How do you guys truck your dozers?

[Mikeym70]

I'm a new dozer owner, and have a smaller bumper pull trailer behind my 2000 F250 diesel. It pulls ok, but isn't the best setup. It worked good for the skid steer, but the dozer is a bit heavier. I'm thinking about an upgrade to a gooseneck and would like advice on GVW, axles(tandem or tri?) length, etc.

How do you guys pull your machines around?

Best way to tie down/chain?

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

You didn't specify which crawler. But even a 40c is too heavy for a bumper mounted ball. The bigger the machine, the heavier the trailer and truck needs to be.

I have a 420c 5-roller with 62 blade. I have a 5 ton tag along trailer with weight distributing hitch. It is a good match for the dozer, but would not do for a heavier machine, even a JD350. I doubt it would be good for even a 420 with a loader as they have a lot of extra weight. My tractors are all lighter, so I am set. If I had a heavier machine I would have to upgrade the trailer to a gooseneck or fifth wheel.

I use an F350 dually diesel. The full floating axle is a must, hopefully your F250 is the heavy duty with the full floating axle and not the standard duty with semi floating axle. Those like to pop the axle retainers and then the offending axle shaft wanders out with the tire sliding past the fender. And loss of drive to boot. The dual rear wheels really help cut down on the 'tail wagging the dog' syndrome.

I use 3/8 chain across the back side of the blade at the rear of the trailer and the drawbar of the machine at the front. I use ratcheting load binders. The blade chain is one long piece, and the drawbar uses two pieces so it can't slide sideways at all. The mounting points on the trailer for the tie down chains are further apart than the machine is long, so it really holds the machine from moving. The basic rule is the load has to be secure such that the entire rig could flip over and the load stay put.

You have to back the machines on or the front end weight high in the air might swing the machine sideways when you hit the pivot point of the tracks. Keep the weight low and you won't slide off. That is a ride you never want to take....

I suggest electric brakes. Surge brakes don't help in reverse, and sometimes prevent one backing up at all. A heavy load can cause surge brakes to apply just trying to back up.

Stan

[Tigerhaze]

If you search the archived threads in the forum, you will find some vigorous discussion on hauling crawlers with trailers. One consideration in selection of haul trucks and trailers is legal requirements which vary state to state.

[77 Ford]

I used to pull my 450c with a 3 axle GN and a 1 ton dual wheel truck and I was scared silly most of the time. It just felt heavy and sluggish and I was always concerned about stopping ( Yes all 3 axles have brakes).

Now I'm pulling it with a F600 with a dual tandem axle and it's feel so right! I feel like I'm always in control and not riding the ragged edge of safety.

[Scottyb]

http://s1058.photobucket.com/user/ascot ... k.jpg.html

I like to chain directly to the tracks. 4 chains and 4 binders, either over the track around, under the chain and and to the outside of a pad or, like in the photo, just in front of the sprocket to the inside pad as well as just behind the roller to the inside pad. It is quick and I have never had one come loose . I never hook onto a bucket or blade.

[Mikeym70]

Guys, thanks for the feedback this far. I've read some other posts also for more info.

Truck is an f250 super duty and dozer is currently a 1010c gas with 6 way inside blade. I figure the dozer weighs 8k from reading other posts.

I'm looking at (3) 20' + length GN trailers of 14k GVW minimum. One is a tilt deck, the other 2 or ramp trailers and sit much lower as the tires are mounted outward of the deck. I've read reviews that tilt decks are either a love em or hate em relationship. The tilt deck is the closest by 2 hours to me, and is $1000 cheaper than the ramp trailers.

Thoughts on the rig and setup I'm looking at? Keep in mind I'm figuring on an upgrade at some point to a 350 or 450 machine(dad currently owns a 450E that I would pull on rare occasion). Do I have enough truck/trailer to put this in motion?

Last thing I want is an unsafe/bad setup that is a life safety issue for myself or others.

[Scottyb]

I have had tilt decks and never will again. Drive the extra 2 hours would be my advice.

[notmeu]

One other thing to think about, just in case, Mikeym70, your truck and trailer would be covered in a accident under your auto policy but what your hauling would not be. Unless it is insured under a business policy. I think about that every time I have anything on my trailer.....

