No Chains!?!

[digger242j]

The other day I was on a job when I saw something that really amazed me. An older Mack single axle dump with a tag trailer went by. On the trailer there was about a 955 Cat hilift. There was a chunk of 6x6 on the deck jammed behind the track, but the machine wasn't chained down to the trailer at all. They unloaded the machine in the vacant lot across the street, and loaded a couple truckloads of dirt out. Then they pulled the truck and trailer into the street, and walked the Cat right up the middle of the asphalt street and loaded it back up. They didn't put any chains on it then either.

When I left the job later, I passed them about a half mile up the street. They were grading the lot where they'd obviously done a small demo job. This all took place in a congested, urban area, not out in the sticks somewhere. The lot where they loaded the dirt from is in an industrial area, but the demo job was right on the main street of the neighborhood's business district.


I can't imagine trailering a machine *any* distance on a public street without binding it down. Am I just too conservative?
:beatsme

 

[cat320]

Well I know I would not want to chance it .better safe than sorry if the machi e shifted for any reason some one could of got really hurt.

 

[John Banks]

Well, DOT would've had something to say!

When we move larger machines, they get 5 binders/chains. One for each corner and one at the middle. This is how I learned to do it.

The smaller machines will usually just get the four corners, or just front and rear depending on the size.

I was behind a truck trailering a large CAT loader yesterday, a 966. It only had one chain from one side of the trailer, through the hitch pin and to the other side of the trailer. Kinda scary thinkin' if this thing should shift for some reason.

A few months ago, a backhoe fell off a trailer on the highway, that was a sight.

I have also seen an excavator shift and roll over.

 

[BKrois]

My old boss whos actually in the same town as John Banks used to have a cat 953 track loader years back. I guess he was moving the machine, and only had one chain on the rear counterweight or hitch and went around a sharp corner and the machine fell onto some ladies tree.....

One of my friend has a mini excavator w/ rubber tracks. I was in back of him on I-95 one day, and the machine had no chains, it was a regular skidsteer trailer, not a deckover, but i still was skeptical. I asked him about chains and he told me "its on rubber tracks, its not going anywhere". DOT is out heavy on 95, not sure why he'd risk it.

 

[digger242j]

I was at an auction years ago. It was a liquidation of one contractor's equipment. The rubber tired equipment all had a set of big D rings welded to the frame somewhere near the middle. There were also a number of 1/2" chains and the binders to match. I don't remember if I figured it out on my own or had to ask someone, but the way that contractor chained his equipment down was with one big chain, straight across.

 

[max diyer]

Story #1 :
A few years back, I was following a single axle dump pulling a tandem axle beaver tail with a Cat 955 on it. The road was a 2-lane and had a lot of curves. This guy was going way too fast. Then I noticed he didn't have any chains on the machine. Two curves later, the 955 came off the trailer. The corner of the bucket dug in and spun the machine around 180 degrees and came to a stop on it's tracks. In the process, a phone pole was snapped, which had a support wire from the top of the pole to the ground across the road. The road was blocked with the top half of the pole and the support wire. We couldn't move the pole until we cut the wire. A fellow with a tow-behind air compressor, pulled down and we jackhammered the wire, moved the pole. He started up the 955 and was putting it back on the trailer, when I left.

Story # 2 :
While fueling up my 18-wheeler, I heard a truck coming down the road, then I heard the Jake brake come on and then a loud crashing noise. I turned to see a medium size paving machine, coming right at me. I ran, but the machine came to a stop, 12 feet from my truck. Well guess what, he didn't have the paver chained down . . . . gee, imagine that!

 

[triaxle]

TOP 10 REASONS TO MOVE EQUIPMENT WITHOUT SECUREMENT:
1. you have no brain
2. you have no understanding of liability
3. you have no understanding of the term, " reckless endangerment."
4. you haven't heard of the DOT, Police or lawyers.
5. you want to go out of business fast
6. you do not value your life or the lives of others
7. you want to stay somewhere where the meals are included in the stay
8. you always wanted your picture in the newspaper
9. you are a terrorist
10. you think its just a short distance and nothing will happen

Seriously, someone killed a motorist in Atlanta with an unsecured refrigerator this year. We have to be professional about our moving habits.

