Post flatbed load photos here V2.0

He could also be referencing smaller trailers for the 'tarp kit' as they call it, where he says the 10x10 is a smoke tarp, because that is essentially the front tarp where the exhaust would hit, when we had more black smoke belchers. Add that to the 3 20x26 tarps and I could see that being for a smaller trailer, since one of the 3 would have had to act as the back tarp to close up what the smoke tarp and the other two couldn't on a 48' trailer.

 

LOL, for a second there, I thought you were hauling a barn roof on that trailer. I had to do a double take.

 

The company I run for has several trailers like this that we would call a tarp side. They roll completely open and shut. The older guys like them, but all the younger guys prefer a regular flatbed. These are a pain to strap down loads with and also in nice weather you still have to deal with them when you wouldn’t have to tarp a regular flatbed. Idk maybe it’s partly an ego thing too, but I’ve tried both and I would rather deal with the tarps.

 

Thanks for the reply, I notice that there are no tension buckles all along the lower edge like ours, I think that that must make for a really heavy tension at the end poles and if that is difficult then it might explain the reluctance to use them.

In 'the old days' before they were invented we used to make the loads safe firstly by the sheets and then by the ropes over the top of them tensioned by a drivers' 'dolly hitch'. Sometimes a double dolly was needed but it was the first thing a new driver had to learn, and learning was from the older drivers, no schools, no lessons not even HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) licences in those days, you just needed to pass a car test and be over 21 and off you went, so the 'oldies' advice and input was really important. And we paid attention, the first day I went down the road with a flat deck was on a Monday morning, and I spent the whole weekend with an older mate learning the ropes, literally. Same with my first artic (semi) truck. A wide load, practised reversing it all weekend and then to drivers' hell, Liverpool docks, where they made me reverse blindside into a dark building. Bar Stewards, to this day a scouse (Liverpool) accent wants to make me throw up. I did get my own back later though, and it was so sweet, but for another day.

But when tautliners, and the various European versions came in, some drivers were persuaded that that was all that was needed. Not so, the load inside had to be strapped first, just as if it was an open deck.

I never passed a test, was given an HGV licence when they came out (end of the '60s I think) for 'grandfathers rights', and I never lost a load either. I loved every minute, but I only miss the blokes on the road, when parked up at night, for the rest, I'm content to listen in here and to my European mates on the occasions when I venture out amongst them.

 

A "Roll Tarp" or Conestoga is incredibly easy to use if it's properly taken care of. As soon as it gets even slightly bent though they can become a mess to open and close. Tensioning on an actual Aero Conestoga brand tarp system like the one posted above is done with 2 screws at the bottom rear corners of the tarp kit. Then you just roll down the rear flap and close the bars on each side that pinch the vertical edges. The tensioners are easier to turn than most trailer landing gear.

As for lack of popularity here I'd bet some part of it has to do with how far flatbed trucks in the US tend to travel at much higher speeds than European trucks. Also since we all mostly run conventional tractors our flatbed trucks more commonly have flat top or midroof height sleepers. A Conestoga sticks up at max height creating unnecessary wind drag on a truck traveling 70+ reducing fuel efficiency. Most common flatbed freight like steel and building materials tend to be very dense and sit low to the deck so theres no need to have a 8ft high tarp when a lot of freight is only 1-4ft high. We also tend to travel much farther through areas that have a tendency to have extreme winds like in the central plains. Running an empty Conestoga across Nebraska or Kansas in a wind storm is not fun.

Then add in the cost of about $25-30K compared to buying a full set of tarps for $1-2K

 

An O/O with a grin from cheek to cheek when she gets some hard core “Elbow Grease” WEST COAST STYLE

 

Looking sharp

 

Nothin better than a left coast large car

 

Got it shinin’!!

 

A great response and I can see the worth of all the points you make, as I have said before we do have a version of conestogas here but mainly for specialised uses like steel coils for instance, also they are therefore much lower.

European tractors versus American ones is a very good point too. Because we have always been governed by overall length limits rather than trailer limits, conventional tractors have not been popular but to try and lessen wind drag our tractor chassis are much shorter leaving very little space between cab and (tall) trailer, a space that causes a very expensive cortex otherwise. Also, to minimise drag we tend to make a lot of use of cabtop deflectors. By the way, shorter trailers on tri axles mean less rubber on the road but absolutely no need to move axles for weight distribution.

Lastly speed and distance. again yes, less generally although joined to a vast double continent as we are, similar ones are not unkown but we haven't always been restricted to 90 kms/hr (56 mph) and even now the law in UK is still at 60 but electronically limited. When I first started driving I was often whistling down the 3rd lane (long since banned for trucks) of the motorways at 75.

As I say though, interesting and I appreciate the indulgence of me in this.