truck crash, loader kills truck driver

[jakebrake86]

That's awful. May he RIP. I didn't know there was a law against having a blade facing forward, but I always haul my loader and my trackhoe facing backwards on my tag trailer. It just works better that way, with it being a tilt top and being able to put more weight towards the tongue to keep the deck down. As for the turbo, I've got a retired Ariat cowboy boot I put over the exhaust to keep the draft out.

[slpwlker]

That's awful. May he RIP. I didn't know there was a law against having a blade facing forward, but I always haul my loader and my trackhoe facing backwards on my tag trailer. It just works better that way, with it being a tilt top and being able to put more weight towards the tongue to keep the deck down. As for the turbo, I've got a retired Ariat cowboy boot I put over the exhaust to keep the draft out.

If it hangs over the side. Thinking some states allow it or want it. Think Alabama has something in the provisions about facing the front.

[Maddog13407]

yup def lack of chains there. we always use 5 chains min on loaders and 4 on dozers. think Ny Dot requires 4 chains min on bigger loads and on small loads, say like a skidsteer, two chains are fine but the binders have to be on the driver side so it can be seen by a passing cop. never heard of the blade facing rearward either but I do always cover the stacks with anything, even an old milk jug if I have nothing else around.

[rsb502]

Ha, old milk jug, that's the first thing I used. It was in the trash 20' from the trailer so I got it out, cut the bottom out of it and looped a bungee cord thru the handle to hold it on.

[thomastractorsvc]

it is not only the amount of chain it is having the right size chain, a 3/8th chain would not have held that loader unless they were all doubled, the working load limit on 100 proof chain is 8,800lbs and that is static load, meaning if a 8,800lb weight was just setting there that it would hold it from falling over, does not take into effect kinetic energy or shock load.

Most people use 70 proof 6,600lbs or 80 proof 7,100lbs which is typical trucker chain that you can buy. I just bought four forged 3/8th grab hooks for some tie down points that I am making that are rated for only 5,700lbs each.

If you read the DA Pam I posted, it does a great job explaining working load limits and strength of chains and binders and how they are supposed to be used.

Before I retired from the Army I used to explain to all my new Soldiers and after I retired, I also instructed at the US Army Engineering school. I would tell them, engineering nerds with a West Point degree, took the time to test and figure all this stuff out so we don't have to, and we can be the smarter ones because we don't have to do all the work and figure it out, we just need to be smart enough to know how to look it up.

[blackdog2]

I new a guy he seen his binders loose on the driver side so he stop on the GWB to tighten them .He dosent do binders any more the NYC cab put a end to his career hes in trucker heaven.

[blackdog2]

If you go through Conn.youall best have chains have stamp cert on the links if not park it get new ones .

[PeterMack]

Anything with a cutting edge, the edge is supposed to face the rear. Those turbo savers are pretty cheap, you can make your own cheap. I have heard of a couple guys here getting tickets for hauling dozers loaded like your loader because of the edge facing forward.

That must be a TN law with the blade. Rarely ever do you see dozers or loaders facing backwards around here. That is frustrating though going

from state to state. One minute your compliant and the next minute your not. I think it has gotten to the point now where it seems as if the

Government has set us up to fail. One way or another the driver will be wrong for something, but that is a whole other thread I'm sure. Still a

shame about this driver though, I guess when its your time, its your time. Can't fight it.

[rsb502]

Yeah it was a bad deal no matter how you look at it and since we weren't there we have no idea what happened. I don't see enough broken chain and binders laying around for my likes but as above I wasn't there. There's another good point that's been made here in that there is no way this would happen unless every little thing lined up perfectly, you could try to do it 100 times and never duplicate it. I have never been able to put the load against the neck on a lowboy, all I have used have had a pin or lock there that would get broken or crushed. I have always run anything other than a backhoe with a cutting edge pointing backwards,its been TN law for long as I can remember and it makes sense to me since you can't drag the edge into or against something and if someone sideswipes you they can't catch it either.