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Tieing Down a CUT Tractor
What is the best way to tie down a CUT on my tandem trailer? Chain or web belts? Where is the best place to hook the chain/belt to the tractor?
I'm a rookie at all this - so I'm being very cautious.
Any suggestions will be appreciated!!
B. Meyer
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Tieing Down a CUT Tractor
I don't know what's best, but here is what I do.
I put a clevis on the swinging drawbar on the back and either run a chain through it or hook a 2" wide rachet strap to it and snug it up. Then, I use two tie down loops (web straps about a foot long with big "D" rings on each end) along with two rachet straps to tie down the front end. Some of my tractors don't have convenient spots on the front to hook a ratchet strap, and you aren't supposed to wrap the strap around anything and then hook it to itself; that's the reason for the tie down loops. On my CUT, I put the loops around the front bumper. After securing the front and snugging it up, I'll make sure the tractor is out of gear and the brakes are off, and use the ratchet straps to tighten it up; then put it back in gear and set the parking brake.
Good luck,
Bill
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Tieing Down a CUT Tractor
Just as Bill does, we use a clevis through the drawbar to bind down the rear end. On the front end, if it's equipped with a FEL, we slip a chain through the tube brace that runs side to side in the boom arms, if there is no FEL then we have a die lifting eye (a big cast iron loop with a threaded stem like a bolt, VERY strong) bolted through the front bumper.
We always use chain, they are more durable, and will tell you with just a glance in the rear view if they are slack or not. If the chains are dancing it's time to snug them up, when they're rock steady, so is your equipment.
Nylon binder straps, BTW, are not designed to pull at an angle, especially the kind with the flat hooks. If you put one on an angle and put a lot of tension on it you will overload one side of the stitching which could lead to premature failure, and a reduced ultimate breaking strength.
If you are buying new binders, get the ratcheting style of chain binders, they are only about $10 more than the old 'Bear Trap' style and are far easier to use. They will also solve that old "this link is too tight, that link is too slack" problem with the old ones.
Finally, be sure the chain you buy is Grade 70, Transport Grade chain.
Best of luck.
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Tieing Down a CUT Tractor
I agree with what Bill & Murf have said. The size of your tractor and size of the trailer also make a difference. Always place the load such that you have some tongue weight. Although too much tongue weight is not good.
If you have a tandem axle trailer, place the CUT's rear wheels approximately over the trailer's rear tandem axle. If your CUT has a rear mower, tiller or blower mounted to it, you may need to drive forward slightly. Conversely, if you have only a loader or front blower on it and nothing on the rear, you may want to move the CG (center of gravity)back slightly. As you are driving on you should see you trucks rear bumper settle a little. If the rear bumper squashes allot and the truck's front end is up in the air you have too much tongue weight or not enough trailer for the load.
I usually use chains with load binders at the front and back and anchored such that the chain is in a "V" shape giving stability to the load. I also have a "D" ring between the tailer's axles. I place a 10,000 lb. rated strap over the tractor's platform and snug her down.
Quite often, I wrap a chain around something like one of the lift arms. This prevents the load from slipping or shifting. If you have something like a piece of rubber 1/8"x4"x12" you can wrap that around the implement first to prevent or reduce scratches.
As you drive out your driveway, always use the manual brake actuator to set sensitivity. With a load, having them just begin to slide on a gravel driveway is good. That way, the trailer brakes do most of the stopping, saving wear and tear on the tow vehicle. This also gives you good, straight stops.
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Tieing Down a CUT Tractor
Another important thing... I think, is to have some pressure on the wheels on one end or the other, so as you tighten the binding system don you can see the tractor being forced downward.
You wouldn't want to tie a tractor down by its implements on both ends.
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Tieing Down a CUT Tractor
Thanks for the suggestions - especially on the use of chain versus web belts. I was going to use the 2 inch belts but will return them for chain.
What size hi-test chain do you recommend? Do I use four shorter lengths? One from each tie down to the tractor. That seems like the safest in case of chain failure. Sounds like I should avoid of using the from axle and use the loader instead.
Anybody got a nice picture of what works for you??
Berland Meyer
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Tieing Down a CUT Tractor
Since your base tractor only weighs about 1,400 pounds even the smallest Grade 70 chain available, 1/4" will suffice.
It has a safe working load limit of 3,150 pounds, therefore two pieces will be good for 6,300 pounds, even with the FEL and an implement this is more than double what is required.
Actually you are better off with just 2 pieces and not 4. If you use 4 pieces and one goes slack it will want to pull the tractor over sideways.
If you have the parking brake locked, and the FEL and all implements down it shouldn't move much even if one chain comes loose.
As a tip though, if you do use the over-center (bear trap) style chain binder, be sure to tie the binder closed with a piece of heavy twine or light rope, that way they can't spring open from a big bump.
Best of luck.
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Tieing Down a CUT Tractor
Murf: This subject has been beaten to death "elsewhere" on the net (ahem...) and it has been said that using two chains (how I tie down, also) may be illeagal in some states. The laws read that the tractor (load) should have four independant tie downs and each impliment should have one securing tie down. So, a tractor with a FEL and Box Blade attached should have SIX chains to secure it to the trailer. (Yes, I think thats excessive too.) I thought I'd just add what others have said about thier particular states.
Where I live (Wisconsin) I use two 3/8" grade 70 chains, one looped through the front bumper and one through a clevis on the 3pt (or 3pt attachment), with one boomer (bear trap, snapper, finger buster) binder on the front chain and have never been hassled by "the man."
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Tieing Down a CUT Tractor
AV8R, with all due respect, especially now that you are a grajiate of an istitooshun of gooderer learning (kidding, but congrats), I don't know what was beaten or how, but I do know they were wrong by the sounds of it.
Also, for the record, there is NO WHERE ELSE on the web to talk about tractors, heheheheh.
According to the "National Safety Code Standard 10:
Cargo Securement" which is now, a continent wide standard, cargo securement generally (except for things like bulk, etc.) must conform to; "Cargo shall be firmly immobilized or secured on or within a vehicle by structures of adequate strength, blocking, bracing, dunnage or dunnage bags, shoring bars, tiedowns or a combination of these."
It goes on to say;
"Minimum Strength of Securement System
10 (1) In this section, the “aggregate working load limit” is the sum of One-half of the working load limit for each end section of a tiedown that is attached to an anchor point.
(2) The aggregate working load limit of the cargo securement system used to secure an article of
cargo on or within a vehicle shall not be less than 50% of the weight of the article.
(3) The aggregate working load limit of the cargo securement system used to secure a group of
articles of cargo on or within a vehicle shall be not less than 50% of the total weight of the group."
So, nowhere does it say "how many", merely "how strong". In fact the 'one per corner' theory would make all of those permanently mounted nylon web binder systems on tractor trailers illegal since they are singles from one side to the other. In fact, if you look at 10(3) above you will see that it specifically talks about a "group of articles".
In theory, you could put one big chain up and over the center of the tractor and it would be legal.
Best of luck.
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Tieing Down a CUT Tractor
I agree thats what the national standard is, but,(I don't remember the specifics) state codes can be above and beyond that. The one I was talking about was from Massachusetts or Connecticut (or on the east coast somewhere) that additional tie downs were needed on "wheeled" cargo. Once again, I cannot prove it or provide specifics, but the best bet would be to ask the local DOT for their say in the matter to prevent any fines.
BTW, thanks for the congrats. Wanna hire me now? 
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