they said it was fine, as long as I had 4 points and one at the bucket he was happy.

[gr79]

I guess this one is bolted down ok
No chains
YouTube - Ares I-X: Modal Testing ("Tennis Shoe Test") (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lojqh5XsNmM)

[Colorado Digger]

here is how i do it

[Chris5500]

Here's how not to chain down your excavator, note the size of the chains used :eek: (Only got the best part of 540 ton to secure to the module)

"Oops, she slipped!"

[Chris5500]

Few more :Banghead