[Jack-the-Ripper]

I have a 13,000 lb JD450, 18,000 lb case 580, and 28,000 lb excavator. I had to go to a tandem axle 43,000 gvw tilt trailer. I used to pull them with a 10 wheel dump (22,000 lbs) and now use a 37,000 lb gvw heavy duty 6 wheel dump that weighs 15,000 lbs. With the air brakes on the trailer I never feel overloaded with either setup, although I do feel the extra weight (the trailer weighs 10,000 lbs, and always leave lots of room and brake early using the Jake as much as possible to save wear on the shoes. I also start in the lowest gear that will allow me to roll without any accelerator to minimize wear on the truck clutch.

I had a homemade single axle dually tilt trailer that worked OK with the dozer and backhoe, however it didn't have a hydraulic damping cylinder on the tilt and would slam up and down, flinging the backhoe into the air. When only one of the hoe's rear breaks worked it would swivel wildly to the side as well.

I had several 10 ton gvw ramp trailers, with both air and electric brakes. I had the electric brake mechanism rust up and lock the wheels. I didn't know I was dragging it on a gravel road until I heard the pop when I scraped through the tires. Air brakes for me from now on. You do need a commercial license in general when over 26,000 lbs and/or with air brakes. As a farmer you can sometimes drive without a commercial license within 50-100 miles of your "farm." (I had a "tree" farm.)

Also the backhoe would hang up on the ramp trailers whether driving on forward or backwards and was unusable there. Also when loading a dozer or track hoe on a ramp trailer you have to pivot over the break point with no control over your momentum. I had a track fail to drive during that pivot and flopped to the ground right over the side onto the side of my tractor. (see my avatar at left) With the large heavy excavator I had to use the hoe to control the pivot going on and off - scary, awkward when having to put the bucket on pavement for the maneuver.

So if you can, use a tilt tailer with air brakes.

Almost invariably you see track machines chained by hooking into the tracks at four places and this seems to work. Ideally you want 45 degrees on the chain both vertically and horizontally, which gives you the most holding power in each direction with the minimum of excess stress in the chain (anyone remember vector math?).

You need to hold the machine down as well as fore/aft and sideways. Given 3/8" (a comfortable choice) Grade 70 (gold) chain is the strongest if buying new (as well as G70 binders). There is also G43, both are labeled on the links and hooks. If not labeled it is something like G30, barely usable on tractors like ours.

When binding a dozer there is little "give" and it helps to run your chain through a trailer d-ring and hook it to itself. Then when tightening, you can effectively adjust by half-links using that looped hook. When binding a rubber-tired unit, use an extension handle on your binder and really compress those tires or your chains will come loose as you bounce along. Rules also require a bungee or tie to keep the binders from coming open. Ratchet binders of course solve these problems. You must use a "formal" fastener on the trailer (like a d-ring) and not merely hook to the frame just anywhere. The combined rating of all your chains must be some percentage of the weight of your load (like 40%) but I can't find the reference right now. I sometimes chain to a blade or implement if I don't have enough chain length to go to the tracks. Observe how that fastening point will more as the hydraulics creep while you drive. For instance, make sure a loader bucket is flat on the deck before fastening to it.

These rules and more come from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Cargo Securement Rules. My print out has http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/FmcsaPrintPage.aspx on the bottom.

[Tigerhaze]

You need to hold the machine down as well as fore/aft and sideways. Given 3/8" (a comfortable choice) Grade 70 (gold) chain is the strongest if buying new (as well as G70 binders). There is also G43, both are labeled on the links and hooks. If not labeled it is something like G30, barely usable on tractors like ours.

That was a very good synopsis of issues with hauling- I would point out there are actually even higher grade chains (Grade 80, 100, 120) but my understanding that they are for vertical lifting and Grade 70 is typical transport chain- you can always go up a size from 3/8 inch if needed to meet the Working Load Limits but usually not necessary for the smaller crawlers we typically discuss on this board.

I also get sort of nervous binding chain to the tracks on a crawler given they have some flex and can slip off idlers and rollers but not sure how others feel.

[Lavoy]

I know you see it all the time, but I never will chain to a track pad for the same reason. I have seen excavators chained across the top of both tracks and down to the deck, but guessing that is not DOT kosher.
Lavoy