Post flatbed load photos here V2.0

Insanity,.. mad mad respect for you guys who do this every day!

I knew it would be heavy,.. but not like this.

I sighed relief when I saw the stick and bucket removed. In my mind I was thinking,.. sweet,.. should be under 150k. No sir,.. look at scale ticket! I had to reweigh 3 times before I got the trailer under 80k.

I'm sure you regulars know easier ways,.. but I secured,. unchained and rechained each time to move the machine on the bed. Felt like I was going to heat stroke out redoing 8, 1/2 inch chains and binders each time. I tried to load it with the counter weight to the front,.. but the counterweight was so heavy the machine wanted to flip over backwards when I tried to load it that way. I tried to brace the frame and tracks to swing the machine around on the trailer. It was just too much weight,.. once on the trailer there was no swinging it around. All I could do is keep moving it closer and closer to the neck.










Ended up with all 9 axles on the ground after scaling. Was only way to get trailer under 80k and roll with 75k on the drives. To my surprise it actually went down the road pretty well.

So much more work doing this vs step deck. I honestly did not realize how much physical work was involved. Long day yesterday.

Hurst

 

Hurst, that set-up must be a ##### to turn once you get off the highway. Makes me appreciate the 16 tire groups with 5'9" spread we use out here in CA.

 

That 345 has the demo boom in it, should be a little lighter than a standard excavator. Did you try to split weigh either of those cheaters? I'm curious how they axled out.

 

Both of the drop axles are steerable. It makes the steers lighter with all 4 on the ground.

Still 11k on the steers.. pulling into truck stop was not overly difficult. Just not going to 90 it around or into anywhere. Made sure I could pull straight out with long wide turns.

Hurst

 

This 345 is roughly 107 - 108k like it sits. The cab has hydraulics to raise and lower it also. Heavy beast. I over chained to secure it just for my own peace of mind.

8 half inch chains on the chassis and ran 9th half inch chain through the bottom pin hole on the boom. Didnt trust the locking pin for the turn table alone.

Hurst

 

I use 9 1/2" chains on a 86,000lb 336.

 

I figured it would be heavy, that machine in that configuration would be even without the boom. I was picturing a standard excavator, which is heavy enough imagine the boom in that one. I was curious how the 2 cheaters axled out. On a side note, be careful running chains through a hole like that especially on a new machine. The chain can bugger up the hole sometimes.

 

I didn't catch that earlier, you should never run a chain thru a hole with a bushing in it.

Never hauled a 345 before, but from a 318-336 they have tie downs under the house inboard of the counter weight. You can cross chain there to keep the house from pivioting.

 

Its not a bushing hole.

This machine has a 2 piece boom,.. then the stick and what ever else attaches to the second half. Its just a hole to set pins in for the other half of the boom.

I looked for other places to chain underneath,.. with out wrenching off an inspection plate, I saw nothing. The only other options were to hook to the top of the counter weight to the crane hooks or on top of the boom itself. No grease or sleeve inside the hole.







Hurst

 

Should I have used more chains? I have 4 front and 4 aft with 9th on the boom. The chain on the boom is angled back to help catch it from moving forward as well and side to side. I only have one more 1/2 inch chain,.. rest are 7/16 and a couple shorter 3/8.