Short answer
A surprising share of attachment damage happens not on site but on the way to it. The cause is nearly always the same: a body with a high centre of gravity and a narrow base, moved without being properly restrained. Stood upright, a breaker is a cylinder waiting to fall; laid down, if the lashing points are chosen badly, the hose couplings and the tool shank start carrying load. Good transport comes down to three decisions: in what position it travels, where it is lashed, and in what order it is released when it comes off.
In what position does it travel?
For small and medium attachments the safest position is lying down and chocked. The body is chocked at two points so it cannot roll, and the straps pass over sound areas of the housing.
On large breakers, upright transport may be preferred because the body length will not fit the bed lying down. Upright means a stand or a crate; a breaker standing on its own falls at the first heavy brake.
Whatever position is chosen, one rule does not change: load goes through the load-bearing areas of the housing. Hose couplings, grease lines, guard plates and the tool shank are not lashing points.
Common lashing mistakes
- Running a strap over a hose coupling. As the strap tightens the coupling bends, and the leak starts on the road.
- Using the tool as a lifting or lashing point. The shank is designed for axial load, not for lateral pull.
- Settling for one strap. A single point does not stop rotation; the attachment turns on its own axis through a bend and the strap goes slack.
- Relying on straps with no chocks. The strap presses down; it is the chock that stops sideways movement.
- Travelling with the tool fitted and resting on the bed. Road vibration passes from the end of the shank into the housing as repeated blows.
Do not estimate the weight
Lifting equipment is chosen against the attachment’s real weight. A breaker’s weight differs from the catalogue figure once bracket, tool and any lubrication unit are counted. Take your model’s operating weight from the technical table on its product page; a lifting plan does not rest on an estimate.
Unloading, step by step
- 1
Prepare the landing area first
The ground it comes down onto must be level, firm and free of mud. An attachment set onto soft ground leans over; lay a pallet or timber if you need to.
- 2
Take the load before loosening the straps
Straps come off once the lifting equipment has taken the weight. Loosening first and lifting second leaves the attachment free-standing at the worst moment.
- 3
Lift from the lifting point
If the maker has marked a lifting eye, use it. Where none is marked, sling from a load-bearing area of the housing, well clear of hoses and grease lines.
- 4
Lower slowly and watch the balance
The moment the attachment touches down the load distribution changes. Do not release the slings before it is fully settled; a partly loaded attachment is at its closest to toppling.
- 5
Secure it against toppling
Once down, chock it or lay it over. An attachment left upright and free "because we are about to fit it" is at its most likely to fall in exactly that gap.
- 6
Check the couplings and the tool
After the journey, confirm that coupling caps are in place, that there is no impact mark on the tool shank, and that the housing has no new scoring or denting.
Do and don’t
Do
- Lash from the load-bearing areas of the housing; stay clear of hose and grease lines.
- Use at least two lashing points and stop the attachment rotating.
- Use chocks; straps press down, chocks stop sideways movement.
- On a long journey, remove the tool and carry it separately, lying down and supported.
- Secure it against toppling immediately after unloading.
Don't
- Do not use the tool as a lifting or lashing point.
- Do not run straps over couplings, grease lines or guard plates.
- Do not leave an upright attachment without a stand or lashing.
- Do not unload onto soft or sloping ground.
- Do not estimate lifting capacity by eye; take the operating weight from the technical table.
The first check after the journey
The check after a long journey is a little different from the pre-shift round: what you are looking for is not wear but damage that happened on the road. Three things matter.
First, the couplings. A coupling that has lost its cap, been crushed or bent was damaged in transit and has to be assessed before fitting. Second, the tool shank: a fresh dent or nick on it will score the bushing as the shank goes in.
Third, the paint on the housing. A deep scratch or dent from transport can mean deformation in the metal beneath it, and around the bracket that mark is taken seriously. If you see a mark you are unsure about, ask us before fitting.