Not long ago, one of our neighbors
stopped by the shop. He’d never seen our
vehicle collection and the first question he asked was, “Where do you find
these pieces?” The answer is simple – They can be anywhere. I
never stop looking and researching brands – and – I take a fair number of road
trips. Eventually, the right original
pieces have a way of popping up. Even
after making arrangements to purchase a piece, though, the most critical step
is still to come – getting the wagon safely home.
Moving anything of value from one part
of the country to another can be stressful.
If you’re doing it yourself, there’s no substitute for a
well-thought-out plan. Of course, it’s
tough to predict every situation on the road but proper preparation can help
avoid many unnecessary challenges.
It’s timeless counsel that numerous travelers in the 1800’s American
West likely wished they’d heeded.
Throughout the Old West landscape, many rutted trails were strewn with
priceless possessions as pioneers discovered the results of poor timing and
planning. Today, it’s a legacy of loss
that no one wants to repeat. As a
result, many antique wagon collectors have developed meticulous ways for moving their wheeled treasures. I
thought I’d pass along a few related tips in this week’s blog.
The Trailer...
From driveway to highway and back, there
are a number of things that can help reduce tensions while traveling with
antique wooden vehicles. When hauling
these rolling works of art, I generally prefer to use an enclosed trailer. There are several reasons for this. First... security is always a factor. Original, century-plus-old pieces are not replaceable
and advertising that vulnerability by carrying them on an open trailer has the
potential of inviting the attention of thieves and vandals, or even
unintentional damage from curious onlookers.
Second... an enclosed trailer helps prevent the loss of smaller parts
that might be rattled loose from the wagon over long distances. Third... directly subjecting an antique
wooden vehicle to highway speeds accompanied by excessive wind, weather, bugs,
birds, road debris, and other elements can cause irreversible damage to a
piece. Pulling a wagon on an open
trailer with a tarp or plastic wrap is also not a good idea in my opinion. It will be difficult, if not impossible, to
keep the cover from wearing away paint or leaving permanent scuff marks on the
vehicle. Fourth... tie-down straps and
ropes can, and sometimes do, break. If
the antique vehicle is inside of a trailer instead of riding atop an open
trailer, the enclosed box gives you a safety net. So, even if a crucial tie-down does happen to
break, having the vehicle within a fully enclosed space can help keep it from
rolling out onto the road and into Splinterville.
The Padding...
Before traveling with an antique wagon,
take the extra time and attention to make sure everything is secure. Loose and easily removable items such as the
spring seat, bows, doubletree, tongue, and so forth should be taken off,
padded, and fastened down separate from the wagon. You'll also want to make sure there are no
loose, weakened, or broken pieces that may dislodge during the trip. Using old bed comforters, towels, or even
inexpensive moving blankets can save a lot of fretting and regrets. It’s always a good idea to test the cloth
wraps first to make sure they don’t bleed color onto your wagon should any
moisture happen to get on them. Another
area that deserves extra attention is the surface condition of the
vehicle. Most of my readers know I’m not
a huge fan of linseed oil on these old pieces.
There are a number of reasons for this and we don’t have room in this
week’s blog to cover them all. Even so,
if you happen to purchase a wagon with linseed oil on it – and the oil is still
tacky in places – be advised that your cloth padding may stick to the wood and
metal parts, leaving innumerable hairy fibers behind when the protective wrap
is removed. It’s no fun trying to clean
up that type of mess.
The Tie-Down...
Beyond the steps above, you'll need to
secure the wagon firmly to the trailer.
I typically use heavy duty, 2 to 3 inch wide ratchet straps (with
appropriate load limits) on both the front and rear wagon axles. Be careful not to overtighten or position the
straps in a way that subjects weaker parts of the wagon to unnecessary
stress. Securing the wheeled history so it will
not move can help prevent a world of distress later on.
