hotdram

Driver sentenced in fatal wood-chipper crash

~Rob

Dieseldude4x4

I use anywhere from 4 to 6 chains per tractor when I haul. The guys at the pulls laugh but I have never lost a load from the trailers yet. I go into overkill when it comes to tieing things down and securing the trailer. Once it leaves the trailer or the truck, you can't get it back.

TRCM

my 5500 lb truck gets 4 grade 70 chains...1 at each corner, and I cross them on the ends. Tightened with ratchet binders until the chain is taut.

I always have people tell me I don't need that much, but I'd rather be sure, than sorry.

cLAYH

Yep, my Jeep goes on with 4 chains and 4 boomers around the axles and then use the deck winch to suck the front of the Jeep down and take some of the bounce out of the suspension. I know its overkill but with the rough roads I take to the trail I don't trust cargo straps. Many of my buddies use those HD ratcheting cargo staps but I just don't trust them on a vehicle thats jiggling around on a trailer.

dodgeguy71

I'm glad to hear there are others out there as **** about tieing down their loads. I have 4 of the 10,000# ratchet straps, straps to go over the axles and all the cars/trucks I have hauled had 1 on each corner. I don't have a winch(yet) so I use a come along and it usually stays hooked to the front and pulled tight. Use the chains for heavier stuff like equipment.

Where I work they sent me out in the Peterbilt one day with a backhoe. I had a chain through the front tie downs, one across the loader arms on the front near the bucket, one for each of the rear tie downs and lowered the bucket on the rear and had one chain across it. The truck driver saw it and said "it sure as heck ain't falling off and told me how he only uses 2 chains. I check the load, straps/chains everytime I stop and am usually on pins and needles watching my mirrors and the load as I go. I relax after a while, but still watch the load closely.

Always worry about hurting someone else for being stupid or careless.

nirion

I agree with the chains, depending on what I am pulling (usually nothing heavier than a 4000lb car) it gets at least 2 chains and a strap just for the heck of it. If its heavier, more chains. I have had more than one of the straps break, so I don't trust them with a car or something that big. I use them if something is on a skid or in a box or something like that.
Glad to hear other people are concerned with safety too.

Oilguy

Race car drivers are the worst!! I have seen drivers pull their car up on the trailer after a race and then sit down with their buddies and eat bbq and drink for hours and then get in the truck and leave....Not 1 chain strap or anything... I saw one fall off the trailer headed to the track right in front of a sheriff's car and the cop directed traffic and helped him load up his car!! No ticket?? I saw he had 2 of those 1 inch harbor freight straps holding that 2800lb car on the trailer.... If it hadn't been for the exhaust folding up and directing the car to the ditch >>> it would have gone into traffic!

prkiller

Not all of us are like that!

I secure my 1950lb race car in my enclosed trailer with 4 10k straps!

$oC@l CTD

He should have given the guy a ticket yes...but politics play into things like this in a HUGE way.

Imagine this: "Guy loses the load off his trailer due to improperly securing it to the trailer...nobody was hurt"

Now imagine this: "Guy loses the load off his trailer due to improperly securing it to the trailer...father and 2 of three triplets killed, and the third seriously injured"

If BOTH just got tickets or NOTHING happened, imagine what the general public would think about scenario number two...When things THAT drastic happen, somebody HAS to get punished, you know?

CarlJensen

Every new year out here they have a contest to see who finds the FIRST, of many, step ladders on the freeway. It is usually found within hours, if not minutes. It doesn't take a heavy load to kill some poor sucker just trying to get home!

REF>Lancer

I haul a d6 with two dog chains on each end,need it or not.

the_fox_man4

you know I would like to key in on this one, I use 4 chains and 2 racheting load binders when I load a trailer minimum. and If it's going to be a long trip Over say 300 miles I put bolts though the chain making sure the chain hooks stay attached. I have seen them come off before. you know all it takes it 5 extra mins and a few bolts, It also helps with people running off with your chains. I usally leave the one end hooked and bolted to the trailer if I am going out some where so all I have to do is hook half off it up. a 2nd time.

bkrukow

Heck I put 4 large rachet straps on each 600 pound ATV when we go riding. I couldent imagine what I would do if I where to load somthing real big and heavy like a dozer or backhoe.

rich

DOT regs state a 4 point tiedown is required and tiedowns must be rated for the weight tied down, but if you read the article i believe he was towing it behind his truck and failed to use the breakaway chains and have them crossed underneath along with a trailer brake away device, if your gonna tow please do it proffesionally or just dont do it