Headache racks

My 3/8 gear is in a box on the neck of the trailer since it doesn't get used too much. The 1/2 spends most of it's time hooked to a load, but when it's not I build a little "fort" with the cribbing and dump it in there & it stays on the trailer deck. The big racks (big racks, hehe!) are nice but dragging it up there bites. Lazy & old I guess. Plus, I don't have to carry as much being under 35t on the deck as someone who moves 50 or 90t.

 

It would be nice if I could do that. This is the longest I have been under the same trailer at one time with the exception of a belly dump. I normally have a different trailer every day and sometimes more than one per day. I would love for the boss to put a set of 1/2" on the trailer and leave it there.

 

When I drove a landoll, I kept 4 chains and binders secured on the deck.

 

I don't pull a dedicated trailer so trailer tool boxes are of no use to me. Plus I run the salt, snow and ice. Probably not a complete list, but some things I have in my 3 door Merritt:

16 chains, 12 binders, sledge hammer, trailer strobes, 3 yellow banners, 3 D sign banners, KP lock, 12 flags, edge protectors, things that secure the handles on snap binders, bungee cords, flashing OD lights for night travel, washer fluid, methyl hydrate, gallon of engine oil, wheel bearing oil, assortment of turbo boot clamps, crow bar, 8" spikes, glad hand tire inflator, glad hands......I don't know what I'd do without a cabinet.

In the winter when I park the 359, I hook onto the cabinet with a hoist and move the whole shootin' match to the T800.

 

You're set up like I am. Have to be able to haul anything and everything. Have to build stuff, repair stuff, remove stuff...etc. And not married to a trailer.

 

@PeteyFixAll, I eventually put a toggle/kill switch in the Hrack behind the winch in case something did "happen". We had 3 trucks with winches, all set up exactly the same & when done with the winch job we ALWAYS layed the 3/4" line down tight on the spool. That final 3 seconds when you slipped the eye of the cable over the hook then reached over to the clutch lever was exciting! Freewheeling the winch & dragging out 100+ feet of line kept a guy in shape.

 

Hi truckdad, hey, at least you had a winch for that. When I hauled Case trenchers, the "old " truck didn't have a winch, and once I delivered a new machine like 6 hours away, to a crew in the middle of nowhere, and when I finally found them, they were thrilled to have their new machine. The lead guy says, " one problem, the old machine ( very similar to the new machine) has a bad starter". Sigh, what to do? I off loaded the new machine, put the starter from the new one into the old one, loaded it, and switched starters again. When I got back, I got chewed out for that. "What took you so long"? the boss said. Next truck had a winch, but I quit shortly after that.

 

Lay the Binder's in the middle of the deck, Preferably against the Lip at the end of the deck, "Coil Pile" the chains on top of them.....
At this point everything is still present and accounted for..... Drive nicely, they don't move..
That's in that "Do as I say, Not as I do!!" category, "Always Secure Everything!!"

 

Got pulled over for having chains piled on the deck, I keep them in my well now. I keep waiting for the right cop to complain about that and my outrigger planks not being fastened down.

 

JD,

I once got set out of service in St Johns AZ by AZDOT area commander for having a "loose" tiedown strap on my outrigger boards, even thought the other end of the board was under a 58K hub. I half crank on the rachet and back in service - hello CSA score! only timeI have been set OOS in at least 4 years.