FMCSA cargo securement laws.

[Grader4me]

You can use one long chain on the front and one on the rear with two binders on each one. If you do it right, it is the same as two chains front and two chains rear. If one side breaks, the other side is still secure. I hope that makes sense. DOT has never questioned it.

Hey Bob, Makes perfect sense! but... here we go with the but again...The regulations call for 4 individual chains. If the DOT officer wanted to be an a$$ he could charge you. :yup
They have been known to act that way at times

 

[jhill]

I use 4 ratcheting straps for my skid steer and mini ex. Fast and easy. For the dozer I am going to get new chains and I have some ratcheting binders to use.

Jerry

 

[twostick]

The regulations call for 4 individual chains


I think you will find it actually says 4 individual securements. A securement is made when one end is attached to the load and the other end to the trailer. A chain attached to the anchor point of a trailer and passed thru or over a load and attached to the anchor point on the opposite side and secured is still only 1 securement. One chain can have each end attached to 2 corners of the load and two binders pulling each corner to the trailer anchor points. Hence 2 chains and 4 binders can make 4 securements. On small dozers I have used 4 -1/2" binders and no chains. Inside of track to D-ring on outside of trailer. Each 1/2" binder is good for 9000+lbs WLL (9200?) so X4 is 36000+lbs in securement weight which on a 35000 lb dozer is over double what the law requires (35000lbs/2).

Kevin

 

[Grader4me]

The regulations call for 4 individual chains


I think you will find it actually says 4 individual securements. A securement is made when one end is attached to the load and the other end to the trailer. A chain attached to the anchor point of a trailer and passed thru or over a load and attached to the anchor point on the opposite side and secured is still only 1 securement. One chain can have each end attached to 2 corners of the load and two binders pulling each corner to the trailer anchor points. Hence 2 chains and 4 binders can make 4 securements.
Kevin

This is what it actually says. This has been hashed and rehashed on this forum, but through it all most agree that you use 4 individual chains to tie down heavy equipment. I respectively disagree with your theory.

(4) Despite section 22, a heavy vehicle with crawler tracks or wheels shall be restrained
against moving sideways, forward, rearward and vertically by at least 4 tiedowns,
(a) each with a working load limit of at least 2 268 kilograms, and
(b) each attached, as close as practical, at the front and rear of the vehicle or to
mounting points on the vehicle that are specifically designed for that purpose.

 

[nedly05]

Thats exactly what I do. I stretch the chain across in the front of the tracks and then one across the rear. I then use four binders from the pads to the chain hooked to the trailer trailer. By doing this you have created 4 chains out of 2 because there is no tension on the middle of the chain. I hook this way in 4 corners and one over the stick by the bucket. I have been through DOT like this and they had no issue with it at all.

 

[Grader4me]

After rereading the post from twostick (and waking up a little more) I will have to admit that there is nothing wrong with this type of hookup. All I could think of was 2 chains and I knew that it had to be 4 tie downs. As long as it has the 4 indivdual tie downs set up so that if one binder/chain lets go there is still 3 left, then I think it would be okay.

See? I can admit when I am wrong....hurts though...

 

[Kgmz]

I have also been researching this, and it is hard to find clear answers.

A couple of days ago I saw a backhoe on a trailer going up I-5 that actualy was following all the rules. It had 6 chains and 6 binders, 4 sets securing the machine, 1 on the front bucket and 1 on the rear bucket.


I have for years been only using 2 chains and 2 binders on our backhoe and D3 dozer. One looped through the rear hitch pin on the dozer, on the backhoe run behind the backhoe lower boom pivot attached to one side on trailer D-ring and then attached through D ring on other side with binder. On the front of the backhoe chain is run around axle and attached from one side to the other iwth one binder, dozer has a hook welded to top of blade with one chain from side to side with one binder.
For our excavator, CS563 rollor, 928G loader we use four chains with four binders. But have never chained down the bucket on the excavator or loader.


Looks like we will have to change our ways before we get a big ticket.



I did get pulled over awhile back for a safety check with the excavator, and they never said anything about the bucket not being chained down.

How long have these rules been in effect?




I did find something on the State of Oregon's "Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations" page, Part 390. Where it shows what was mentioned before about the one chain and two binders, and says it is legal.
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/MCT/LAWS.shtml

Link to JPG I made of the page for 390-130, showing a picture and description of the one chain, two binder setup.

http://www.zenitram-inc.com/Files/393-130.jpg

 

[Grader4me]

How long have these rules been in effect?

Welcome to the forum Kgmz. I think in the U.S. it was 2004 and 2005 in Canada.
Thanks for the links as well, especially the link/picture showing the one chain with 2 binders.