A contractor moving equipment without securement is no different than a drunken driver. They represent bad judgement and are a threat to each of us. :nono

 

[PSDF350]

not to do with chains but yesterday was heading south on rt 10 and here comes a 80s? chevy 1 ton dual rear wheels pulling a excuvator. not sure it's size but it was one of the biggest minis out there. had to of been 15-20,000#. this was with a pull behind trailer.

 

[AFCS]

not using chains on a load is a really dangerous situation.
I cannot even begin to tell you how many excavators and dozers I see
that are improperly chained down. The most common practice here is illigal at best. they throw one chain across the back and secure it to the trailer on either side, then take a binder to the track and then repeat this on the front. you have two chains, four binders, and nothing on the stick or bucket or blade or ripper. D.O.T. requires four chains for the main piece of equipment, then one chain for any attachment or appennage that can be moved (ripper, bucket, blade ect.)

and to think they believe that they are saving money in their move times by limiting the number of chains,, but the fine is 500 per missing chain.

 

[rino1494]

Well, this is a old thread, but oh well. We have moved our machines around developments from job to job with not chains. The excavators, we just side load and don't turn to straighten them out. Just turn the house around and set the bucket on the trailor. Go to the next job and dump it right off. If we were going to move it on a major street, then we would chain it down.

 

[Dozerboy]

I have moved with no chains it was about 1 mile in town straight shot 35 MPH street. It wasn't because I wanted to some one took my chains and I didn't have the right permit and was about 40K over weight.

 

[tuney443]

not using chains on a load is a really dangerous situation.
I cannot even begin to tell you how many excavators and dozers I see
that are improperly chained down. The most common practice here is illigal at best. they throw one chain across the back and secure it to the trailer on either side, then take a binder to the track and then repeat this on the front. you have two chains, four binders, and nothing on the stick or bucket or blade or ripper. D.O.T. requires four chains for the main piece of equipment, then one chain for any attachment or appennage that can be moved (ripper, bucket, blade ect.)

and to think they believe that they are saving money in their move times by limiting the number of chains,, but the fine is 500 per missing chain.

NY requires the same rule--anything over 6 ton gets a chain at each corner and 1 on each bucket or blade.Years ago in my younger{know-it-all,stupid} days,On dozers or track loaders I'd put 4-6 tires under the tracks with no chains--they would'nt move an inch.

 

[terryk4675]

"A contractor moving equipment without securement is no different than a drunken driver. They represent bad judgement and are a threat to each of us. "

...well put. Like pulling a machine forward against the gooseneck & chaining the rear of the machine. I think some people concentrate more on fwd - bckwd movement, and forget about the possible side to side. Takes less time binding down a few more chains than it would to reload the machine, deal with DOT and possibly contend with an accident.

 

[nedly05]

I def. over chain. I would rather take 10 exta minutes to do it right than hurt someone or get shut down @ a DOT checkpoint. Doesn't matter if I am going across the street or across the country.

 

[twostick]

D.O.T. requires four chains for the main piece of equipment, then one chain for any attachment

Not quite true. What is required is 4 securements of suitable Working load limit that total at least half the weight of the machine. I have used 4 binders and 2 chains (pull to 4 corners)and on trackmachines with the right dims 4 binders and no chains. Inside of track to outside of rail or D-ring. I also usually do one in the center on each side if possible. And of course something over a loader bucket in case it should defie the laws of physics or gravity.

Just found this place. Lots of cool stuff.

Kevin

 

[Countryboy]

Welcome to HEF twostick! :drinkup

 

[twostick]

Thanx. What's up with the no new posts for me. Is that a probation thing 'till they find out if I'm going to annoy the neighbors or not?

Kevin

 

[Countryboy]

Thanx. What's up with the no new posts for me. Is that a probation thing 'till they find out if I'm going to annoy the neighbors or not?

Kevin

Its just for "security" purposes. You will be able to start new threads after your 5th post. :thumbsup

 

[digger242j]

Thanx. What's up with the no new posts for me. Is that a probation thing 'till they find out if I'm going to annoy the neighbors or not?

Kevin

It's designed to discourage the "hit and run" spambots that are so prevalent these days. After 5 posts, you'll be able to start threads yourself. If you need to, PM Steve and he can upgrade you manually.

You aren't a spambot in disguise, are you? :cool2

 

[twostick]

No and as a rule I try not to annoy anyone.

Kevin