Figure 7-31.—Loading crawler equipment using blocks.
CAUTION
Using a tilt-bed trailer in damp or wet con-
ditions is extremely dangerous and can cause
uncontrollable sliding of equipment off the
trailer during loading and unloading operations.
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 trans-
ported 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.
7-27
