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a few anxious moments.

Started by leroy in kansas, April 06, 2014, 12:27:39 PM

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leroy in kansas

Was returning home from a small job this weekend. Went across a small bridge and the hitch on the saw, came off the ball. My first thought was "oh no, there goes my saw". The safety chain held and was able to get it stopped before turning over. Only damage, other than my shorts, was a broken safety chain, (had two on it) and some scraping on the rack that holds the hydraulic lines. I guess I didn't get the lever locked for the hitch. The lesson, be sure it's locked. 

Chuck White

I've gotten to where I will check the hitch 3-4 times before I actually start to move!  :)

Rates right up there with checking the outriggers.  ;)
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

backwoods sawyer

That was a close one :o
I like to walk around the mill twice before pulling out, but then there is the morning I pulled out the gate and felt a jolt the front out rigger sheared off and the tire hisses at me :-\
Backwoods Custom Milling Inc.
100% portable. . Oregons largest portable sawmill service, serving all of Oregon, from our Backwoods to yours..sawing since 1991

ozarkgem

Quote from: leroy in kansas on April 06, 2014, 12:27:39 PM
Was returning home from a small job this weekend. Went across a small bridge and the hitch on the saw, came off the ball. My first thought was "oh no, there goes my saw". The safety chain held and was able to get it stopped before turning over. Only damage, other than my shorts, was a broken safety chain, (had two on it) and some scraping on the rack that holds the hydraulic lines. I guess I didn't get the lever locked for the hitch. The lesson, be sure it's locked.
I had a trailer come off and passed me and went through the showroom window at Roper Honda in Joplin. Not a good day. I also drove all the way to Kentucky  and forgot to latch the hitch. I worry about me sometimes.
Mighty Mite Band Mill, Case Backhoe, 763 Bobcat, Ford 3400 w/FEL , 1962 Ford 4000, Int dump truck, Clark forklift, lots of trailers. Stihl 046 Magnum, 029 Stihl. complete machine shop to keep everything going.

Klicker

I had trouble with the hitch on my mill a few times I  tighten the locknut on my mill a few time on day coming home from a job I  felt it saway for the first time and stop to look it only had one safety chain lolding it to the truck . I always put a lock not. A pin through the hitch . I had a new hitch put on no problem sence
2006 LT 40 HD

drobertson

No doubt about it a Close One!  Trailer hitches are for men like hot irons for women, " Did I unplug it?"
I double triple check for sure, just one of those things, nagging even when going down the road.
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

underdog

Pintle hitch for the win.
There are at least three different styles.



Hardest part is converting the trailer over I guess.


Good to read you survived the event.

yukon cornelius

that could have been so bad! I always fear not only losing a trailer but the fact that its a 50/50 chance of it going to the ditch or the other lane and hitting someone. saw it a few times in the fire service. some times it ended poorly for someone else. I did lose a truck off a u haul trailer after the strap locks failed. It was at a stop sign in a small town as I pulled away from the stop the truck stood still as I pulled the trailer out from under it. I had hauled it about 100 miles already when that happened.  God was watching out for me as he was you also!
It seems I am a coarse thread bolt in a world of fine threaded nuts!

Making a living with a manual mill can be done!

Dave Shepard

I'm glad it didn't get away from you!

I'm with underdog, I really don't like ball hitches at all. I converted my trailers to pintle.

Quote from: underdog on April 06, 2014, 08:36:07 PM
Pintle hitch for the win.
There are at least three different styles.



Hardest part is converting the trailer over I guess.


Good to read you survived the event.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

SawyerBrown

Good to hear I'm not the only one that checks 3 or 4 times that everything is connected and ready to travel.  If it's a longer trip, I always do another once-over when I stop for coffee (or to get rid of some).
Pete Brown, Saw It There LLC.  Wood-mizer LT35HDG25, Farmall 'M', 16' trailer.  Custom sawing only (at this time).  Long-time woodworker ... short-time sawyer!

