 Towing a crane like this calls for the right kind of trailer, like the low-boy. The low-boy trailer is specially designed to carry large and heavy pieces of equipment. In this program we'll be looking at loading and towing heavy equipment on the low-boy. We'll look at pre-trip inspections, loading the trailer, towing and basic maneuvering, unloading the trailer and unhooking the trailer from the truck tractor. Before we get started, a word about your responsibility. If you load it and you drive it, you're responsible. So double-check your work. Don't move the trailer until you're satisfied that the load is secure and safe to take out on the road. Okay, let's start with pre-trip inspections. The first step in the pre-trip inspection is the daily checks on the truck itself. These checks include the engine oil, the engine coolant, and everything contained in the operator's daily checklist for trucks. Because these checks are covered in the program on dump truck operation, we won't go into them here. The first check you should make on the trailer is a walk-around inspection. Start by taking a good look at the tires. Good tires at the correct pressure are critical for safe towing. Use a gauge if you think the tires are under or over-inflated. Check the condition of the tread and sidewalls. Look for uneven tread wear, cuts, or embedded stones. A blowout could be disastrous. And check for loose or broken lug nuts and axle bolts. Then walk around the trailer and look for anything that may cause a problem. Check the condition of the trailer bed and clean off rocks or other debris. Check the air hoses and brackets. Look for cracks or unusual chafing that could develop into trouble. Next, check your chains and binders. Make sure you have enough for the equipment you're going to be loading. Look for worn or cracked links. You're responsible for making certain that the chains on your trailer are of the proper tensile strength. You can check this by inspecting every 12th link on the chain. There is an identification number that identifies the chain as weld proof. This trailer has its own independent power source. The trailer motor operates a hydraulic ram that raises and lowers the gooseneck. And with it, the trailer. Some trailers do not have an independent power source. Instead, the gooseneck and trailer are raised and lowered hydraulically from the tractor. This is called a wetline system. The next step in the pre-trip inspection is to check the trailer motor. Check the engine oil, the fuel, the battery, and the hydraulic oil. Check the trailer's lights, both turn signals, the brake, and the backup signals. If none work, recheck the electrical connector. If some work, check for burned out bulbs. Also, make sure your emergency warning light is working. And that's it for pre-trip inspections. Now let's look at loading the trailer. The low buoy trailer can be loaded from the front or from the back. Always try to load from the front. When the trailer is unhooked for loading, the front of it can be lowered completely. This makes loading large and heavy pieces of equipment safer. When the ramps on the back of the trailer are lowered, the angle of climb is steeper and therefore not as safe. You should load from the back only when loading from the front is physically difficult or impossible. When, for example, you're loading on a public road or in an area where the unhooked truck does not have enough space to drive away from the loading path. The first step in loading is to position the truck and trailer on level ground, whether it's in the yard or out in the field. The spot should be firm enough so that the trailer won't sink underneath the weight of the load. To load the trailer from the front, you have to unhook it from the gooseneck. The gooseneck connects the truck chassis to the trailer. Here's how the gooseneck is unhooked. First engage the truck's emergency brake and the trailer brake. The trailer brake prevents the trailer from moving when you load the equipment. Next, start the trailer motor. Then push the hydraulic control valve down. This causes the hydraulic ram to lower and the trailer and gooseneck to rise. Raise the gooseneck and trailer slightly. Then release the gooseneck safety latch. When this latch is engaged, it prevents the trailer and gooseneck from coming apart during towing. Unhook the electrical cable and the two air hoses and stow them in the compartment built into the trailer bed. Next, lift the lever that controls the two stabilizer bars. These bars keep the gooseneck and trailer level and prevent the two parts from bending during towing. Then lift the hydraulic control valve. This lifts the hydraulic ram and allows the trailer bed to lower. Lower the bed completely to the ground. Then climb into the truck. Release the emergency brake and drive forward enough to give the equipment operator plenty of room to load the equipment. In this program, we'll look at loading a crane and a rubber-tired roller. Let's look at loading the crane first. First, position the boom and cab of the crane directly over the tracks. Then engage the house lock. The house lock locks the crane and boom in line with the undercarriage. This prevents the boom from swinging into traffic during towing. Next, lower the trailer ramps. Because the crane is wider than the lowboy, you'll have to add some width to the trailer bed. You do this by opening the outrigger brackets on both sides of the trailer and attaching planks to them. Now you're ready to drive the crane onto the trailer. Use a spotter to help you. Drive the machine onto the trailer slowly and carefully. It's a big piece of equipment and you don't want anything to go wrong. Make sure the tracks are centered on the trailer as you drive on. When the bucket is near the end of the trailer, lower it carefully onto the trailer bed. Then drive the crane the rest of the way on. When the crane is positioned on the trailer, lower the boom until it's parallel with the ground. The boom must be low enough to avoid hitting power lines or other obstacles during towing. Next, raise the trailer ramps. Now you're ready to hook the trailer to the tractor. The procedure for hooking up is basically the opposite of unhooking. Back the truck slowly and carefully until the gooseneck comes into contact with the trailer. Use a spotter to help you. Then set the truck's emergency brake. Start the trailer motor and push the hydraulic valve down. When the trailer is fully raised, engage the safety latch for the gooseneck and the two stabilizer bars. Then connect the electrical cable and the air hoses to the tractor. Then raise the hydraulic ramp. When the trailer is hooked up, drive the crane back until it almost touches the gooseneck. Now the machine is properly positioned for towing. Next, attach red warning flags to the end of the boom and to the crane. Attach the flags to the driver's side. This way they are visible to drivers passing in the left lane on a four-lane highway or in the opposing lane on a two-lane highway. For a wide load like this, you'll also need to attach a wide load sign on the front of the truck