Hello all,
I have been offered the opportunity to get onto a local low loader firm and i am looking for advice from drivers that have done it before.
I will be moving anything from a 1 ton access lift to a 60 ton digger ( his words). Just looking for advice/tips to go to see him with on Saturday.
Many thanks in advance Richard
Difficult to advise at this stage , don’t know what machines or trailer to be used.
From what you have said it looks like they are willing to take you on and train you up on everything from tiddlers to big uns , do you have any experience in machinery movements at all ?
If the money’s anything like it sounds a good job.
Jim
Not a bad job in the summer and dry season.
A real zb of a job in the winter chaining putting up wide load boards on odd shapes etc. Normally if it’s a good firm ie family run you’ll get looked after and if your doing a lot of big stuff the kit will normally be kept up together because your a hi-viz target
Are you sure it’s a low loader and not a semi ?
If your moving new machines then keep some old gloves or bits of rubber to go under the chain to stop them damaging the machines, If your loading an excavator on metal tracks don’t spin in around too fast because they will slid on the bed. Sit them on rubbers and if your useing alloy ramps use rubbers on them too. Strap/chain the arms to the bed with wood or rubber under the arm and under the chain if used.
May be you should clarify about the use of the word rubber as it means different things to different people.
Main thing is to be a calm individual, able to take no notice of traffic you are causing to do things they do not like, able to think that nothing is as important as you and your load/loading. If you have no experience you have obviously told the employers this and make it known you would like a fair bit of tying down education as others here have said.
To be honest if you haven’t had any experience doing low loader work and unless there is someone there prepared to teach you the correct way to load and chain down various plant I would think long and hard before you except the job.
It’s not the type of job you can blag,you’ve really got to know what your doing as you can’t afford to make any mistakes with such heavy kit.It’s normally a job you gradually build up to starting on rigids carrying small plant and then work your way up.
Forgive me if you’ve already done this, good luck if you have.
I did plant on a 8x4 + HIAB.
Really enjoyed it, but it was the ‘management’ that $%^&*( me off and put me off continuing (long story not for here though). 
It’s only a hard job if you want to make it a hard job. One of my best tools was a ‘hook on a stick’. Makes pulling chains through a muddy machines tracks dead easy, may even save you from constant jumping on / off the truck bed*…
As said, winter and wet days can be er, ‘interesting’…
They’ll probably teach you to load ‘facing downhill’ if on a gradient (obviously), what they may NOT say is, if / when it’s wet or icy, when loading something on tracks, it can / may shove the truck along away from you! 
*Until you get to a site where H&S don’t allow you onto truck bed unless wearing a harness never mind a hard hat.
And where do you attach the harness…■■ Sky hooks…? 
I passed my class 1 8 months ago been doin low loader work ever since then just part time it’s great never doin the same procedure twice
A recent run to London took some bit of building to get it all on
7m loadall
2x 3ton digger with 6 buckets
And a 3cx
I’m goin to try and upload a picture not to good on this yet
Semi.
low loader
Stepframe
ConnorV8:
I passed my class 1 8 months ago been doin low loader work ever since then just part time it’s great never doin the same procedure twiceA recent run to London took some bit of building to get it all on
7m loadall
2x 3ton digger with 6 buckets
And a 3cx
I’m goin to try and upload a picture not to good on this yet
Have you ever had any training in load securing? You’ve worked hard on that load but unless there are lashings I can’t see … I’m sorry but it isn’t secure.
shep532:
ConnorV8:
I passed my class 1 8 months ago been doin low loader work ever since then just part time it’s great never doin the same procedure twiceA recent run to London took some bit of building to get it all on
7m loadall
2x 3ton digger with 6 buckets
And a 3cx
I’m goin to try and upload a picture not to good on this yetHave you ever had any training in load securing? You’ve worked hard on that load but unless there are lashings I can’t see … I’m sorry but it isn’t secure.
I would agree, hit the brakes hard and it’s all going to move. Two straps around the tyres of the telehandler is not enough especially as the back one is way to low on the tyre.
shep532:
ConnorV8:
I passed my class 1 8 months ago been doin low loader work ever since then just part time it’s great never doin the same procedure twiceA recent run to London took some bit of building to get it all on
7m loadall
2x 3ton digger with 6 buckets
And a 3cx
I’m goin to try and upload a picture not to good on this yetHave you ever had any training in load securing? You’ve worked hard on that load but unless there are lashings I can’t see … I’m sorry but it isn’t secure.
straps onto hooks is never a good idea
There was chains on just can’t see very well on pictures made from London to belfast and only hand to just give everything a check at the docks… Straps was just extra security better safe than sorry
Some good advice given to me when I first went into heavy haulage, fasten it on as if you are going to drive like a maniac, then drive like its not fastened on at all. Use chains when ever you can and keep the fasteners well oiled. Relax, in heavy haulage land there is never a rush, everything takes at least 3 times longer than normal so don’t be worried about taking your time to be sure everything is ok before going on the road. Stop and check regularly. If you’re heavy and going down hill but can’t hold it back without using brakes then you are going too fast, don’t be afraid to crawl down hills, believe me, at 100 tonnes gross it’s the only way.
It’s a great job , I loved it and still miss the work, it’s the only time I’ve looked forward to work, every day is a different challenge.
Hello chaps.
Firstly thanks for all your replies on the subject.
I will be using a semi low loader (top picture), on a mid lift unit platted up to 80 tonnes.
Some.good advice so.far, so use chains as often as possible I take it and what about straps? Cheers
Easy really…
It’s not just strapping on ,it’s all the bits that arnt used to traveling backwards like roof kits ,and mirrors that the arms are seized up so won’t fold in air horns and beacons hitting trees ,windows falling or blowing out of old machines ect .