Coon

I for one absolutely hate pintle hitches unless you have a pintle lock.  No, I don't mean just the safety pin that holds the pintle closed.... it's the lock that takes out most of the free play between the loop and the hitch.... If you are on winding or hilly roads where your speed is constantly changing or hit the brakes for a quick stop without a pintle lock the trailer hitch can slam against the top of the hitch and break the safety pin and allow the hitch to open up.  Even grade 8 bolts are no match to be used as a safety pin.  I was pulling a 52 foot liquid manure agitator behind an F350 on a rough road and had a grade 8 bolt for a safety pin as we had repeatedly broke any other softer off the shelf pins you could buy. Anyhow, the safety pin broke with jarring from rough roads, and I lost the agitator in a ditch where it rolled over.....ooops there's $75 grand worth of scrap iron.   :o   :o  Needless to say we did not have pintle lock.....
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 w/Kohler,
Husqvarna, Stihl and, Jonsereds Saws

Dave Shepard

All three of the pintles in the pictures above rely on the mechanism to hold the pintle closed, not the little pin. I don't think I've ever seen a style where the little pin holds the load.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Delawhere Jack

A couple times I've left a job, gotten a mile or two down the road and thought "did I latch the coupler?". Pulled over to check it and sure enough I hadn't... Now I make it a point to do a walk around, and give it my undivided attention before I leave. Haven't had that issue for the past six months now........ but I have left my mills fenders behind....... twice.....  :-[

leroy in kansas

I use Underdogs ball and pintle hitch with a 2 5/16" ball on my log trailer. Started doing this after I lost a trailer on I 70 between Columbia and KC. came loose and began spinning around in the road. Nothing else damaged. Think God was looking out for me that day also.

Bet the mill has a 2 5/16" on it before it goes out again.

Coon

I hear you on that Dave, but without the safety pin in place it often don't take all that much jarring to pop that mechanism open. It may only take one good bump with a trailer loaded a little heavier on the rear end to break the pin and pop open the pintle mechanism.

The ball style pintles also are only rated to pull what the ball itself is rated for so be aware... you don't need the DOT's on you like flies on a gut pile....
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 w/Kohler,
Husqvarna, Stihl and, Jonsereds Saws

Magicman

"Forgetting" is even worse when you forget overlook everything.  I got distracted and pulled out with the sawmill only sitting on the ball.  No safety chains or anything.  LINK
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

thecfarm

I use to keep the trailer and tractor at my Father's house. I had a padlock on the lock part. Padlock would go in my pocket when I hooked up. Padlock in my pocket when I went to drive off told me something was wrong. I always had it locked for the drive to his place. And this was done 3-4 times a week all summer.
Now I won't tell you how loud the ramps are when I forgot to put them up and I pulled forward to turn around.  ::)
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

goose63

I hang the padlock from steering wheel cant forget then but at my age you never know ;D
goose
if you find your self in a deep hole stop digging
saw logs all day what do you get lots of lumber and a day older
thank you to all the vets

dboyt

Leroy, glad everything worked out and that you & the mill are OK.  I like the idea of putting the lock in a pocket or steering wheel.  Just out of curiosity, how many people have mills with electric brakes & break-away systems?
Norwood MX34 Pro portable sawmill, 8N Ford, Lewis Winch

SawyerBrown

Absolutely.  WM LT35.  Also in the process of putting on my log trailer.
Pete Brown, Saw It There LLC.  Wood-mizer LT35HDG25, Farmall 'M', 16' trailer.  Custom sawing only (at this time).  Long-time woodworker ... short-time sawyer!

36 coupe

You have to double check everything.Forgetting things starts at 45 and gets worse as you age.At 76 I have to watch it.Ban me from the forum if you like but you get stupid as you get older.

thecfarm

My stupidness started around 20 years old and has not let up one little bit.  ;D
When I was hauling the tractor, everything was done in a certain order. And than double checked in a certain order too.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

kelLOGg

I have learned to check multiple times, too, and I never let the customer "help" be secure the mill for travel. Once I thought he secured his side of the sawhead but on making a turn I saw a slight tilt of the head. >:(. Stopped immediately and secured it. No problem but it could have been a disaster!

Also, once I neglected to secure the swinging boom loader on my mill once.

 

As I pulled out onto the road it swung around and fortunately I was in the right-most lane so there was no traffic. A swinging 3" pipe can ruin everyone's day.
Bob
Cook's MP-32, 20HP, 20' (modified w/ power feed, up/down, loader/turner)
DH kiln, CatClaw setter and sharpener, tandem trailer, log arch, tractor, thumb tacks

Larry

I always check multiply times, especially with the mill as there are so many items that need stowed, cranked up, and tied down.

Couple of years ago I took the mill to the small engine guy for adjustment.  Next day I went to pick it up.  Nice guy guided me back to hook up.  Got out to check things over and he said "your ball is 2"...hitch is 2-5/16" :-[. 

Got three drawbars.  Two with 2" balls and one with 2-5/16".  Moral of the story is even if everything looks good, it might not be.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

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