keeping walkbehinds in place

[JML]

What do some of you guys do to keep your walk behinds in place while on your trailers. We have boards under the tires, but they are a pain, just wondering if anyone has any other ideas? thanks

[Scotlawncare]

trimmer trap's creaper keeper is what i am going to install as soon as i get a new trailer. go to their web site and check it out.

Till i get it mounted i just use ratchet straps.

Scot

[molerat]

I use racket tie downs. Try that, I thick you'll like that

[longviewlawncare]

same as molerat, i use 2 tiedowns per mower

[Jimbo]

One tie down at each rear tire and one bungee on each front swivel tire. Plus I keep it in gear.

This work good becuase the bungees can give and take as the load moves ever so slightly.

Jim

P.S. My ZTR has a brake which holds great. Plus the hydro wheel motor pumps hold it too. No tie downs for the ZTR.

[MrUPS]

Originally posted by Jimbo
One tie down at each rear tire and one bungee on each front swivel tire. Plus I keep it in gear.

This work good becuase the bungees can give and take as the load moves ever so slightly.

Jim

P.S. My ZTR has a brake which holds great. Plus the hydro wheel motor pumps hold it too. No tie downs for the ZTR.

I was told not to keep it in gear, while traveling, each time the mower shifts it will wear on the trany. Not sure if is true! I just use two rachet tie downs on my 48" wb and watch out for the big bumps!
Rob

[TJLC]

My Exmark z is no problem, the brake holds it fine. On my Exmark w/b I had the brake kit installed on it. It works GREAT, holds my w/b securely in place and is very easy to operate. I used to use the board and tiedown methods. The brake is SUPERIOR, I would highly reccomend it. It is the same brake system that is on the tthp, I believe. I think it is standard on all new Exmark w/b's.

[Wayne Offiler]

I have front wheelchocks bolted to the floor. Large eye-bolt attached to front of deck (which I also use to raise deck with chain fall). Chain is attached to front of trailer, has heavy snap-hook on end. I drive mower up to chocks and simply snap on chain. Mower can't move at all.

[AltaLawnCare]

I was also told not to leave a belt drive in gear, it would be hard on the tranny.

I made "cups" for the wheels to sit in. They are made from angle iron, and bolt to the trailer floor.

My mowers would slide on the boards, even with the brakes set.

I used to have a picture, I'll see if I can find it.
;)

[AltaLawnCare]

:cool:
<img border="0" src="http://community.webshots.com/rz/r1/5/70/12/28657012BuRUFTJOBz_ph.jpg"width="421"height="316">

[AltaLawnCare]

The little one is unfinished and shows how the angle is 'upside down' on the ends to drive over. The small one is for the front tire.

I use one for the left rear tire and one for the right front tire. You can also run a cheap ratchet tie down over the tires for added security.:)

[Strongmd]

We just use 2x4's carriage bolted to the floor of the trailer, the mowers never move at all. We have 2 trailers, with a rider and a w/b on each. There is a 2x4 in front of and behind each of the drive wheels. Works great. MUCH MUCH faster than straps.

[2tall]

I use garage door cables with hooks on the end.

[lawnworker]

One thing, anyone that does not use good tie downs or something strong to hold their mowers down, is risking seeing them go thrugh the air in even a minor wreck. just a thought I had.

[darryl gesner]

Parking brake on my Exmark TT HP, which is now standard equipment for the 2002 model year. Works great. Push mower just gets a bungee.

[BLL]

i go teh parkin gbreak on my new tthp and it still seems to slide around a little. i think the wheels dont spin but they slide on teh deck of the trailer. Even the parking break isnt perfect.

[Got Grass?]

I dunno about everyone else but most of the roads arround here are pretty bad from all the salt & plowing in winter, or the contruction work to fix them.

Today I hit a pot hole acelerating out of a parking lot today & watched the deck fly up & rest on the handle bars. Taped the breaks & it went back down till I could stop & ratchet it down. The one time I forgot. Almost snapped my trimmer in half.

I saw someone hit a pot hole, the WB deck fly up & land on the engine of thier Z. Bent the blades & spindles.

Know of people who crushed trimmers, sliced tires on edger blades, crush full gas cans...

Trust me a simple parking break does no good when you hit a pot hole or bump & the tires come off the deck...

Simple ratchet tie downs work great. So it will take en extra 30 seconds a stop, but its well worth it. Bungee cords work but will snap extremely easy, expecially when you forget to unhook it when ya drive off & it flys back into your leg... That will hurt.

Most importantly its required by LAW to properly secure all equipment & tie down ALL mowers. Dont know if its law where you are but it sure is here.
I've been stoped before when an idiot wired the directionals wrong. Thay checked for tires, chains crossed & proper slack, plates, securing equipment properly, pin in ball lock, gas cans closed, licences, etc... I passed except for the lights, I odviously had to fix arround the corner.

Imagine if someone ran a light, hit the side of your trailer, mower rolls off onto their hood & thru the window, because it wasnt properly secured to your trailer? Altho not likely but possible think about how you would feel?

[ADLAWNCUTTERS]

i have never tied the mowers down, just leaving them in gear has worked fine for me for over17 years with no problems.are you guys driving over dirt roads.

[Strongmd]

My trailers have 4' high expanded metal sides, so mowers falling off isn't a concern.
30 seconds per stop can add up too!
16 lawns/day x 2 crews=32 lawns x 30 seconds per lawn = 16 minutes per day strapping down equipment
= 80 minutes/week x 26 weeks = 2080 minutes per season
which equals almost 35 hours!
So, at $40/man hour, it cost me around $1,400/season in revenue to strap my mowers.
Our roads aren't too bad here though.

Just one way to look at it.
Every second counts

[mdb landscaping]

I use greentouch industries walkbehind tie downs.

http://www.green-touch.com/productCat3465.ctlg

They work really good because not once has my walkbehind come loose. they just screw into the floor and then your set.

[darryl gesner]

Got Grass - You made some very good points. If I take the highway (which is rare) I do strap down the front of my WB as well as using the parking brake, and the strap also goes across my trim mower. It's not something I regularly do and may regret some day, but time is money and all my equipment is insured.