Big Loads - Post Photos

No, I'm just a guy who gets satisfaction from doing it IMHO a better way, and is too stupid to do things the easy way...I like the challenge!
Yeah, big blocks suck, my 4'L 10 x 12's weigh around 250# each, and I pack 4 of them, plus other blocks as well...
Have fun with the new wagon, I'm sure you'll be a quick study and it will be old hat in no time...don't hesitate to reach out for help/advise, I will if I can...

Hydraulic neck trailers...it's really the only way to do it. Not saying it can't be done with a mechanical, but #### that's more man than I ever wanna be!
Yeah, you have to use enough drive on blocking to make sure the machine is high enough to place the correct amount of blocking on the rail/under the machine to provide proper ground clearance...but not too much that you cant lift the machine off the drive up blocks. I use 12 x12s & they almost always provide adequate clearances. The blocking that supports the load had best be good quality hardwood, as this is all you've got holding that machine off the ground, it's a bad very day if your blocking is inadequate! When you have it all blocked, lifted, and the frame portion tied down, don't forget to put in a set of track pins to take up the slack in the tracks, or they'll probably drag on the ground.
Depending on what your hauling you had also best make sure you have a well built trailer, cause you are usually concentrating loads in fairly short lengths of the trailer...ie; a 109,000# 349 Cat excavator, or a 110,500# D10 is blocked on hardwood, sitting in approx 4' of length on that rail! T100 or T130 steel is your friend, beware of lesser grades of steel or your gonna bend it good.

This is a 349EL Cat excavator, weighing just over 109,000 (payload) that sits on a 4'3" span in the center of my trailer with 30' of well, that doesn't include the neck or transition length, so it basically plunks 109,000# in the center 10% of the span from kingpin to coffin mount!

oh yeah, and the best advise I can give is...you had best tie it down well, cause you don't have the friction of the tracks on the deck to prevent movement, this one is all on you!

This is a D10T dozer weighing just over 110,500# (payload) sitting on a 4' span in the center of my 20' main rail...the last pic is a different load, still D10T, just had the tracks removed because the destination had gross weight bridge restrictions. I can't find any good shots of a 10 with tracks on it...

 

Thanks for the encouragement

I will be sure to reach out to you and a few others. There is no substitute for experience and I can only lean on those who have it.

So I will start now- where do you buy your large blocking from?

 

Start looking for sawmills. They can cut to order. Plus when at different shippers, start looking and asking for any blocking you see.
Just make sure it's hardwood like stated before.
Make sure it is long enough to get over 2 cross members, keeps it from punching through the deck.. Been there done that

 

Bingo! Make sure it will fully cross both frame rails plus a couple extra inches...

I've acquired mine over the years from a few places...I've got a good portion of it from Keen/Cat over the years. Some I've had to buy, most I've just been supplied by different shippers. Some I've got from the companies yard...when you get good blocks, guard them like a fat girl with her last chocolate bar!

 

Even where I come from (central coast of CA.) you could judge a lowbed driver by the dunnage he carried!

 

Yea, look for the guy that has enough wood to build a shop. haha

 

I am out as I don't carry but 1 block - and old short rr tie I use for aiding the fifth wheel

 

that would have been me..................

 

and dont forget a couple of rear leaf springsfrom a pick up. they do have their uses.

 

HH,

I enjoyed your post and pictures. A beam seems like a lot of work, what are its advantages?