Over the side loading of a PC450-7

[Nick Drew]

Heres a shot of myself loading a Komatsu PC450-7 over the side onto a Dutch built Nooteboom trailer at the end of a dig in Plymouth England

[Squizzy246B]

Looks like you have a rock breaker hiding under that machine??

[DigDug]

what was the purpose of side loading? Tight area?
Nice pics.

[richardcatdaddy]

Yipes!Now thats a tight load even from the side.That hoe is about the same size as our Cat 345.Decent size machine for sure.Good job on the side load. I dont want to ever have to do that.:usa

[thejdman04]

I agree, why didnt you drop the neck?

[Nick Drew]

I agree, why didnt you drop the neck?

Hi jdman,

Yes this was a tight site and over the side was the easiest option in the circumstances, I know its not "PC" these days but I used to do it all the time in years gone by:beatsme all be it with smaller machines !!

The truck driver was getting pushed for time and had to get this machine up to London for work the next morning.

All went well & no one got hurt!!:drinkup

[thejdman04]

Hi jdman,

Yes this was a tight site and over the side was the easiest option in the circumstances, I know its not "PC" these days but I used to do it all the time in years gone by:beatsme all be it with smaller machines !!

The truck driver was getting pushed for time and had to get this machine up to London for work the next morning.

All went well & no one got hurt!!:drinkup

Thats all that matters. I just dont like side loading, esp w/that size machine. Seen too many that are twisted etc and never hook easily, or right after being side loaded a bunch

[LowBoy]

I gotta agree. When all else fails, and there's no options, I will do what I have to do in the event. Last week I was in a circumstance where I had to side-unload just a little 307 Cat, but I did it gently, so as not to hurt the deck of my brand new 2007 Fontaine lowbed. I usually will put down several big blocks on the ground to minimize the dropoff distance to ground zero. Of course, my bucket's on the ground in front of me, using the bottom of it as a "sled" while ever-so-easily crawling down off the rail of the trailer. Once I touch the tracks to the dirt, I spin around and use the sled again, taking some pressure off the tracks onto the deck of the trailer, unless I can reach over it onto the ground on the other side. I put a block or something to keep from galling the planking up while I'm sliding the bucket, running the dipper out, and traveling at the same time. It's definitely a multi-tasking ordeal, but very rewarding if there's people watching.:naughty

[Ford LT-9000]

Isn't the truck overloaded with that machine ?

There is no jeep under the gooseneck the axles must be overloaded ?

If a operator loaded a machine over the side on any of the lowbeds in my area the driver would freak especially a 450 sized machine it doesn't take much to tweak a side rail on the bed. Most lowbedders can have the neck removed in less than 5 minutes. One contractor has a hydraulic detach it takes seconds to remove the neck. Its not like the old style removables where you drop the trailer pull the pins on the neck back the truck up take the neck off.

[RonG]

I gotta agree. When all else fails, and there's no options, I will do what I have to do in the event. Last week I was in a circumstance where I had to side-unload just a little 307 Cat, but I did it gently, so as not to hurt the deck of my brand new 2007 Fontaine lowbed. I usually will put down several big blocks on the ground to minimize the dropoff distance to ground zero. Of course, my bucket's on the ground in front of me, using the bottom of it as a "sled" while ever-so-easily crawling down off the rail of the trailer. Once I touch the tracks to the dirt, I spin around and use the sled again, taking some pressure off the tracks onto the deck of the trailer, unless I can reach over it onto the ground on the other side. I put a block or something to keep from galling the planking up while I'm sliding the bucket, running the dipper out, and traveling at the same time. It's definitely a multi-tasking ordeal, but very rewarding if there's people watching.:naughty

I have side loaded a lot over the years and I don't know of any mfg that recommends it and it can sure do some damage over time.
The damage can be minimized however by placing cribbing under the outside rails of the trailer on the side you are loading from and I see cribbing on the ground in the pics that were posted here so they might have done that as well.This is not to say that I always used it but it is a good practice.
Those Fontaines sure make a nice trailer:) Ron G

[richardcatdaddy]

We have a Etnyre Blackhawk 55 ton drop deck detatch,Takes me about 45 seconds to drop it and clear the loading ramps infront.Drop it,pull 2 pins and drop the foot and I am outta the way.It far to easy to rip a trailer up side loading and I wont do it.Mainly cause my boss says not to.After all,he who signs the paycheck is the man.:usa

[Nick Drew]

Hey Guys, :confused:

Please don't beat me up about the side loading here!! The low loader driver asked me to put it on that way so who was I to argue!! after all he was an owner driver so if there was any damage done it would have been his problem.

