How Not to load a Trailer. Mistakes that lead to accidents.

Trailer Mistakes, red flags & problems that lead to accidents. How to avoid the "Death Wobble" and pull out if it happens. Balancing your load, and best gear and equipment to keep you safe.

ISO tunes

Winter equipment-Best cutting edge ever:

[bobrose]

Once you get your sweet spot.. A can of spray paint to mark tire locations on the deck of the trailer for your common loads (skid loader with standard bucket or compact tractor with mower deck) Then just hit the wheel of the skid steer or tractor with a dab of the same color spray paint. Different load, different color... couple / three satisfies most needs.

[jonathanweintraub]

I wish I saw this video a year ago. I loaded a trailer incorrectly and had to drive home under 45 mph constantly applying the trailer brake. Luckily I noticed the fishtailing right away because this could have gone bad. Nothing worse than having a trailer loaded for you with no forklift to fix it once you’re on the road. This is a great video.

[spudman]

I've been driving trucks for quite a few years. This is by far one of the best explanations I have ever seen

[ericouellette]

After almost 19 years of driving semi I can feel how my load is in the trailer. I also gained a lot of experience on loading trailers. I have a trailer that I use to haul wood pellets on. Being it's short I can only fit 2 pallets of pellets on it. I tried 3 once and the very back pallet made the tongue of the trailer come up. Had to take the 3rd pallet off as I knew it wasn't safe to haul like that. I also understand about straps loosing up. I use to pull flatbed and hauled Christmas trees. Every 50 miles had to stop and tighten the straps. The trees would settle and the straps would loosen up. Kinda sucked cause if you knew there was a scale coming up you better stop before and tighten the straps. Had one driver not do it and not only had to tighten the straps at the scale but also got a ticket for an unsecured load. I still enjoyed the video and I will always learn something new. Always said if you hear a truck driver say they know everything about driving truck stay far away from them on the road. I learn something new almost every day even after almost 19 years driving.

[nachase]

My biggest piece of advice as far as loading goes: (speaking from personal experience). In the odds that your truck lifts off the ground and starts moving, keep loading. Don’t stop on the ramps. Stopping will only hold the truck up and you’ll keep moving and you’ll have high chances of jackknifing and doing a lot of damage. If you just keep driving whatever you’re loading, the weight will begin to even out and your truck will set back down, stopping the truck from moving.

I get that it can be slightly nerve racking when your truck and trailer starts to move, and that will probably make you freeze up and pause. Don’t let yourself do that. That’s the worse you can do.

[georgejudd]

Once again you did a great job, I am going to buy weigh safe and shock straps. I am 66 and have been trailering for 43 years. It is nice to see someone showing newbies how to properly load a trailer. I hope those people watch your video. Thank you!

[evanerickson]

The weigh safe hitch is an amazing but simple hitch. We have one for our snowmobile trailer and its awesome. Those pins come of to where you can adjust the ball height up and down. And you can change the ball out easily as well. It is the best user friendly hitch I have ever used.

[claymorton]

When I was first getting started I was loading my backhoe. My dump truck was on a slight downhill incline at the end of the road. In front of my truck was the bluff down to the river. I had just made it completely on the trailer when the back tires of the truck came off the ground and me the truck and trailer headed for the bluff. I quickly grabbed reverse and backed off the trailer. The truck stopped with the front tires on the edge. I was in shock but that is a lesson I will never forgot!!! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and saving some smart people that will listen alot of grief!! From another dirt the channel

[____________________________.x]

Good point about not loading in Park mode (actually not a gear, but a parking pawl), I'd never heard of it before.
This is why I watch your videos, you are just about the only guy that knows stuff that I don't.

[teejay]

Very helpful and informative video Stan.
Loaded heavy equipment for 30 years and I agree - so many people do it wrong.
After I became supervisor I had a company come out to the shop and train the crew on safe, proper and legal tie-down procedures. As an employer, I would have a new recruit load and secure a few pieces of equipment before hiring them to see what they know and don't know. This is something that doesn't get nearly enough attention.
Thank you for sharing this information. Especially the shock straps.
That's a big price-tag for a strap (buy once cry once) but worth it for the safety and peace of mind.
Thanks again for this video. THIS is exactly why I'm subbed to this guy!!

[Eitetube]

My best tip for driving a trailer safely: don't drive like you don't have a trailer. Meaning, slow the F down!

[nicklockard]

Very well explained. I suggest putting a marker or sticker at the center of gravity of each of your machines. Then put a corresponding sticker for the ideal matching spot on your trailer fender where they should align.

[jeffcourtney]

Holy tail whip batman!!! How did the guy in the video not lose that machine? The look on his face is priceless. Something you might consider talking about is how an employee can go about declining to transport equipment with under sized or defective equipment and not get blacklisted by employer. Many times I have had to transport equipment on trailers with defective brakes, lights, or even use trucks with defective controls because if I said anything or took time to fix I would be sitting at the house. Things dont have to be new and shiny, but they do have to work. Great video!!

[djhennessy]

I towed my bosses 14’ landscape trailer 30 out of 35kms I had to go until I rolled it my truck and the trailer at 110km/hr! Thinking even with 10+ yrs of experience towing big landscape weight, I still just didn’t load it right and probably a couple tires low on air. Now, I’m white knuckles every time I tow... it’s mentally and physically tough, but I still have tow a couple times a week for my current job. Thank you for taking time to put this video out there for all to learn, it will save lives!

[JeffGoldSr]

Good video, thank you for taking the time to show this, it should prevent a lot of accidents. I spent years teaching how to load tow trucks, flatbeds and trailers. I’m a big believer in the 4 point tie down system. I would like to add a couple of things... 1. You must also have a tie down restraining anything that articulates, so you need to restrain the bucket. 2. You should be checking your load within the first 25 miles and then periodically.

[barryhammel]

I like the way you go over in detail with what your showing . I like helping others learn also.

[urjb]

Solid video. I’ve been hauling stupid loads for 30 some years. Ive made almost every mistake at least once.. luckily without injury or serious damage.

There’s never a good time or place to have to adjust your load or re-secure it once you’re on the road.

Tie down selection is a personal choice.. I actually prefer the lever binders hands down.. but there are solid arguments for the ratchet style. One trick for ratchet straps on loads that can’t be tied too tight is to put a bungie from hook to hook or somewhere that will keep the hooks from becoming in-hooked if the load moves.

[jamesmoore]

I'm glad to see videos like this. I had a bad accident in my racecar and the car was put on my trailer backwards by the tow truck. I almost lost the whole setup at about 50 on the freeway from death wobble. Never doing that that way again.

[Trivit]

I'm glad you mentioned that the trailer should be level when you load or unload it... very important tip that I see a lot of people overlook

[eddie]

My dad taught me to strap down the equipment since i was 5, I am now 25 and I still do it the same way. Thank you for Spreading the knowledge.