tractor. Although the boom is already locked, you want to make sure it won't move. So attach a chain from the boom to the trailer. Run the chain through the boom and cross it underneath. Then raise the boom slightly to tighten the chain. And before you leave the crane, make sure the windows are latched and the door is locked. When you've finished loading, double check everything. The tie-down chain, the flags, the lights, the tires, the position of the crane on the trailer. Remember, from this point on, you're responsible for the trailer and the load. If you inspect your own trailer, you'll know you're safe. And that's it for loading the crane on the trailer. Before we move on to towing and maneuvering, let's take a brief look at loading a rubber-tired roller on the trailer. When the trailer is unhooked, lower the ramps and position the wooden blocks next to them. These blocks help support the roller's wheels when driving onto the trailer. Drive the roller onto the trailer slowly and carefully. Keep the machine centered and position it in the middle of the trailer bed. When you've positioned the roller, set the parking brake and shut off the engine. When you've hooked the trailer to the truck, you have to tie down the roller. You'll need two chains, one on each end. Pass the chain through the tie-down hook. Then attach the binder and take up the slack in the chain. The department uses both the spring-loaded binders, like this, and the ratchet binders, like this. Because spring-loaded binders can be dangerous, always use a pipe when taking up the slack in the chain. To make sure the binder doesn't pop open, wrap a wire around it. Follow the same procedure at the other end of the roller. And remember, double-check everything. And that's it for loading the Low Boy trailer. Now let's take a look at towing and basic maneuvering. The main point to remember is that the length of the Low Boy and the height and weight of the load make towing a Low Boy more difficult than normal driving. You have to know where the trailer is going at all times. Maneuvering this big load calls for extra care and skill in braking, turning, and backing. Before we get going, though, make sure your flags and wide-load sign are attached and your emergency light is working. If your load is more than eight feet wide, you'll also need a permit before you can tow it. And with a load this wide, you'll also need an escort. And make sure he's got his emergency lights on, too. Now let's look at towing, starting with braking. Some trucks are equipped with a trailer brake. That's the lever underneath the steering wheel. In slippery conditions or in an emergency, you can apply the trailer brake to help you stop quicker and safer and avoid a jackknife. Always test your brakes before you pull out. If the brakes are working correctly, they should bring both the truck and the trailer to a smooth stop. When you're towing, keep in mind that the weight of the trailer and load increases the amount of time and distance you need to stop. Downshift when possible. Let the truck's engine help control your speed. And begin applying the brakes well in advance of an intersection or turn. And of course the best way to ensure a smooth safe stop is to tow at a safe speed. A speed consistent with the road, traffic, and weather conditions. 35 to 45 miles per hour is the maximum range for towing any heavy equipment. Now turning. The main thing to remember is that the trailer takes a shorter path around turns. To avoid running over curbs and signs when you make a right turn, go farther into the intersection before you start your turn. Try not to cross the center line on the road you're turning from or the road you're turning onto. But if you have to, do it on the road you're turning onto, not the road you're turning from. At least then you'll be facing potential danger. The same holds true on left turns. Take a wide turn to avoid towing the trailer through the opposing lane. The trailer also takes a shorter path on curbs. For curves to the right, stay close to the center line. That'll keep the trailer on the road and off the shoulder. And for curves to the left, stay close to the edge of the pavement. That keeps the trailer from crossing the center line into oncoming traffic. Now let's look at backing. Backing is a difficult maneuver. Avoid it whenever possible. And never get into the position where you have to back into traffic. Before you back up, look behind you. Use both of your rear view mirrors and get someone to spot for you. Backing in a straight line is not too difficult, but when you're backing and turning at the same time, remember that the trailer turns in the opposite direction from the truck. You turn right, the trailer goes left, and vice versa. So you'll have to steer the truck in the opposite direction you want to go. It takes a lot of practice, so go slowly. Use your mirrors and a spotter. You also have to be aware of the height of the trailer. Always consider your overhead clearance before you drive in areas with low clearance or overhanging tree limbs and power lines. And that's it for towing and maneuvering. Now let's look at unloading. Unloading the trailer is basically the reverse of loading. First, follow the same precautions as in loading. Park on level ground, set the truck's parking brake and the trailer brake. Then unhook the loaded trailer from the truck the same way you unhook the unloaded trailer. When the trailer is unhooked and lowered to the ground, drive the truck forward. Lower the ramps and remove the safety chain from the boom. Remove the flags too. Then lift the boom and bucket and drive the crane off the trailer slowly and carefully. Then replace the ramps, remove the outriggers, and hook up the trailer to the truck. And that's it for unloading. Now the truck and trailer usually remain hooked together. Sometimes though the truck will be needed for some of the job and you'll have to unhook the truck from the trailer and the gooseneck. Here's how it's done. The first step is to fasten the two bars that connect the gooseneck and the trailer together. Make sure the cotter pins are securely fastened. These bars prevent the gooseneck from falling when it's disconnected from the truck. Then pull the lever that controls the fifth wheel lock. This lock locks the fifth wheel on the truck's chassis to the gooseneck. Pulling the lever unlocks the gooseneck from the fifth wheel. Next, start the trailer motor. Push the hydraulic control valve down. This lowers the hydraulic ramp and raises the gooseneck. When the gooseneck is raised far enough, climb into the cab, release the emergency brake, and drive the truck forward until the fifth wheel clears the gooseneck. Then disconnect the electrical cable and air hoses and attach them to the brackets on the back of the truck. And that's it for unhooking the truck from the gooseneck and trailer and for this program on the Lowboy. Remember, double check your work before you get out on the road. And when you're out on the road, drive slowly and carefully. That way you'll be sure to get both you and your equipment to the job site safely.