+ I am a careful operator:rolleyes: :lmao :lmao

[Nick Drew]

More pics of the side load.

[fhdesign]

I for one won't be beating you up... I'm very impressed thanks for the pictures!

[Ford LT-9000]

Must have been a lazy driver who didn't want to load the trailer properly.

All what counts is the machine got moved and didn't fall off on the way to the next job site. I still say the truck was overloaded moving that machine the axles on the truck must have been exceeding their capacity.

[CascadeScaper]

I don't see how that would machine would overload the truck and trailer, the lowboy has 4 axles alone. Around here guys will move 450's with a 3 axle lowboy without a jeep, a tandem axle tractor with a 20K lift axle. Technically, this truck has more tires than a setup here runs, same amount of axles, which is 7 for the truck and trailer, but the lift axle only has 2 tires instead of 4. Standard setup here would include 24 tires, this setup has 26. Am I missing something?

[Ford LT-9000]

A truck usually is only supposed to have at max 37,000lbs over the drives with that 450 Komatsu almost weighing 100,000lbs and the way that trailer is designed in reality only 2 axles on the trailer are supporting most of the weight. The third and fourth axle really are not taking much load.

Anyhow its different rules for different parts of the country. Contractors used to get away with stuff like that. For us to haul a 450 sized machine borderline legal is a tridem lowbed,single axle jeep and lowbed tractor. Take for instance we wouldn't be legal to haul the hammer with the machine the extra 2 tons would put the truck overweight. Our rule of thumb is 20,000lbs per axle excluding the steer with max gvw of 140,000lbs and quad axle trailers are not legal they don't turn.

Side loading used to be a little more common back in the early years when detachable gooseneck trailers were not as common. Trying to crawl a old excavator with worn out tracks and final drives up and over the dove tail on a lowbed is tough. So options like building dirt ramps on either side of the lowbed to get the machine on or buiding ramps with wood cribbing were used.

Watched a guy side load a old 200 Hitachi well worn out machine the tracks sagged and loose. Got it on and sideways but it took 30 mins or more of him trying to get it square on the trailer. With the tracks being so loose he pushed the tracks didn't want to slide but when they did it was too far then had to push it back.

Had a lowbed company pick up a compactor from my famillies freight yard the other day. It was a older detachable neck trailer guy had the trailer broke apart in seconds.

[rino1494]

I've side loaded alot of machines in my day, but nothing that big. Sweet pics.

[murray83]

Side loading to me is a lost art,not many can do it around here nowadays and I for one would love to try it again and love seeing it done.

If you notice the picture it seems the driver has dropped his gooseneck down on blocking at ground level so in my opinion little damage could happen.I'm guessing its a 55-60 ton detachable anyway a 450 is nothing.

Its already been said but excellant pictures and keep them comming.

[jimmyjack]

finally a place to use this video i found

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g3iw--TUTc&mode=related&search=

[06bowtie_guy]

Awsome pics.
Jimmyjack, thanks for that link. I kinda thought that was what side loading was but wasn't 100%

With a large machine wouldn't the turning of the tracks 90* be hard on the decking?

[mflah87]

I can't legally move my PC400 with the hammer. Total weight is somewhere around 151,000 lbs. I got caught once or twice, and they made me bring it to the state yard drop the machine and come back to break it down. One company around here has the komatsu pc1250, they moved the machine with the carbody, tracks, and cat walks, they weigh 225,000 lbs! They drive it like its nothing. Its unbelievable what people will do.

[CascadeScaper]

The video link posted is just how it's done up here. I actually side loaded our 312 last summer on a lowboy. It's not that complicated, just watch yourself and having a spotter (when loading) really helps for getting the machine straight with the trailer.

