The Truckers’ Report flatbed Hall of Shame.

Ummm....gonna need to see a cite, before I take this at any level of belief. 8.5' (102") wide is the max that I'm aware of without needing oversize permits. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I never took a load that exceeded trailer width without a permit. As far as I know, all securement and cargo need to be within those limits to haul legally without permits. Maybe some state has a different opinion?

 

Not sure about legal, considering that the chains should have been looped around the spools, and the snap run on the top of the load. Most of those loads were bindered on the top, if it couldn't be kept within the trailers's confines regards width.

 

Because properly used and tensioned, they are quicker to secure and remove. Maybe not safer, because some people don't learn to use them properly and take caution, but other than being able to ratchet down, rather than re-tensioning, during a load check, there's nothing wrong with using snap binders on a load, especially of steel girder/beams.

 

I agree with most comments here, but aren't soft(ish) timbers an advantage in one way because the edges of the steel can bite down into them? A bit worried about 2 of them though as any slight movement of the load could have them topple, causing the chains to go slack. But needs must.

I always used those kind of tighteners, mainly because I was never given ratchets (which are safer for the user), but I would never put 2 on one chain like that. Perhaps he didn't have enough chains. BTW in the UK even though small geographically, each region had a different name for those tighteners, 'dwangs' was one but the term I always used was 'sylvesters', but I have no idea why.

But we never had those fixings that you have, just a 'side rave' with a 'chock rail' above it. There were rope hooks that we could tighten ropes to with a 'dolly hitch' but they were never to be used for chains to be attached. We always passed the chain over the load and under the chassis before securing with the whateveryoucallit.

And always keep the head out of the way.

 

A soft timber will collapse under weight as you go down the road. This allows the chain to become loose. It’s even worse that it’s beams. The edges of the beam are all that is in contact with the timber. Essentially acting as the edge of a dull axe.

The one chain, two binder is fine. He has slack between them, so if one breaks it won’t affect the other.

 

I am not seeing any chains

 

I think it was 6 ...

 

The load and any load carrying devices need to be 102". But 23CFR658 specifically excludes a lot of equipment, including securement, so long as they are within 3".

And down in Appendix D you'll find :

In carhaul, pretty much everything is now 108" wide due to the safety steps along the outer edge of the upper decks. Takes a bit of getting used to, but completely legal as it carries no load and is separate from the decking that does so.

 

This same rule is why almost all Conestoga type trailers are 108" wide to the outside of the tarps. The trailer deck inside is still 102" for cargo with room for the tarp around it.

 

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