While Billy Goat does make some consumer products, chances are if you own their equipment, you use it professionally. Going to job sites can mean bringing a long list of items from devices to fuel containers, which means even a minor mistake during transport can turn into an expensive repair or a dangerous situation. These tips will help you ensure you can get everything where you need it while minimizing the chance of damage and injury.
General Tips
As always, check the manuals for instructions for specific equipment. Some devices need to have the fuel tank drained before transport. If this is the case, always unplug the spark plugs before draining to prevent accidental fuel ignition.
Engines can remain hot long after they’ve been shut down: it’s not uncommon for mufflers to retain heat for over half an hour. Make sure there’s nothing flammable near the engine, and never cover equipment in a tarp unless it’s completely cool.
Never store gasoline in an enclosed area like a trunk or the cab of a truck. Fumes from the fuel can gather inside, poisoning the driver and passengers. Worse still, if you have an accident, the gasoline can spill and catch fire turning a minor accident into a life-threatening situation.
All walk-behind equipment should be loaded sideways to keep the wheels from letting the equipment roll forwards and backward. While movement will be limited, this equipment should still be tied down.
When lifting equipment, always pick it up by the frame or handles. Picking it up by other components could break them.
Riding Mowers and Tractors
These are the heaviest pieces of equipment, so they need to go at the front to balance the weight of the trailer or bed. At least 10% of the total weight of the trailer needs to be on the hitch ball to keep the trailer stable when towing.
Start by position the truck or trailer in an area where it will be level while the ramps will at or close to a 15 degrees angle. When loading a mower, lift the deck to its maximum height to ensure the blades can’t snag on the ramps or trailer.
Drive up to the back of the trailer and check the positions of the ramps, making sure all the wheels will roll over them.
When loading the mower or tractor, position it as far forward as possible without touching any walls, stakes or other supports. Even when the mower is tied down, it will still move around a little and could scrape against these surfaces.
Shut off the engine and engage the parking brake. To secure the equipment, use a pair of ratchet straps, running them over the frame and attaching the ends to the sides of the bed or trailer.
Pressure Washers
Before loading, the hose needs to be depressurized and detached from the pump. Billy Goat pressure washers can carry the gun and hose onboard, but these mounts aren’t secure enough for transport. Either tie down these components on their mounts or transport them separately from the pressure washer.
Aerators
The tines can get caught on ramps, potentially sliding them off of the trailer or flipping the aerator. Always set the depth to the maximum height before loading and make sure the linkages haven’t been damaged, letting a tine hang low enough to catch on the trailer or ramp. If you have a towable aerator, remove the water weights before loading.
Debris Loaders
Billy Goat designs their intake hoses with quick release hose clamps and a simple chain attachment to the boom. This lets you easily remove the hose before transport. The impeller intake cover should be down and the boom should be locked into place. Swiveling exhaust chutes also need to be fixed in place using the locking pin before transport.
Maintenance
Broken equipment isn’t just dangerous to use, it can be difficult to load. If you need to fix your Billy Goat equipment, visit www.billygoatparts.com. We’re a certified dealer for Billy Goat and the engine manufacturers they use including Honda and Briggs & Stratton so we can supply you anything you need from aerator tines to spark plugs whether you live in the U.S. or Canada.