[jmac]

About two weeks ago I asked a friend if he could move my PC150 for me with his low boy. I have yet to buy a 20 ton trailer so I have been using him to move my machine for me. He told that he did not have a driver available so if I wanted, come and take his low boy and move it myself. I took him up on his offer and he tells me to side load the machine because of how difficult it was to unhook his trailer (old trailer). So I go and do just what he told me to do. The trailer was in the street and between the trailer and the site I was working on was a 4' deep ditch. I can tell you from personal experience that it was a little scary. I had no spotter and was scared of sliding off of the side. I got it done nothing broke but was one of the tougher things that I have had to do with the machine. I did drop the deck down to the street. This is not something to try if you are not real familiar with the machine you are loading. The ditch could of helped a little because it set the bottom of the tracks close to the top of the trailer deck. The back of the tracks were in the ditch and the front was on the top side of the ditch. Still none the less a little scary.

[LowBoy]

About two weeks ago I asked a friend if he could move my PC150 for me with his low boy. I have yet to buy a 20 ton trailer so I have been using him to move my machine for me. He told that he did not have a driver available so if I wanted, come and take his low boy and move it myself. I took him up on his offer and he tells me to side load the machine because of how difficult it was to unhook his trailer (old trailer). So I go and do just what he told me to do. The trailer was in the street and between the trailer and the site I was working on was a 4' deep ditch. I can tell you from personal experience that it was a little scary. I had no spotter and was scared of sliding off of the side. I got it done nothing broke but was one of the tougher things that I have had to do with the machine. I did drop the deck down to the street. This is not something to try if you are not real familiar with the machine you are loading. The ditch could of helped a little because it set the bottom of the tracks close to the top of the trailer deck. The back of the tracks were in the ditch and the front was on the top side of the ditch. Still none the less a little scary.

Not to dwarf your story, jmac, but if you want a real thrill, try coming off the side of a normal height stepdeck trailer, (48' X 102" spreadaxle, approximately 36" deck height off the ground.) with a 312C. That'll make a believer outa you in no time. I had to do it several times. Spin sideways, drop my bucket out in front curled slightly as a "sled", gently walk off the side as I'm lowering myself with the joystick, touch down, swing around 180 degrees, this time drive the teeth into the ground on the opposite side of the trailer, and repeat till I hit ground zero. Kind of fun, in a weird, twisted way actually...:naughty

[LowBoy]

I can't legally move my PC400 with the hammer. Total weight is somewhere around 151,000 lbs. I got caught once or twice, and they made me bring it to the state yard drop the machine and come back to break it down. One company around here has the komatsu pc1250, they moved the machine with the carbody, tracks, and cat walks, they weigh 225,000 lbs! They drive it like its nothing. Its unbelievable what people will do.

I have to ask why they won't let you move this 1250 with the hammer on? Is it classified as a reducible load in Mass? I was under the impression you could permit for that weight, provided you are registered for that kind of gross vehicle weight, and if it takes more than 8 man hours to remove an impliment, then you can be granted a non-reducible load permit. I realize that hammer doesn't take 8 hrs. to peel off, but what do they know???
Just wondering what your input would be on this deal...

[jmac]

No problem Lowboy, I enjoy your posts and don't mind you sharing. You don't sound like a guy that is bored much. Every day is a new adventure for me. :drinkup

[JDOFMEMI]

A couple of things to keep in mind here:
The European lowbed design is different, and appears to be much stronger than a comperable US unit. (this makes it too heavy for US weight laws)

The front of the trailer has been grounded, so the side loading forces are reduced.
Side loading is sometimes a must, and if done properly, as others have said, is acceptable. Most trailer manufacturers here say never do it, but it is a huge liability for them, as it is easy to do structural damage to the trailer if it is done wrong. Especially our lightweight trailers designed for max payload with minimum weight. The old trailers were made with much more steel, and were too heavy to haul very much within the weight laws. That said, they had a far greater actual capacity, but not LEGALLY

The combination has 7 axles total, just in a different configuration than a US unit. Here in CA, we haul a 450 on 7 axles on a regular basis.

The axle weight laws are obviously different in the EU, as well as from state to state here in the US. The Nooteboom trailer has a unique goosneck that aids in wieght transfer to put the right amount on the truck. ( I am not quite sure how it works)

As long as the load is in the right place, there are plenty of axles to carry it. I also think they have 8 tires per axle on the trailer? Nick could tell us. I think some of them steer too!

