Figure 7-30.—Permanent loading ramp.from damage by chafing (rubbing together) withcardboard, paper, cloth, or other filler.Loading EquipmentLoading equipment onto a trailer is dangerous. Inmost cases the equipment will be just as wide as thetrailer with a little room for error. Always use a guide toensure that the equipment is on the trailer straight andthat you do not run it off the trailer.Regardless of what type of equipment you areloading or what type of trailer you are using, there aregeneral rules that apply. The rules are as follows:1. Have the equipment in line with the trailer andthe transmission placed in low gear. Increase the throttleof the tractor just high enough to have power to pull itselfonto 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 thetop of any ramp or a jarring fall can result when themachine is past the balance point.6. Center the equipment on the trailer to load thetruck-tractor and trailer axles evenly.LOW-BED TRAILER.— When loading a low-bedtrailer with a self-propelled machine, you must use aramp, blocks, bank or pile of dirt, or a ditch.Portable ramps are heavy and hard to handle andrequire as many as four people to lift, carry, and set up.In most equipment yards, a permanent ramp isconstructed of timber or concrete (fig. 7-30) to supportthe loading and unloading of equipment.Blocks can be used to load crawler equipment butare not recommended for wheeled equipment. Useblocks if you have nothing else; however, be cautiousbecause the machine will be at a greater angle thandesired when the balance point is met (fig. 7-31.)When a trailer can be backed against a bank or intoa ditch, you may load or unload without the use oframps.When you have to load a machine and you do nothave ramps, blocks, or ditches, you may have to pushup a pile of dirt from which to load. Do not dig a holein finish grade or any place you would have to smoothout. But, if you do push up a pile of dirt for a ramp,ensure the ramp angle is not too steep (3 feet out forevery 1 foot up). Ensure the ramp is wider than the trailerand somewhat compacted to support the ground-bearingpressure of the equipment.TILT-BED TRAILER.— A tilt-bed is like havingportable 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 lowersinto the transport position. Ensure the tilt-bed lockingdevice and safety lock, as shown in figure 7-6, areopened before the bed is lowered.WARNINGWhen using a tilt-bed trailer to haul equipment, do not attempt to load or unload equip-ment from a ramp or dock as would beperformed when using a low-bed trailer. Thisaction is dangerous and causes severe damageto the tilt-bed trailer and the tilt-bed deck-locking mechanism.7-26
Integrated Publishing, Inc. - A (SDVOSB) Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business