question about flatbeds and steel coils

Ya, a bit hard to explain, but I know what you mean.

 

This is a very scary picture

 

What's scary about it? I'm not a steelhauler.

 

The OP said this is a 40K coil.


Only has two coil racks under lumber.
Do not see any friction mats under coil racks
Do not see any friction mats under coil.
The chains all are hooked on rub rail
All the binders are on one side.

 

Doesn't look unsafe to me. The only part that's scary to me is the fact it's sitting on a TransCrack trailer.

 

Only has two coil racks under lumber. Doesn't really matter but 3 may be better.

Yes it does matter, coil racks have a load rating, most are 10K per. As this is a 40K coil. It should have at least 4 racks under the lumber.

Do not see any friction mats under coil racks Very few people do that except company drivers

Company driver or not, the coil racks and timbers are supposed to be prevented from forward movement. Your choices are, friction mats, nailed cleats, blocking or a tiedown across the front.


Do not see any friction mats under coil. Conveyor belting is only there to protect the coil

Yes the belting protects the coil, it also adds friction points. Wrapped and pickled coils are slippery, the belting concentrates the load and increases friction at that point.


The chains all are hooked on rub rail Yes, after they're wrapped around the pipe spool, or through the stake pocket (which pisses me off when people do that because it mashes the pocket so you can't get a post in it later) but the pressure is on the spool/pocket.

Most rub rails are not rated as an anchor point. In the picture posted, the load is NOT on the spool or pocket, it is on the rub rail. The primary load will be at the point of the chain hook.


All the binders are on one side. Not sure why this is an issue.

Clamping force. All tiedowns have the highest clamping force on the side with the tensioning device.

 

Espressolane, could you please tell me where your info on all this came from.from the regs 393.100 to 393.114 there is no requirement for friction mats on suicide coils. I can't find any info on chaining on one side. the rub rails were changed by fmcsa I think 2 or 3 years ago.Now your co. can require anything the want to,but that doesn't make it the law.Oh and your're only required to have half of the weight of the coil in tie downs.Would that also apply to the coil racks?

 

Oh yes the trailer mfgs aren't reguired to rate anchor points

 

Some is just my personal standards, others are the regs.

As to the friction mats, check 393.106(c) (1)

Cargo placement and restraint.

1. Articles of cargo that are likely to roll must be restrained by chocks, wedges, a cradle or other equivalent means to prevent rolling. The means of preventing rolling must not be capable of becoming unintentionally unfastened or loose while the vehicle is in transit.

Also check 393.120 (c)(1)(i)

Securement of coils transported with eyes crosswise on a flatbed vehicle, in a sided vehicle or intermodal container with anchor points (1) An individual coil. Each coil must be secured by the following:

1. A means (e.g., timbers, chocks or wedges, a cradle, etc.) to prevent the coil from rolling. The means of preventing rolling must support the coil off the deck, and must not be capable of becoming unintentionally unfastened or loose while the vehicle is in transit. If timbers, chocks or wedges are used, they must be held in place by coil bunks or similar devices to prevent them from coming loose. The use of nailed blocking or cleats as the sole means to secure timbers, chocks or wedges, or a nailed wood cradle, is prohibited;

My interpretation of this is, the coil racks (bunks) need to be secured from movement. The choices are as I posted above.


No ratings on anchor points, True, no specific FMCSA rule on this.
They do state that they encourage manufacturers to rate anchor points
On the trailers we pull, the do have decals from the MFG, with load ratings for anchor points. The rub rail is not a rated anchor point.

I am willing to bet if you contact the MFG of a trailer, they will also tell you the rub rail is not a rated anchor point.

Coil racks and friction mats unless specifically marked, are rated at 50% of the weight placed upon them.

I have Kinedyne coil racks, they have no markings for load rating. So at 50%, that would require 4 racks to equal 20K or half the load weight.

Having all binders on one side, No rule for this except for physics.
As stated, the clamping force is highest on the side with the tensioner device. With the binders all one one side, the highest clamping force is on one side. My personal choice, better to have the clamping force equal or as close to it as possible, on each side.

Then it could be just semantics.

 

You posted correctly. Now read the part you posted that says"If timbers,chocks or wedges are used they must be held in place by coil bunks to keep them from coming loose" It says nothing about friction mats. Friction mats are rated at 50% of the weight placed on them but I find no rating on coil racks. Were do you find this?You are correct in that when you tighten a binder it puts more force on that side,however by the time you pull out of a yard I am sure it will even up from vibration By the way I'm glad you have trailers that have the anchor points labeled. I called Great Dane about anchor points ratings and they wouldn't even tell me what the chain pull ups were rated at.