Well I took the plunge...... Now I am crapping my pants.

didn't know there was a pissing match going on....

 

Someone mention a pissing contest...I just drank a ton of Iced tea, I'm ready to compete!

 

I got a couple beers here to kill and can make some sweet tea while I am drinking them.

 

I've seen way to many loads improperly secured. I'm not sure I'd go to a truck stop to learn. Certain commodities have requirements set by DOT. Make sure you know them, and then add a little more securement. Read as much as you can, and then ask at the shipper. If yo get any grief from the shipper, let them know your new.

 

Ya, what whip said! I'm not ashamed to be inexperienced. Better than pretending you know what you're doing and then kill someone. I just ask the shipper if I'm not confident about securing the load.. Like, "I've never hauled this before, what's the best way?" or "do you have any suggestions?" I often ask how tight I can go on strapping some things, too. Even the grumpy shippers usually have something helpful to say. Some have even got up on the deck and helped out (the guys at Vermeer come to mind..).

 

You still looking for some help. I will be traveling from ND to NY with time to spare and could meet you and teach you what I know.

 

Youve just been drive by'd on the ole truckin forum LOL.


Hell, I read through that pdf and then printed part of it out for later review. That kinda stuff is worth its weight in gold. Not to mention what you can do with it if you ever get into a pzzzzn match with a DOT cop, and get to go see a judge.

Actually, there are parts of that manual that I totally disagree with. I would Never chain a tracked vehicle (any tracked vehicle) only to the front and rear as the manual shows in multiple examples. I would feel entirely naked not chaining the tracks from the side. I understand the military is going to add some specialized shoring to secure and isolate the tracks, but for OTR civilian training purposes I would never train another guy to chain like that. Plus the fact that most of this manual is written for a specialized trailer that's manufactured to haul 1 and only 1 specialized piece of equipment. Where as guys like us are going to have to decipher and improvise.

You also gotta take that manual with a grain of salt in regards to the chain size they are using. Half of that stuff they are using 3/4" chain LOL. Sheshhhhhhhh. That 3/4" binder is ratchet only THANK GOD lol. Otherwise youd need about twenty ft of cheater pipe, and a goalies hockey mask to boom her down. I got all worn out just thinking about dragging 3/4 chain.

 

I,m still learning but the first thing you need to know is your trailer securement point rating. Many flatbeds are rated at 5000 lbs so there is no sense putting a one inch chain on unless that's all you have. Brings me back to the above poster that mentioned specialized wagons.
Hope you enjoy flatbed ding as much as I do- have at it!!

 

I was talking to a licensing agent and he informed me that the 2290 did not have to be pre-paid. Now, going to the IRS website and looking at the 2290 instructions, the 2290 doesn't. If you put the truck into service, it gets paid the month AFTER you put it into service. This is TRUE if you pay it later in the year.

As I am considering putting my truck into service in July 2012, if they follow the 2011 instructions. Leads me to believe I won't have to pay it up to November of 2012.

http://www.irs.gov/instructions/i2290/ch01.html#d0e318