Flatbed question

I have 18 straps, 30 V-boards, 8 chains/binders, a rubber plantation worth of 21 and 31" tarp straps (probably around 100 straps), 2 full lumber tarps with a third tarp to accomodate overlength tarped loads, an overlength light kit, carpet cut to 4.5" widths to protect straps and painted surfaces on freight. I also have a bunch of squares cut to 4" sides out of a thick rubber mat that I use underneath straps at times to protect them too (when V boards don't fit).

That covers everything I will need to haul with my job. Whats great is all of that equipment fits in the cabinets on my trailer except for four 4 foot long pipe stakes and two 2 foot pipe stakes which I keep in the jockey box of my truck.

For strapping I just use the 4 foot rule. DOT is happy, and I am happy too. The distances of my trips are long enough anyways that I don't care about spending an extra hour being insanely picky about my straps, or how neatly I tarp my loads. If I'm hauling specialty equipment then I make sure I have enough securement on each item that I could hang the trailer upside down and nothing falls off.

I love the feeling of hauling a load of lumber where you've tarped it so tight and neat that it looks like a dry van going down the road.

 

That is correct......

Look here.....
You can see the spools in between the deck and the rub rails.....In this shot....look at the chain on the L/H side in between the stake pockets...

 

I carry about 18 4" straps, 2 4" hand winches, 6 2" straps with winches, 12 "V" boards that are 2" X 4" X 6'; Two lumber Tarps, Two "flat" tarps, and a 8' X 10' "Smoke" tarp. 8 metal corner protectors, 16 plastic corner protectors; about 150 bungees......I also have 9 skids or "Stickers"...dunnage.....4" X 6" X 8'.... They stack better than 4" X 4" skids as well....

I have a 4' step ladder and an 8' foot to 16' extension ladder as well.

My favorite loads are 60' transmission gas pipe or any other type of "Wet" utility pipe...it used to pay at least $2.50/m and the brokers used to pay "stringing" fees but no longer....

Best part...NO Tarps......

 

HEY,, get your own handle... that one's taken...

 

Yup, I was right. I feel preeeeety stupid. I just never knew those round things in between the stake pockets were called spools. Come to think of it, I don't think I ever knew what they were called. Wow. Almost four years pulling skateboards now. How did I miss something like that??

I learned something on the interweb today!

 

ahhh, no biggie as long as your coil doesn't fall off...

 

I haven't lost anything yet! I did have a large excavator bucket hop #### near all the way to one side once, because it was in between the axles on a transcraft dropdeck. Seem like anything you put back there on that trailer walks all over

 

You couldn't load it against the bulkhead of the drop???

 

One year of hauling mostly lumber, I just put straps about every 4' and tarped tightly.
Four years of hauling heavy equipment, I'd always load the tires if it had them, chain down then lower the operatives. Then I'd put at least one safety chain in case any chain broke; which never happened. Never got pulled at a chicken coop.
Until this thread, I didn't even know there were specific regs on chain and straps, and there may not have been back then (pre-1988).
I just think Rat Fink said it best in post 41.
Ha! I just found out you can't type nineteen-eighty eight without getting that dang smiley!

 

1988 is just fine, you just need to get rid of the )