Authority is active as of yesterday and my 1998 NuVan curtain side is ready to run.
I'll pull my first load up to Fort Lee, Va next week. I called Ft. Lee, thank god, and was told the online commercial vehicle gate is closed and I have to use the main gate. No special anything needed---just DL.
It'll be my first time delivering to a military installation and my first load under my own MC/ DOT. I'm expecting a scale house inspection based on new MC number.
Hauling steel roofing that is crated. I'm set up for lumber. No chains.
12, 4" straps and 6, 2" hand straps. I bolted 7 winches to the trailer. There are 5 sliding winches that I left at the front 8'. They have a bar that keeps the strap to the rail so they go under the curtain. The bar keeps a 27' strap from being on the winch unloaded. So, the first 6' of the trailer has 5 empty winches that have to have straps thrown before the winch can fit the strap.
It takes a bit to pull the curtains. Hopefully shipper won't mind too much.
I see old curtainsides rolling around here all the time. Any of you guys pulling one? Any tips/ tricks? I'm a blank slate with this thing.
Up and running an old 48' curtainside
Discussion in 'Flatbed Trucking Forum' started by Doing_flatbed_nc, Dec 23, 2017.
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snowman_w900, cke and Ruthless Thank this.
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Pull the curtain back a little at a time starting at the end your pulling towards. If you have roof supports down the side be careful with them. Never pull both on the same side or both directly across from each other. The roof will sag and you will need a forklift to get them back in. Also they are heavy. I had a coworker drop one on his foot and the round pin on the bottom went clean through his foot.
Doing_flatbed_nc Thanks this. -
Those roof supports are heavy duty. I can't imagine dropping one straight on my foot like that.
Mine have chains that tether them to the roof. I don't know if that's good or bad. Guess I'll find out here in a bit. -
WD40 on the binders where possible as you work. And store several patch kits.
Doing_flatbed_nc Thanks this. -
Well,
Got loaded. Shipper had to ship shorter sections than they planned. They originally wanted to ship some 20' pieces but that would have meant moving two ceiling supports which is a no-go. One at a time.
Thought I'd be turned away but they grabbed some shorter sections for me.
I'm guessing moving the curtains probably took 45 minutes longer than if I had a regular flatbed.
Unload tomorrow and it'll probably be an extra 30 with the curtains.
Not too bad. -
Well I have removed 2 supports on the same side before. You just have to have a helper or a forklift to gently lift up on the roof. Its not recomended but can be done.
Doing_flatbed_nc Thanks this. -
Something to think about, my company has always had issues with loading longer freight on our curtains with the supports on the outside because you can really only safely remove one support per side at a time. That being said I have removed both supports at the same time before but only if I know I could trust the forklift operator to " safely " lift the roof.
Our solution was to eliminate the outside supports altogether and to weld square tubing in the center of the trailer floor up to the roof where where another peice of metal ran side to side along the roof. Did this about 16' back from the front of the trailer and 16' from the back. Much easiler operation.
As far as the curtain try spraying the track down with some garage door lubricant.Doing_flatbed_nc and whoopNride Thank this. -
Got unloaded today at a construction site on an army base.
They had a lull (so?) lift so I only had to slide one side. Easy unload but cold as a witch's nose.
250 mile run of flooring in the morning. 40,000 pounds. Should be home by 4:00 pm.Tug Toy Thanks this. -
Glad the trailer is working out for you. You'll get faster at using it in a couple of weeks.
Good luck!Doing_flatbed_nc Thanks this. -
Trial and error
It should really get easy in the warmer weather when the canvas is not frozen.Tug Toy Thanks this.
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