RGN loading procedure for excavators and tracked machinery
Loading an excavator onto an RGN is a slow, planned drive up the ramps, not a casual drive-on. This guide from OpenDeck, powered by Load Work, covers the trailer check, the loading sequence, the tiedown math for tracked machinery and the road checks that keep the machine on the deck. It is written for owner-operators hauling excavators and other tracked equipment on RGN and lowboy trailers in 2026.
TL;DR
Set the ramps and the deck before the machine moves, with one spotter calling every move.
Federal rules require the combined working load limit of your tiedowns to be at least half the machine's weight.
A 40,000-lb excavator needs at least 20,000 lbs of combined tiedown working load limit.
Re-check tiedowns within the first 50 miles, then every 3 hours or 150 miles.
Why this matters
The excavator is usually the most valuable thing on your trailer, and the loading is the most exposed minute of the trip. A machine that shifts on the ramp can damage itself, the trailer and anyone standing near it. Set the trailer up once, in order, and the highway part of the job is routine.
Check the trailer and the machine before anything moves
Start with the machine's operating weight from the spec sheet or the seller's listing, not an estimate. Equipment that runs on wheels or tracks and weighs 10,000 lbs or more falls under the heavy equipment securement rules in 49 CFR 393.130, and every number in your plan starts from that weight.
Walk the RGN before you load:
Ramps: rated for more than the machine weighs, long enough that the slope stays shallow, and latched to the deck. Track pads must sit fully on the ramp surface.
Well and deck: clean, no ice or loose chain, gooseneck legs stowed, deck lowered to the ground.
Ground: firm gravel or pavement, no soft shoulder, no soft spot under the ramp feet.
Axle weights: the loaded truck must stay inside the federal limits of 20,000 lbs on a single axle, 34,000 lbs on a tandem and 80,000 lbs gross.
The loading sequence, step by step
Line the tractor up straight with the ramps. A crooked approach puts the tracks off center, and the machine climbs at an angle that shifts its weight.
Set one spotter. One person, one set of agreed signals, clear sight of the operator and the ramps. Two people calling moves is how a machine ends up off the ramp.
Drive up slowly with the tracks centered. Keep the boom low and stowed. Stop when the machine sits with its weight between the trailer axles, not over the tractor.
Lock the machine down. Lower the bucket to the deck, set the parking brake, shut the engine down and pull the key before anyone walks under the boom.
Block the tracks if the machine has no fixed tie points. Wood blocking or chocks keep the tracks from creeping under braking.
Unloading runs the same steps in reverse, with the spotter in position at the foot of the ramps before the first track moves.
Count the tiedowns before the machine moves
Federal rules for machines on tracks or wheels, 49 CFR 393.130, require at least four tiedowns. Those tiedowns restrain the machine forward, rearward, sideways and upward, and their combined working load limit has to be at least half the machine's weight. For a 40,000-lb excavator, that means at least 20,000 lbs of combined working load limit across the chains.
Check the chain ratings on the tags, not by feel. A chain that looks heavy can still fall short of the number you need, and the rating is the number an inspector will read.
Check the height before you accept the load
There is no federal height limit, so each state sets its own. Many states cap legal height at 13 feet 6 inches, and some allow 14 feet. Measure the machine with the boom folded and the bucket low, add the deck height of your trailer, then check every state on the route before you take the load. A route that is legal at the first state line can fail at the next.
Road checks that keep the machine on the deck
Inspect the tiedowns within the first 50 miles.
Inspect them again every 3 hours or 150 miles, whichever comes first.
Check them after any hard stop, a pothole run or a rough stretch of road.
Write each check time on your log. A tiedown that loosened in the first 50 miles is the one you will find out about at the next scale.
Common mistakes on excavator RGN loads in 2026
These five mistakes cause most of the problems on excavator loads in 2026.
Loading with the ramps unlatched. A ramp that moves under the first track is the most common way a machine ends up off the trailer. Latch both ramps and walk the path before the operator starts the engine.
Trusting an old weight. Attachments, buckets and fluids change the number over time. Use the weight for the exact configuration you are hauling, and confirm it with the broker before you sign.
Chaining to hoses and cylinders. Tiedowns go to rated tie points or the frame. A chain on a hydraulic line or cylinder can fail the inspection and damage the machine.
Skipping the first road check. Chains settle in the first miles. The 50-mile check is the one that catches a loosened binder before it becomes a problem.
Quoting the rate without loading time. An excavator takes longer to chain down than palletized freight. Count the loading and tiedown time into the rate you accept.
Before you dispatch in 2026
Run this list in order before the truck leaves the yard:
Operating weight in writing, from the spec sheet or the broker.
Height with the boom folded and the bucket low, plus the deck height of the RGN.
Every state on the route checked for height, width and weight limits, with permits in hand for any state that needs one.
Ramps rated above the machine's weight, latched and clean.
Four or more tiedowns with a combined working load limit of at least half the machine's weight, and chain ratings read from the tags.
One spotter assigned, with signals agreed with the operator.
The 50-mile tiedown check time written on the trip log.
FAQ
Does an excavator on an RGN need a permit?
Only when the loaded machine goes over a state limit for width, height, length or weight. Check each state on the route before you accept the load, because limits differ from state to state.
How many tiedowns does an excavator need on an RGN?
At least four under 49 CFR 393.130, restraining the machine forward, rearward, sideways and upward. Their combined working load limit must be at least half the machine's weight.
Should one person load the machine alone?
No. Use a spotter on every load, with signals agreed before the operator starts the machine. One set of signals keeps the operator from guessing.
How often do I need to check the tiedowns?
Within the first 50 miles, then every 3 hours or 150 miles, whichever comes first. Check them again after any hard stop or rough road.
What if the ramps are too short for the machine?
Do not load it. Ramps must be rated for more than the machine weighs and long enough that the slope stays shallow. Get rated, longer ramps before the first track moves.
Where do I find RGN and lowboy freight?
On OpenDeck, powered by Load Work, which shows open-deck loads by equipment type. Plans and pricing are on the OpenDeck pricing page, and signup finishes inside Load Work.
One last thing
Before you accept an excavator load, ask the broker for the machine's operating weight and its height with the boom folded. Those two numbers decide the trailer, the tiedown count and the route. A broker who cannot give you both is a load to pass on.
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