Big Loads - Post Photos Number 2

These were taken less than 30 years ago so I guess they dont have to go the "Views of the Past" . D155 on the Murray 7 axle. Machine was 98K or close to it. As mentioned in one of my earlier posts, these CA 7 axle units were easily broken down into a 5 axle setup (10 minutes) & could still permit 44 tons on 5. But the 20'6" deck made it tough to get the real heavy stuff legal on 7 as you had to move it way forward "up the neck" as we used to say to make weight. The dozers were easy as the center of the tracks were right about 8'6" wide. The excavators such as the EX550s were close to 13-6 wide & the track centers were well beyond 8-6. I finally built a pair of "stirrups" if you will, that gave me a 12' wide platform to climb the neck easily. More on these later.

 

Heres the "stirrups" I was refering to.. The 2 center frame rails on this trailer were twice the thickness of the outer rails. These I beams, about 4' long had a hook that slid under the upper outer flange of the center rail & rested on top of the outer rail. Total width was 11'11". I would load the machine, insert the 240Lb. beams, then climb over them up the neck til weight was right. Then placing the bucket over the king pin area of the gooseneck, lift the tracks 1' above the beams & place a hardwood block on the beam to get clearance above jeeps tires. Done. These pics are 2 different machines, not sure why I was using the outriggers on one, the beams needed no additional support. This was way more stable than climbing blocks that were just set on the deck. When I got the 10' wide 9 axle, my job got a LOT easier.. Surprised Murray or Cozad didnt think of this.............