How To Be Sure To Use The Proper Tow Kit For Portable Bleachers

It is smart to increase the usability and versatility of your portable aluminum bleachers by purchasing a properly matched tow kit from the bleacher manufacturer.

This way you know the towing process you are using is correct and the bleachers can be moved when and where needed using your own field equipment such as riding lawn mowers or small tractors.

Whether we’re talking about community sports venues or High School and College sports complexes, the trend is, when possible, to feature separate playing spaces for each major sport.

While this is good for addressing the unique needs of different sports, it can also present a challenge as to providing enough quality spectator seating.

Portable aluminum bleachers have shown to be the most economical, sensible, and preferred choice for getting that needed additional seating in place.

But think how much more useful and valuable your portable bleachers become if they can be used at all of the different locations and venues where provided seating is desirable.

With the ability to safely and quickly tow your portable aluminum bleachers to the exact location using a quality tow kit and your own equipment, your ability to host more and different types of events around your complex immediately grows.

And you can save money by using the portable aluminum bleacher seating that you already have rather than installing additional fixed aluminum bleachers in a location that may only get seasonal or occasional use.

Demand Quality When Purchasing Bleacher Tow Kit

When planning on towing your portable aluminum bleachers, a quality tow kit is essential.

With a kit specially formulated and matched to your portable bleacher unit, you can easily, efficiently, and most importantly safely transport your aluminum bleachers between your property’s venue sites and field locations.

The best way to ensure this is to obtain the portable aluminum bleacher tow kit from the same quality rated company that manufactured your 2012 International Building Code compliant aluminum bleachers. Then you can be assured that the tow kit will be physically and technically matched with the bleacher structure being towed.

You should never just decide to quickly rig up a makeshift towing apparatus and hope that the bleachers, tow vehicle and driver will safely make it to the intended drop-off point.

You’re taking the safety of the movers and of those around the area for granted. And by using improper towing kits or towing equipment, you can ultimately damage the tow vehicle, tow equipment and the portable bleacher structure, compromising their integrity and making them unsafe to use.

What do properly rated tow kits offer?

• When purchased from the aluminum bleacher manufacturer, tow kit packages are a perfect match with respect to all related hardware integration, offering the recommended fit and stress load handling that the tow vehicle and bleacher structure will experience throughout the move.

• Proper tow kits are available for 5 and 10-row portable aluminum bleachers in lengths of 15, 21 and 27 feet, and come with wheel and axle assemblies and a towing tongue attachment.

• Approved tow kit packages consist of a properly rated wheel and axle attachments that fit into an axle sleeve that is attached to the bottom of the aluminum bleacher structure.

• The axle sleeves should be attached in the proper location for towing balance and weight distribution. By simply elevating the bleachers, the wheel and axle assembly can be slipped into the axle sleeve on the bleacher frame, enabling them to be safely fastened with a 7/16” x 3” galvanized machine bolt and matching 7/16” galvanized hex nut. The wheel and axles are securely tightened to keep the bleacher structure steady and balanced while moving.

• To attach the portable bleachers to the towing vehicle, proper tow kits come with the towing tongue attachment. This tongue attachment is inserted through the tongue guides on the portable bleacher structure and attached to the tongue brackets on the bleacher frame using 7/16” x 4 ½” galvanized steel bolts and corresponding 7/16” galvanized nuts. The tongue attachment is then securely tightened and ready to be attached to the tow vehicle by following the vehicle’s recommended towing instructions.

Details Are The Key To Safely Towing Portable Aluminum Bleachers

Each year, there are hundreds of injuries and fatalities credited to improperly attached trailers or attempts at towing using makeshift towing hardware.

It is imperative that before towing your portable aluminum bleachers, you take every possible safety precaution, including:

• Checking first, that the equipment you are using to tow your portable bleachers is adequate and sufficiently rated for the job. Using an improperly rated vehicle for towing has been compared to trying to pick up too heavy of a load for your back. You can expect damage to your vehicle and to the bleacher structure being towed.

• Only use approved and sufficiently rated towing hardware to move your portable bleachers. Worry-free towing demands consistency in towing hardware on both the tow vehicle and the structure being towed. For this reason, it is highly recommended that you purchase a quality, approved tow kit from the same company that manufactured your portable bleachers.

• Check, and double check. As in any towing situation, make sure to check the tires on both the tow vehicle and on the structure being towed. Proper tire inflation can make all the difference when towing.

• Along these same lines, properly working brakes on the tow vehicle are a must. With stopping distances skewed because of the added length and weight of the combined vehicle and bleacher structure, properly working brakes can mean the difference between a safe move and an unanticipated accident. Take the time to make sure all safety-related vehicle features are functioning properly when relocating your portable aluminum bleachers.

Having the ability to move your portable aluminum bleachers between locations on your property or complex is a huge advantage when trying to plan for and execute different events at your location.

But that advantage comes with responsibility. Any type of towing demands attention to safety, and that attention is heightened should you be traveling on ground that is less than stable, like soft grassy areas or fields.

Approved towing hardware is a must to safely move portable aluminum bleachers for spectator seating when needed rather than spending money on fixed seating.

Make sure to purchase your portable aluminum bleachers from a quality manufacturer that adheres to IBC compliance, and while you’re at it, get the properly matched tow kit to provide safe towing practices.

Note: Although the bleachers can be easily and quickly transported using compliant tow kits, they are not recommended to be transported on or along open roads or highways, but only on and within your property and venue.

Written By Gerald Dlubala