Loading Equipment

Loading equipment onto a trailer is dangerous. In most cases the equipment will be just as wide as the trailer with a little room for error. Always use a guide to ensure that the equipment is on the trailer straight and that you do not run it off the trailer.

Regardless of what type of equipment you are loading or what type of trailer you are using, there are general rules that apply. The rules are as follows:

1. Have the equipment in line with the trailer and the transmission placed in low gear. Increase the throttle of the tractor just high enough to have power to pull itself onto the trailer.

2. Watch and follow your guide.

3. Do not steer sharply.

4. Do not stop except for an emergency.

5. For crawler machines only, move slowly at the top of any ramp or a jarring fall can result when the machine is past the balance point.

6. Center the equipment on the trailer to load the truck-tractor and trailer axles evenly.

LOW-BED TRAILER.- When loading a low-bed trailer with a self-propelled machine, you must use a ramp, blocks, bank or pile of dirt, or a ditch.

Portable ramps are heavy and hard to handle and require as many as four people to lift, carry, and set up. In most equipment yards, a permanent ramp is constructed of timber or concrete (fig. 7-30) to support the loading and unloading of equipment.

Blocks can be used to load crawler equipment but are not recommended for wheeled equipment. Use blocks if you have nothing else; however, be cautious because the machine will be at a greater angle than desired when the balance point is met (fig. 7-31.)

When a trailer can be backed against a bank or into a ditch, you may load or unload without the use of ramps.

When you have to load a machine and you do not have ramps, blocks, or ditches, you may have to push up a pile of dirt from which to load. Do not dig a hole in finish grade or any place you would have to smooth out. But, if you do push up a pile of dirt for a ramp, ensure the ramp angle is not too steep (3 feet out for every 1 foot up). Ensure the ramp is wider than the trailer and somewhat compacted to support the ground-bearing pressure of the equipment.

TILT-BED TRAILER.- A tilt-bed is like having portable ramps all the time. The bed will tilt (fig. 7-32) for the load to move up and forward of the balance point. As the load continues to move forward, the bed lowers into the transport position. Ensure the tilt-bed locking device and safety lock, as shown in figure 7-6, are opened before the bed is lowered.

WARNING

When using a tilt-bed trailer to haul equip ment, do not attempt to load or unload equipment from a ramp or dock as would be performed when using a low-bed trailer. This action is dangerous and causes severe damage to the tilt-bed trailer and the tilt-bed decklocking mechanism.

Figure 7-31.-Loading crawler equipment using blocks.

CAUTION

Using a tilt-bed trailer in damp or wet conditions is extremely dangerous and can cause uncontrollable sliding of equipment off the trailer during loading and unloading operations.