Trailer Your Rented Excavator

By CE Contributing Authors February 5, 2013 View Profile

So you’ve run the numbers and decided to purchase or rent a new mini excavator for your business. Smart move. After all, it’s hard to find a more versatile day-to-day machine when it comes to on-the-job performance. With its small footprint and multiple attachment options, the mini excavator gives utility contractors the ability to handle more jobs in shorter time than ever before — and that means more income for your business.

One other advantage of a mini excavator is that it can be towed on a pull-behind trailer using pickup truck power. How much truck power do you need? A look at the vehicle owner’s manual will confirm your truck’s tow rating including size, maximum loaded weight and maximum tongue weight of a trailer that the vehicle is capable of towing.

However, the most important number to look for is the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). Your truck’s GCWR is a specific weight determined by the manufacturer to be the maximum weight of a loaded tow vehicle and its attached loaded trailer. Specifically, it’s the permissible combined weight of the tow vehicle, trailer, passengers, equipment, fuel and any other cargo. Exceeding your GCWR can result in a number of safety issues. Overloading a tow vehicle or a trailer individually is dangerous enough, but overload them both and you’re flirting with disaster. For example, the brakes may no longer be able to slow down or stop your vehicle. Suspension components can break. Tires succumb to the weight and blow out. Your tow vehicle engine and transmission could even overheat and fail … you get the idea.

Another important safety measurement manufacturers list is called tongue weight, which is defined as the amount of the trailer’s weight that presses down on the trailer hitch. Too little tongue weight can cause a trailer to sway in traffic. Too much tongue weight can compromise steering by pulling weight off of the front wheels of the tow vehicle. Special tongue weight scales are available for purchase at most trailer retailers for a little over $100. These easy-to-use devices register weights instantly and allow you to adjust the tongue weight by adjusting the load while hooked up, if necessary.

Safety First

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls are the leading cause of injury in construction jobs. But, close behind in second place is being struck by a vehicle or other object. About 70 percent of these injuries, including many fatalities, involve loading excavating equipment and other heavy equipment on and off for transport. Remember, a mini excavator is still heavy-duty equipment. Following these safety measures when loading your machine on or off a trailer will protect your investment and even serious injury:

Ensure the trailer is parked on level, stable ground. If you don’t have a clear view, walk around the vehicle and trailer to check for obstructions.
Make sure any workers on foot around equipment being loaded or unloaded remain alert at all times.
The tow vehicle should have its brakes set and motor turned off.
Make sure both the trailer and ramp are wide enough for the equipment and the trailer ramp is long enough to avoid steep angles when loading or unloading.
Have a spotter to guide the driver in positioning the equipment while loading and unloading.
Make sure any load you are carrying is secured and stable on the trailer. While recommendations vary, a rule of thumb for mini excavators is to chain the four corners of the machine and also chain any implements (i.e. one on the blade and one on the bucket).

Choosing the Right Trailer

Just like the mini excavator, trailers come in all sizes and shapes with a host of features and available accessories to help make transporting your new investment easier and safer. But how do you know which trailer is the right one to get you from jobsite to jobsite?

Just like your tow vehicle, your trailer has its own Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), and your initial investigation should always start here. It’s important that the empty weight of the trailer combined with the weight of your mini excavator, as well as any other cargo you carry, never exceed the trailer’s GVWR. So make sure you know the weight of all equipment you want to tow with your trailer before you start shopping.

There are options available to you for attaching the trailer — a standard 2 5/16-in. adjustable coupler hitch hook-up is most common, but for the heaviest mini excavators you might wish to invest in a fifth-wheel trailer hook-up for added stability on the road.

When loading your trailer, make sure the bulk of the machinery is loaded directly over the axles. This will minimize tongue weight and provide the most stable of rides.

Typically, a two-axle design is recommended for machinery loads in the 5- to 6-ton range. A three-axle design is better for machinery weighing in excess of 12,000 lbs.

Other features and specifications to consider when choosing your trailer are:

Length and width considerations. Make sure you measure the flat area of the trailer’s length (some longer trailers provide a slight incline at the back of the trailer bed which assists in making the loading process safer).
As a rule of thumb, make sure the width is at least one foot wider than the width on either side of the largest heavy-duty equipment you’ll be transporting.
Deck height. Normal trailers range in the 32- to 33-in. range, while low profile trailers are typically 16 to 23 in. and provide easier loading especially for short hauls to jobsites. Electric or hydraulic surge brakes on all axles are recommended.
Reinforced suspension is recommended to promote safer driving conditions, as are radial tires.
Pressure-treated wood decking is recommended as are 3-in. reinforced metal channel cross-members and 6-in. channel main frames.
Length of ladder ramps are typically 5 to 6 ft; some expensive trailers have self-contained hydraulic dampers to move ramps up and down.

To optimize the service life of your trailer, keep the trailer clean and free from any chemicals, including regular road salt, as they are known corrosives. Also, before loading or unloading machinery, always check to make sure tires are aired-up to the proper PSI. It’s a good idea to check your state laws for detailed rules and regulations for moving heavy-duty construction equipment. After all, your mini excavator is still a multi-ton load and very visible to your local police and highway patrol. Being fully informed on how to safely transport your major new investment is not only prudent, but smart business.

Sam Gayman is manager of sales and marketing for Bri-Mar Trailers, based in Chambersburg, Pa.