flatbed equipment

Do it Chicano-style.

We don't need no stinking chains! We just throw an old tarp over it and go, man!

 

I realize this is a old thread, but hopefully someone who stumbles across it, like I did, will find some good info.

I’m a minimalist. That being said, I run legal loads (no over dimension), I don’t haul loose pipe, and I don’t tarp. I have never had an issue finding freight, and I make good money. I haul a 53’ Reitnauer flatbed, and drive a ‘13 Pete 587 condo top with a 3 door enclosed headache rack.

The equipment on my truck:
15-30x4” straps
10-40x2” straps
5-2” and 5-4” ratchets
10-15’ grade 7 3/8” chain
10- t shaped ratchet binders
6-4x4x8 pieces of dunnage (lumber)
(A lot of driver like snap binders, I don’t, and prefer not to use them)

I’ve never had an issue loading or securing freight with the equipment I have. Nothing in flatbedding is cheap, always make sure you have a $2-300 laying around for emergencies, to buy spare equipment at truck stops, extras, whatever it may be. (Had a tarp get stole off of my truck, said screw it, and took all the tarps off my truck). Best of luck to all those getting into the open deck industry.

 

I would really go with 20ft chains. I questioned my decision at first and now believe it was the smartest move big time. Being able to use one chain for 2 tie downs is such a time saver.

 

I carry...

18 straps 4x30
2 straps 2x30
12 chains 3/8 x 20ft
12 ratchet binders
10 coil racks
10 coil pads
8 moving blankets
1 tarp set 4ft drops
1 tarp set 8ft drops
40 plastic edge protectors
20 metal edge protectors

 

It helps to have at least 2 magnetic amber beacon lights and at least 4 red flags with magnets.
A good pair of leather gloves.
Hard hat, high visible saftey vest and saftey glasses are required at most steel mills.
I would keep 10 4x4's with at least 4 of them being beveled and 10 coil racks.

 

Thanks for bumping this thread.

Open deck is fascinating, because you can have two identical trailers, but with different equipment that can haul either general freight or specialized freight. One guy I know with a 53' spread axle hauls nothing but propane tanks. His dunnage is HEAVY, with curved grooves to hold the tanks securely. I could never haul those loads with my setup.

I haul oil field equipment. That includes a lot of drilling pipe, casing, and bottom tools (drilling motors, collars, subs, and kit boxes). Because of these loads I am required to have four pipe "pins" at least 4' high, with welding to hold those pins securely. Some pipe yards won't load you with pipe stakes. Many pipe yards require pipe pins to be padded, so there's no metal to metal contact. I use fire hose to cover mine and that's served me well.

In addition to my pins I have 10 pipe stakes that are 24", to safely load "pony collars", stabilizers, and subs. Each pipe stake has holes drilled to secure them with locking pins (yep, you can get written up for not having locking pins on your pipe stakes...and bungies don't count).

Beyond pins and stakes I have the following:

15 oak 4x4's (required at many pipe yards)

9 2x4's

Four 20"x20" 1/2" hardwood plywood squares (to protect the deck when hauling frack trees)

10 chains and winch binders

20 4"x30' straps

2 4"x40' straps

10 2"x30' straps and winches

8 1"x20' straps and winches

One set of 8' drop tarps (which I might get rid of in favor of a set of 12'x24' tarps)

I have plenty of bungies in four different lengths, but lately I have been using 50' cord to tighten tarped loads for better results.

PPE (Personal Protective Equipment):

Hard Hat

Safety Glasses

Safety Vest

Steel Toed Boots

Several pair of leather gloves

A pair of impact resistant gloves (some customers require these)

FRC's (Fire Resistant Clothes): 5 jeans, 10 long sleeve shirts, one rain jacket, one insulated jacket, and one union suit.

One H2S monitor (hydrogen sulfide monitor) properly calibrated and within the 24 month window of usability.

A headlamp that secures to my hard hat for night loading.

Two glow sticks, to provide anyone that doesn't have them the ability to spot me at night on locations that require a spotter for backing.

An ANSI certified breathing mask for dusty job sites.

A push broom to clear the deck of rocks and debris.

Several pounds of baking soda to soak up oil, drilling mud, or other nastiness on the deck.

A pair of knee high steel toed rubber boots when working a job site that is deep in filth (I use the passenger side door as my mud room).

Beyond that I bought a Worx PowerShot to get the worst of the mud and filth off my truck and trailer to keep it safe and clean. I go through about a can a month of PB Blaster to keep my 20 4" winches, binders, etc working smoothly.

Edited to add:

2 oversized banners

Four orange flags on sticks

Four grommeted orange flags secured to magnetic mounts

Four hazmat flip board placards