Flatbed with no arch or curve

Discussion in 'Flatbed Trucking Forum' started by Schaefer, Dec 5, 2019.

  1. Schaefer

    Schaefer Bobtail Member

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    My company is currently looking for a flatbed to ship some large, light, and relatively fragile components. In the past we have requested a "flatbed" and received a bed with a slight curve which makes it unusable for our applications as the components are not heavy enough to flatten out the trailer and there is a good chance that the curve in the trailer will result in the components sagging and becoming deformed. I am wondering if there is some way we can specify that the trailer must be perfectly flat without any kind of curve on the bed? If you have any examples of trailer models that might satisfy this requirement that information would also be useful.

    I've tried googling this stuff and can't seem to find what I'm looking for, thanks for any help.

    EDIT: Our specific dimension requirements are a 48 foot (minimum) flatbed trailer with air suspension, every skid of the shipping crate must be supported by the bed of the truck, no shimming allowed. We've been able to ship these components in the past but its always trial and error until we get a flatbed that will work, I'm trying to find a way to clearly communicate to a shipping company to save their time and our money. Thanks for all the replies so far.
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2019
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  3. buddyd157

    buddyd157 Road Train Member

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    then look for an all steel flatbed, over the curved aluminum's????
     
  4. jamespmack

    jamespmack Road Train Member

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    Try putting lumber under it? Cribbing?
     
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  5. Tug Toy

    Tug Toy Road Train Member

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    “Not my trailer” is the one you want. Sounds like it’s to delicate to even secure properly.

    But good luck in your search. 877C2798-996A-418D-A5FA-F2A770994AAF.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2019
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  6. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    Sounds like a good dry van load to me.
     
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  7. singlescrewshaker

    singlescrewshaker Road Train Member

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    I may get flamed for this, but depending just how light & long your talking about a 40' hotshot could work for your application? Them goosenecks have no camber at all. You will need to specify air ride too if your freight is that sensitive I think..

    20190725_154922.jpg
     
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  8. Schaefer

    Schaefer Bobtail Member

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    Our requirements as specified by our process instruction is a 48 foot (minimum) bed with air suspension. I'll add that information to the initial post to make sure that its understood. Sorry if my initial post wasn't specific enough I was just wondering if there was some specific way I could phrase the request to ensure that the "perfectly flat" requirement is appropriately understood, I'm pretty new to the shipping side of this stuff. Thanks for the reply.
     
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  9. buddyd157

    buddyd157 Road Train Member

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    then, when you solicit the vehicle needed, just say what you have said here.

    specify "NO OTHER flatbed need apply or call"
     
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  10. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    If a class 8 flatbed is perfectly flat it’s a junk old trailer. It has to have arch to it so that when it’s loaded it goes to level. If it’s level to start out it will have negative arch when loaded and that’s not good. Arch is important enough that most trailer manufacturers can “re-arch” old trailers so they’re still useful.

    Why can’t it go in a dry van? That’s about your only hope of finding a flat trailer without hiring a hotshot. Otherwise you’ll have to block and brace on a flatbed to make a flat loading surface.
     
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  11. Schaefer

    Schaefer Bobtail Member

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    That is what I would figure, however, when we say things like this we somehow get trucks that don't fit, we've already turned one down for this shipment and have another coming sometime today. All of my predecessors say this has been an issue almost every time we try to ship these components.
     
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  12. Schaefer

    Schaefer Bobtail Member

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    That's what seems to be the problem, the trailer we require is not a trailer that is particularly useful for shipping anything but our components so nobody has one.

    Is it possible to load a dry van trailer from a crane (perhaps one with a removable roof)? the dry van trailer sounds perfect but my interpretation of our process instructions would indicate that forklifts can't be used, we typically use a carefully rigged crane to move them around quickly so they can't sag.
     
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