DETACHABLE GOOSENECK TRAILER.- Detachable gooseneck trailers are designed so when the gooseneck is detached you can load a machine from the front without any ramps or tilting of the deck at the balance point.

The gooseneck and frame are held together in alignment by removable pins or safety locks. Removing or releasing the pins or safety locks and disconnecting the brake and electrical lines, the two units are lowered to the ground by a hydraulic jack in the gooseneck or by a line from a winch mounted on the tractor. The gooseneck is then detached from the frame and carried or dragged a short distance by the tractor.

Ramps are flipped over to rest on the ground, and the equipment is driven up onto the trailer. The gooseneck is backed into place, attached, lifted, and locked. The brake and electrical line are reconnected, and the ramps are folded onto the deck of the trailer.

You can also load from the rear, like a regular low-bed trailer. Before you operate this type of trailer, read and understand the operator's manual. These trailers have low ground clearance, so take extreme care when crossing any high point in the roadway, such as railroad tracks, speed bumps, and dips.

Securing Cargo

Regardless of what type of truck you are operating, material you are hauling, or how far you are hauling it, your load must be secure from falling or shifting. When a load shifts, the weight of the load has moved also. This could cause an axle to be overloaded and mechanical failure to occur.

Certain conditions can cause cargo being transported to shift; however, almost all cargo movement can be controlled with the use of proper blocking and bracing. Blocking is used in the front, back, and/or sides of a piece of cargo to keep it from sliding. Blocking

Figure 7-32.-Tilt-bed trailer with bed in the tilt position.

Figure 7-33.-Symmetrical tie-down pattern.

should be shaped to fit snugly against the cargo and should be secured to the deck of the trailer to prevent the cargo from moving. Bracing is also used to prevent movement of the cargo. Bracing is placed from the upper part of the cargo to the floor and/or walls of the cargo compartment.

Because cargo loads have a tendency to shift, a common rule of thumb is to inspect the cargo and the securing devices before departing and within 25 miles after beginning a trip. Always check the cargo and securing devices as often as necessary during a trip to keep the load secured. Inspect the cargo and securing devices after you have driven for 3 hours or 150 miles and after every break taken during the trip.

LOOSE MATERIAL.- Dump trucks are often used to haul loose material. Soil, aggregate, and sand are examples of cargo that is categorized as loose material. When you are operating dump trucks, be sure that no part of the load can fall off your truck when making turns. You should stop loading before it reaches the top of the side or end gate. Dirt spilled in curves and turns creates driving hazards and should be cleaned up daily. Another hazard created by loose material is a broken windshield caused by aggregate falling from dump trucks.

NOTE: In some states and on some deployment locations, it is a requirement that all loose material loads carried in dump trucks must be covered.

BUILDING MATERIAL.- When loading steel, lumber, or anything that must be unloaded with a forklift or crane, you should place 4 by 4 timbers or pallets under the load. This helps get forks or cables in and out from under the load

RESTRAINTS.- Loads must be secure enough to prevent movement in any direction, which means _{movement forward, aft, vertically, and horizontially.}

Figure 7-34.-Chains properly hooked on the equipment and trailer tie-down eyes.

When securing loads, place the tie-downs in a symmetrical pattern, as shown in figure 7-33.

A tie-down assembly must have a safe working load (SWL) of 1 1/2 times the weight of the load to be restrained. For example, to restrain a crawler tractor weighing 55,000 pounds, you need a tie-down assembly for 82,500 pounds (55,000 x 1.5 = 82,500). This means you need eight 1/2-inch chains with an SWL of 11,000 pounds each and eight binders with 1/2-inch hooks.

On flatbed or lowboy trailers without sides, cargo must be secured to the trailer to keep it from shifting and falling off. In closed van trailers, tie-downs can also prevent cargo from shifting that may affect the handling of the vehicle. Tie downs must be of the proper type and strength. The combined strength of all tie-downs must be strong enough to lift 1 1/2 times the weight of the piece of cargo tied down.