How do you tie/secure your tractor to trailer / front or backwards with canopy?

[BigG]

Home Depot, Lowes, Tractor Supply, and Harbor Freight all have straps. I like straps over chains for everything. If I had a 10,000 pound piece of equipment I might reconsider.

Straps have a place. Chains have their place. Sometimes you can use one for the other but not always. The straps can and do get cut or worn. Chains tend to last better anywhere there are sharp edges. I have seen many loads with straps that should have been chained. Weight is not the only factor to worry about. Think about if something was to go wrong, will the load stay secured. The strap that is pulled just right to miss the sharp edge may be easily damaged if the load shifts. An they will shift.

 

[Chad D.]

Straps have a place. Chains have their place. Sometimes you can use one for the other but not always. The straps can and do get cut or worn. Chains tend to last better anywhere there are sharp edges. I have seen many loads with straps that should have been chained. Weight is not the only factor to worry about. Think about if something was to go wrong, will the load stay secured. The strap that is pulled just right to miss the sharp edge may be easily damaged if the load shifts. An they will shift.

Valid point, but also important to remember that there are some very well thought out strap solutions these days. For example, the lasso straps I use are never against anything but the rubber tires or the smooth D-ring that they are intended to be used with. There is also a chafe resistant sleeve that you slide into position within the D-ring. I would not use these straps to tie down a rough edged implement like a disc set. I’ve seen way more people driving with improperly tensioned chains than I’ve seen with cut straps….

 

[CGMKCM]

I have a fiberglass canopy, If I load backward I place way too much weight on the tongue and lose the stability provided by the trailer axles spring packs. To get better balance backward I would have to remove the FEL.
I called the canopy manufacturer and they said they have never had a canopy failure do vibration or wind damage. When I tow the tractor it is all local roads so I travel at 50 mph max. I also use straps and firehose for chafing protection.

 

[rc51stierhoff]

I have a 4 hr trip one way to 2nd property with MX…combination of state roads and interstate…i am traveling at speed and I haul implements and or a big job box. I don’t have a way to back on trailer and balance it. I have a mix of curvy / hilly roads and interstate speeds. I’d love a canopy but I think I would just worry to much about it becoming a sail or Schrapnell. Jyouz has about the slickest canaopy I’ve seen but I am chickenshit about it. Rhino has one that pulls off pretty easily but after seeing jyouz i can’t bring myself to spend more money for plastic that sure looks to be less durable. Do to my travel I have to prioritize trailer/hauling safely. I’ve lost a tire in traffic/construction on highway…not much fun. And years ago I lost an empty trailer where hitch snapped…chains to truck did their job but I was in a friends driveway when it happened. Lucky not to have been in the road. After those two incidents I’ll not skimp.

 

[Bpathfinder]

I use chains to secure my tractor on my trailer. I made a bumper for the front and welded a D-ring for the chain to go through. The rear I tie to my implements on the tractor since they are connected to the tractor.

 

[Dennis.D]

I use straps also. No nicks or chips and all 4 corners are strapped to the trailer. Each strap has a 10000 lb load rating. I also agree that if there is any chance a strap will get on a surface that will chafe or cut, a chain is the way to go.

 

[BigG]

I use straps also. No nicks or chips and all 4 corners are strapped to the trailer. Each strap has a 10000 lb load rating. I also agree that if there is any chance a strap will get on a surface that will chafe or cut, a chain is the way to go.

A 2 inch ratchet strap has a Working Load Limit of 3,333 pounds. When used on one side of the trailer it is 3,333/2 = 1667 pounds. The wheel lasso, 3,333 WLL, should be used to form a "y" over the center of the tire. The extra strap may be the weakest link thus reduce the WLL. The buckets are required to be lowered to the deck with a strap or chain to secure them.

After saying the above you will probably be able to transport the tractor without any problems.

 

[Dennis.D]

A 2 inch ratchet strap has a Working Load Limit of 3,333 pounds. When used on one side of the trailer it is 3,333/2 = 1667 pounds. The wheel lasso, 3,333 WLL, should be used to form a "y" over the center of the tire. The extra strap may be the weakest link thus reduce the WLL. The buckets are required to be lowered to the deck with a strap or chain to secure them.

After saying the above you will probably be able to transport the tractor without any problems.

I thought about using the y over the center, but I believe I get a little more front to back stability from hooking in front and in back of the tire. I use a ratchet on both ends of the strap. I tried it with only 1 ratchet, but it left the opposite end of the strap slightly loose. When I ratcheting the tires down (with 2 ratchets) you can see the tire squat into the trailer. I did know that legally all buckets and attachments need to be lowered to the trailer and strapped or chained down.

 

[CGMKCM]

 

[Camlocker75]

I've used HD ratchet straps for years. I bought my most recent set at Tractor Supply and never had any issues with them. In fact, I drove to Tennessee yesterday to pick up my new L3901. It was a 5 hour drive using those straps and they stayed tight the entire trip. Secure it correctly and they will serve you well.