chain pull ups vs j plates

I can count on one hand the number of times I've used the plates.

Can't count high enough the number of times I've wished the trailer had chain pulls.

Had some stake pockets on the losing end of an oddly placed binder.

Probably spec both for my trailer. More options the better.

 

Pull ups

 

I don't see where j plates would be better then chain pop ups every foot at least on the outside edge of the trailer. I was never a big fan of pulling at a real hard angle on j plates. Now a few j tracks down the middle of the trailer could be handy.

 

I had j hooks on a MAC when I ran intermill. I loved them. The track would sometimes get full of scale from the raw forgings. It was easy enough to clean out with one of those magnets on wheels. I pulled the wheels of and just slid it along the deck.
My j hooks were rated higher than my 3/8 chains I think they were 6700 or 6800#.
I hate the chain pulls on my current trailer. If you can get them out they won’t go back in. There is winch track on both sides and it won’t let the chain hang free.

 

J-Plates and five tracks on the trailer for me.

Steel hauler with a Connie. Some of my skidded coils are on the small side (but I get quite a few of those). Having the mid tracks lets me run run my cross chains much closer to the sides of the coils rather than running my chains all the way out to the trailer edge. Tighter, better decrement.

Plus, I can use those mid tracks to add straps to big suicide coils. I don't count those straps as part of my load securement (only count the chains through the eye), but the help pull the coil down into the cradle tighter before I tighten the chains and overall make me feel better.

 

Get both.

 

I have chain pull-ups, they are great for certain things but.... For others they are in the wrong spot. Now my buddy hauls 99% nothing but coils! the J hooks work great for him. Sometimes we need to be creative, or at least versatile.

 

I know a lot of guys who use j hooks over pop ups and they work fine, me personally ice never been a fan of j hooks on coils