Conastoga tips and tricks

I've delt with two brands fast trak and chameleon. I much prefer the the fast trak because you can loosen and tighten as much as you want.

If you're running an aluminum trailer with a chameleon system it will be loose or tight depending on how it's loaded and you cannot adjust them if they're loose. If you have a fast trak you can adjust them. I do not like to over tighten them, just enough to remove the "wrinkles." And a combo trailer will pretty much be consistent with either system, as far as tightness goes.

 

Conestogas are usually9 ft wide. I pulled a step connie for my company. As long as the rails arent bent, the thing works beautifully.

Used to pull a covered wagon in my steel hauler days in the early 90s. Roll the tarp back, removethe bows from the top and you're ready to load and unload. Dedicated steel hauler, I'd go with the covered wagon. You leave all your securement and racks and wood in place. In and out in nothing flat.

All the companies like Melton and Maverick where you pull coils and stick and brick loads, you can get to the point to where you're just as fast with a regular step and a steel tarp. You just have to be efficient in yor movements. 46000 lb coil, you should automatically know what you need to load to cover the regs. Quick rule, under 25k, 4 points. Over 25 k, 6 points. Personally i prefer 8 for 48k or bigger. It only takes a couple seconds more to run 2 more chain.

"Why 8? Why not 7?"

I'm used to running them even. On a shotgun load, you do an even securement. So I do the same on a suicide.

"Six, do you see a down side to the Conestoga?"

Sure do. Everyone knows my tarp rate. They threw money at a load, and I picked up a connie. Delivered the load and all of a sudden, all the loads that usually requied tarping had the tarp pay missing! Those dirty rotten bastiches. If you are pulling a connie, you should, IMO, get tarp pay on every load they put on that trailer. And thats all I have to say.

 

My best tips?

1) If it's not your trailer, chances are the tracks will need lube (it's not the kind of maintenance people like doing for some odd reason). If it does stick, get help, don't force it or it will get so stuck you can't get it unstuck.

2) DON'T USE POCKETS. Just don't. It's more hassle than it's worth. Just use the posts or tracks.

3) On the topic of pockets, if there is a rubber flange, you probably don't want to be pulling the trailer in the winter. Getting the chain ends around the posts is near impossible with cold hands and a cold flange.

Honestly, for the convenience, there are sure a number of hassles that come along with them that really make it a pain to use sometimes.

 

In my experience with my Quick Draw when it sticks while opening or closing usually about midway its one side or the other that catches. If you have 2 people than great, 1 grabs each side evenly and it will move right along. If not you' just kind of give it a tug and rock it back and forth and walk it through the middle. When you get it rolling with a little momentum try to float it across the mid section without any pulling or pushing pressure if you get a troublesome one. If you have a palatalized load you can walk across or your closing it up after your empty have a 2x4 or something you can reach up and push it up above in the center of a cross member you while walking along up on the trailer and it makes it much easier if its temperamental. Probably already mentioned but when your rolling down the road always have it pulled good and tight.

 

I used to have them do soap water and brush on the sides. Always came out legit.

Straps: I used to hang the hook in the j track on the edge. When loading or unloading I'd drop the hook into the channel between the seals and just let it set down out of the way. Then hang it back up before closing up and leaving.

Hope that helps

 

Chewy I put a few wraps of the strap around the hook (so it becomes too big to drop out of the void) and then snug the winch down so they don't unravel going down the road

 

Why not take the straps off the winches? To much of a PITA?

I'd really like to have one, but I think it would end up being more of a curse, not to mention I really don't need the added weight.

 

I prefer to remove mine from winches on open deck. Running them up thru that gasket can be a project if you're doing say 20 thru. If the straps were off it wouldn't be as bad. Stuff the hook down thru on the hook side nice n easy, sling the strap up n over n push the strap end down thru....depending on how flexible/stiff the loose end of strap is, and depending on how tough that strap side gasket wants to be...could be a project. Still prolly easier that way. Dismounted would keep rolled on the winch/unused straps out of the weather as well.