Hauling cars in a reefer

I knew a guy who often hauled cars in his van. He had insets made into the floor with "D" rings where he could attach straps to secure each wheel. I would not want to try to transport a car without a means of securing it. I have also seen a guy transport forklifts in a van. He would nail boards around the wheels and then to the floor. He had several inches of boards built up to keep the wheels from moving. Another guy that I met built a frame to go around the wheels made of wood. I would not be confident of anything but a chain or strap to secure anything as heavy as a car or forklift. If it is not secured with a strap or chain, then it can move around somewhat. If you were in an accident, the vehicle could easily go through the front or side of your trailer. Vans are not built with enough support to prevent anything very heavy from penetrating the sides.

 

I've recently done a forklift in a van and that's how it was secured, with bails of cardboard in front and back, wheels stopped by nailed wood "chocks".

You'd think it'd be hard to get in and out of the car once in the box.

 

Their trailers are built specifically for that purpose. The cars are usually carried on a raised platform/racks above the workspace and are secured by straps/chains.

There are lots of enclosed car carriers that look like moving vans from the outside. That is how a lot of high-end cars are shipped.





When we moved from Yellowknife to Calgary, rather than pay the exorbitant rates that movers charge, I rented a 48' trailer and then had a carrier take it to Calgary. Our belongings took up less than half of the trailer, so I included the pickup some friends that had moved a few months before had left behind. I screwed down some blocking in front and back of the tires as well as the sides, threw in a few straps and let 'er go... 1,200 miles of some of the worst roads imaginable and the truck didn't move an inch.

Plus, our friends got a great rate on shipping their truck which paid for shipping our belongings.

 

I used to haul a lot of Case Holland skid loaders. I have seen them load vans with wood around the wheels. I would not have been comfortable with that set up.

 

I don't know why a "J" hook track isn't an option in a reefer or a van with an aluminum floor. Almost all aluminum flatbeds now have that option, then you could strap/chain or block loads just like a flat. My trailer has 4 tracks, I can put 2 hooks in the floor and put a 4x4 or pallet against them to stop a load from sliding. I think the problem is the flat mfg's that offer the J hooks don't make reefers, and the reefer mfg's that also make flats don't offer J hooks.

 

Yep. We always had the skinniest guy on the dock drive them onto the trailers. And it was tough on him.

We used to transport company cars and pickups from terminal to terminal on our pups, with NO TIE DOWNS. Yes, they would "block them in" with other freight. But I can tell you that there is no way I would have driven one of those line haul trucks that had cars on board, unsecured like that.

 

You need to speak the language most reefer guys understand if your going to address them, to help I'll translate.

The person Big Don is referring to that would drive the car into the trailer is known you you guys as a "lumper". Now I know this seems like a simple job that an 8yr old could do but the "lumper" needs a minimum of 4hrs and $400 to complete this task.

To all the non reefer guys: I know, I know you would think that loading and unloading something as simple as a car (or even a few pallets) seems like something that the shipper/receiver should automatically do and just comes with the job of "shipping & receiving" but it isn't.

Oh and I'm assuming with the screen name "Big Don" your probably not the guy they called to load the cars huh?

 

Same tricks used when parking a car inside the 25x102 cargo trailer I haul with my pickup. Most cars are low enough that the doors will hit the fenders (about 96" across) and make a tight squeeze even if you crowd the passenger side. I usually just crawl out a window.

E-track is an option for reefer trailers. I've not been able to book a couple of potentially good loads in tight markets due to my trailer not having that option. It will be on the wish list for the next one LOL.