I typically pad the straps where they
may come in contact with the wagon. This
helps guard against damage to the vehicle as well as shielding the straps from
chafing. You may even want to place a
couple straps over the box and tie it down – especially if you’re hauling on an
open trailer. In all cases, you’ll
want to select safe places to stop regularly and check the condition of your
tie-down straps and the wagon.
Invariably, things have a way of settling, working loose, weakening, and
even breaking during travel. It's always
better to find problems before they occur.
The Preparation...
I'm a planner and like to have multiple
back-ups/contingency plans for a variety of encounters on the road. In many cases, it can be helpful to visualize
and actually anticipate potential problems so you can be better prepared
beforehand. To that point, I’d recommend
that you develop a checklist of things to carry along. Among the items on the list, make sure you
have a low profile jack that will fit beneath your trailer, even if it is lower
to the ground as the result of uneven terrain or a tire losing pressure. If the ground is wet or muddy, a few short
2 x 6's can be especially handy should you need something solid to sit
the jack on. Do you have chocks for the
wheels? How about all the right tools to
change a flat? Do you have a good spare
tire? How about emergency road
reflectors? Have you checked the wheel
bearings and lights on the trailer? How
about a stash of extra fuses for blinkers, brake lights, and the like?
You probably already keep the proof of
insurance handy for your tow vehicle. Do
you have it for the trailer as well? How
about the wagon? Is it insured while
traveling? Other helpful items to take
along include a GPS, cell phone and chargers, quality flashlights with fresh
batteries, a tire patching and inflating kit, basic hand tools, and maybe even
an old-fashioned printed atlas in case the GPS acts up or the cell service is
weak. Occasionally, I’ve been in situations
where it was important to out-maneuver an approaching storm.
By keeping abreast of weather forecasts, road construction delays, and
alternate paths, some of these headaches can easily be avoided. Additionally, it’s not a bad idea to carry appropriate foul weather gear
and a dry change of clothes. Yep, I was once soaked to the bone while loading a John Deere wagon in a deluge. Thankfully, I had remembered the extra clothes!
Having someone to go along with you is also
a plus. A spouse, partner, or buddy not
only can help reduce the fatigue of a trip by helping with driving, loading,
and other chores but can be good company.
After all, memories are always more fun when they're shared. Finally, before leaving on an extended trip, make sure your tow vehicle
and trailer are properly serviced, all tires are in good condition, and you
have contact info for emergency services. It's also good to make sure your tow vehicle mirrors are wide enough to see around the trailer. All of this may sound like a lot to take
in but good, advance preparation is well worth your time. Likewise, the support gear I mentioned may seem like
too much to carry. For me, most of it
fits in an inexpensive, plastic locker I keep inside my trailer. It takes up minimal space and I have the confidence of knowing I'm well stocked and ready to roll. Ultimately, every traveler should assess each
trip and prepare accordingly.
The Experience…
The Experience…
At the end of the day, this blog was not
written as a one-size-fits-all approach to cross-country hauling but rather as
a basic primer to help jump-start an evaluation for a towing trip. Certainly, nothing takes the place of proper
preparation, common sense, and careful attention to detail. Making safety and good judgement a priority
can go a long way in helping ensure you get there and back with no regrets and
plenty of smiles. Have a great week!
By the way, if you haven’t signed up to receive this weekly blog via e-mail, just type your address in the "Follow By E-mail" section above. You'll receive a confirmation e-mail that you'll need to verify before you're officially on board. Once that's done, you'll receive an email every time we update the blog. Please don't hesitate to let us know if we can be of assistance. We appreciate your continued feedback and look forward to sharing even more wooden vehicle info in the coming weeks.
By the way, if you haven’t signed up to receive this weekly blog via e-mail, just type your address in the "Follow By E-mail" section above. You'll receive a confirmation e-mail that you'll need to verify before you're officially on board. Once that's done, you'll receive an email every time we update the blog. Please don't hesitate to let us know if we can be of assistance. We appreciate your continued feedback and look forward to sharing even more wooden vehicle info in the coming weeks.
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