Hauling steel coils

The trick with coils is knowing how to secure. You need to know how to load. On shot gun I criss cross 2 chains and horse shoe the rest. I use trip chains with coil blocks. Then I throw 2 straps over the top. I use coil racks, beveled boards, coil pads, edge protectors, friction mats are nice if you have them.

On suicide you can not criss cross.

Eye to the sky I use trip chains, plus secure over the top.

Pickled coils are very dangerous. I use a choke chain on them.

Most places if the weather permits you put a couple chains on and move outside to finish securing and tarping. Be gentle on your motion. I have seen a few coils not make it to the tarping area.

 

"is it pretty much keep the load chained down really good and avoid swerving and over correcting?"

Thats really what it comes down to and if you have to spend your own money to buy more chains then do so. On those big coils you can never have to many chains because i have seen a coil come lose when the driver hit his brakes really hard because the coil was nto chained corectly. It rolled across the cab of the truck and onto a car in front of him,flatened the cab and the car in front of him. Killing them both.

I did it for a year and that was to long!

 

Using commonsense when driving is just as important as securement. Your not going to fly around corners, ramps, turns,...etc

 

Basically what the other guys have said, but with this added. Straps (or chains if allowed) must be over every coil. This is a DOT rule and a very good one at that. The second note that I'm surprised Les2 didn't make is when you secure a coil place the chains as close to the coil as possible. Many companies are showing drivers to run the chains out about 2-3 feet from the fron or back of the coil before they are hooked to a tie down. This is where things can turn ugly in a heavy braking situation. If you can 2-3 feet away that coil has room to start moving. It will move no matter how many chains or straps you have on it since there is only the downward pressure of the chains and no forward or rearward pressure. Use common sense and watch guys that have been doing it for years.

 

Doesnt matter what you have on your wagon. You have to be smooth on all your inputs. Jerk a steering wheel with a heavy load in a van and you have a good chance of putting the rig on its side.

 

Friend, I understand that this thread was about hauling coils. Yes, the big coils are top heavy (especially if theyre tall and thin). My point is to practice being smooth with your driving inputs regardless of what youre hauling.

Had to go pick a supercoil up in BowlingGreen,KY. Driver pulled over onto the shoulder of a road to take a piss. Coil leaned over and put the entire rig into a ditch. They cut the chains and lifted the truck out of the ditch and brough a crane there to lift the coil onto my trailer. Except for a broken leg, the driver was okay.

 

Notarps has done told you everything I know...

I've hauled a few coils and unlike alot of others I prefer loading them "eye to the side" (also known as "suicide") because it takes more of an angle to pivot it over center when they are loaded that way (in other words...they don't roll you over as easy). But sometimes the receiver specifies which way they want it loaded...so far I've been lucky and have been able to load them eye to the side every time.

Notarps mentioned "pickled coils" (coils soaked in oil) and choke chains and he's right, this is a MUST. The same goes for slitted coils...use a choke chain and no coil pads on the timbers.

Watch your speed and drive smooth in turns or curves...no jerking the steering wheel. USE ENOUGH CHAINS...can't stress that one enough. At Maverick they rate the chains at 8,000 lbs each...thats 5 chains on a 40,000 lb. coil. But we never use less than 3 chains on any coil (regardless of weight).

And like TripleSix just mentioned...be careful of any low places when you pull off the road (or anywhere else)

 

You said "over" every coil...if you mean over the top. That rule only applies to coils loaded "shotgun". You don't have to put anything over the top of a coil loaded eye to the side.