Ford
34,000 wieght on drivers is with no permit. Rules are different everywhere, but I can permit 46,750 on the drivers here in CA.

Sorry to rant, but Nick took a lot of heat for what is normal to him in his country.
Besides, Owner Operator driver told him it was OK.

[Ford LT-9000]

For us its 37,478lbs is legal on drives but with no scales where I live I imagine the trucks are running heavier than that. Most lowbed tractors are running 46,000lb rears anyhow and the suspension to match.

[tctractors]

In the U.K. side loading onto low-loaders is realy the common thing, most large plant hire Co's that run there own transport, would near " sack " the truck driver for stripping out the neck to load most bits of kit, the neck is just dropped to the ground and the air dumped from the axles (air ride) some times you have to pull the neck if the machine is wide set and is sat on outriggers, the weight limits are very easy in the U.K. with a lot of overloading of trucks, the worst case I have seen is 3 excavators 2 =17 ton 1=21 ton (55'000 kgs of load on a step frame trailer with a total tractor trailer axle No of 6, in Europe ( read Germany ) the driver would be sent to the Salt Mines for life
tctractors

[ben46a]

Overloaded Is relative to your location. That would be more than legal here. As far as side loading goes, I have no problem with it whatsoever, Throw a block under the loaded side and alls well.

[Ray Welsh]

Overloaded Is relative to your location. That would be more than legal here. As far as side loading goes, I have no problem with it whatsoever, Throw a block under the loaded side and alls well.

I agree. It's a combination of judgements and skills of all concerned parties. Loading situations are many and varied. We are all skilled operators, aren't we?????..........C ya..........Ray

[Colin Doy]

I think all the issues on this thread are related to location. Its a shame the original poster Nick Drew resigned, his photo's and slant on things made interesting reading.

[AtlasRob]

Overloaded Is relative to your location. That would be more than legal here. As far as side loading goes, I have no problem with it whatsoever, Throw a block under the loaded side and alls well.

The pictures are from UK and the truck carries a STGO 3 plate which means it is able to operate at max GROSS wieght of 150,000kg ( 150 tons ) subject to a lot of paperwork and additional dolly on the trailer etc. The biggest problem at those weights is Highways approval for route due to bridges.
The trailer is designed with exactly that sort of load and bigger in mind. The strengh is in the outside beams rather than a central frame with side members.
As for side loading :rolleyes: it is down to the trucker. The time it took to go over the side then lift each track so the outriggers could be lifted and set :beatsme. I would have knocked the neck out, 2 mins off 2 mins on again. There was plenty of room in the street and I probably wouldn't have known the operator to know if he was capable of getting on straight let alone over the side :Banghead. Havin said that you made a neat job of it Drew if theres no pictures missing ***
As tctractors mentioned the air drops on the trailer so it was all sat on the road anyway.

[Digwizz]

Explain how you go about side loading a machine that size. I've done it a hundred times with a smaller machine, but I can't see how you could drive across the deck and then spin the tracks around with so little space.

[AtlasRob]

Explain how you go about side loading a machine that size. I've done it a hundred times with a smaller machine, but I can't see how you could drive across the deck and then spin the tracks around with so little space.

If you've done it with a small machine, Its the same with a big machine only you have less room. You probably went on and turned with one track or counter rotated. Job done.:rolleyes: With a big machine you will have to shunt about, be clever and counter rotate the tracks and you will be off first time unless you are very lucky.:eek:
Almost certainly the far side outrigger was in place which gave more width. The nearside one was left down out of the way as it is not strong enough to take the stress while loading.
The big secret is TICKOVER and gentle SLOW movement. Its amazing how many "operators" think a machine will only move on FULL REVS.
If you are steady, have a level playing field *** think about what you are doing and have a good banksman you will probably get it on. Whats the worse case senario :cool2 a track off the side, sore head, dented pride, laughing stock, I could go on but you get the jist ;)
I have loaded a Cat 245 over the side, that was an education at 20yrs old. No hydraulic necks in them days. I kept pushing that dumb stick over toooo far so the other track moved in the opposite direction to the way I wanted this track to move. Once on, there was about 3" clearance under the bed at the front. With the result it got grounded on a roundabout just short of its destination.:Banghead
As stated somewhere else by another, we also dropped the bucket off and knocked the dipper ram pin out to get that bit lower.