Apitong floors and forklifts...

I have an all wood (2 metal runners) 1999 fontaine flat. I'm loving it so far, I'm having the wood replaced on it now. It still had the original apitong on it from 16 years ago! So, it was time to re-deck. I had a forklift load me with roofing material about a month ago, from a loading dock, and drove RIGHT THRU my floor! I had an (good)old head, john from tlc in Jacksonville, fl tell me the rest of my wood was good for at least another 2-3 years and that if he was me he'd just patch it up. Well, he's a good man, but he was kind of wrong lol... Today I delivered in Denver and went to pick up my next load I had in Fort Collins, everything was good until a 6ft tall machine almost wobbles off & comes crashing of my trailer because the motorized pallet jack WENT THRU MY FLOOR! Again, 2 new holes. Had to tell them not to load it, it wouldn't have worked, there were still 4 more machines, 5k pounds a piece. This was also loaded on a loading dock, which I was told by agent/broker would only be a push pallet jack, which it was...A 2k pound one lol

now as I'm getting the whole floor done up here, I'm thinking about a new, NO FORKLIFT on the deck rule... I know the new apitong should be able to handle it, basic forklift loading from a dock, but I just don't know now... I patched once for about $1600, now I'm doing the whole floor for $5500... I just don't want any more forklifts thru my floor... But Of course I don't want to miss certain loads either if they need to be dock loaded And it can bounce me out a bad area or if it's good paying business etc...

How do y'all feel about forklifts or motorized push pallet jacks on your deck? ESPECIALLY u owner ops on here... Do you allow it?? Or am I just being to overprotective? I know the new apitong should be more than enough support on my crossmembers (12in crossmember spacing)... I mean, heck, low boys, double drops, 55ton Rgn's etc all use apitong and I'm sure get concentrated weight like wheels going In-between crossmembers... So what's y'all's take??..... Would you let Let forklifts drive on top your new floor to load dock freight or not?


thanks in advance

 

Yea 10.4 to that. I have 1' 1/8 thick, 12inch spacing on my crossmembers... The only size up in apitong is 1' 5/16 I think

 

So nobody else has any thoughts or experiences with forklifts on top of their flat bed?? Good or bad?? Owner operators ??

 

How long will that good wood be good for in your opinion? Considered it's treated with thompsons water seal every year like it's supposed to? And what makes aluminum any stronger?

 

i know now your an owner op so would you let let forklifts on top of your new apitong floor?? I read somewhere the breaking strength is 19,990psi so technically new wood should be able to hold a 10k forklift with 5k freight no problem... Well technically that is...

 

And since the apitong is typically heavier than the aluminum then it would go for about equal strength then?..