Flatbed Terminology

nickname for flatbedder-skateboarder

 

Smoke tarp-covers front of a load to keep soot or other debris off.
Steel tarp-a tarp for covering steel, usually only has a two foot drop.
Dunnage-wood, lumber

 

A drywall tarp is one piece, but has flaps front and back. Usually 6' drops and 25-30' in length.

 

snap binders simply just snap tight,but can be very dangerous
trailers can have ratchets on both sides curb side ( away from cars) ,traffic side ( next to passing traffic.
cross chain ,from one side of load to opposite side of trailer.

 

Dear god thank you for this thread, answering all the questions I was too embarrassed to ask

 

Havn't seen anything on tiedowns though. .
WLL-Working Load Limit.
Direct tiedown-one side of trailer to the load back to the trailer or tiedown. WLL is cut in half when using direct tiedowns.
Indirect tiedwon-goes from one side of the trailer over the load (or through the load) and to the other side of the trailer.

Indirect tiedown. If your wll is 5400lbs on a strap you can secure 10800lbs because the tiedown only has to equal 50% of the load so with a 5400wll strap being used indirectly you can secure 10800lbs.

So when using direct tiedowns since the WLL has to be cut in half, if it's a 4700lb working load limit you can secure 4700lbs after cutting the WLL in half and then having to have 50% of weight of the artical being tied down. I'm sure somebody else can make it seem a lot more clear than I can. I have a little tiedown calculator I use for these instances. Works great I also have a securement book that I use when I'm in doubt.

Also when it comes to tiedowns the lowest WLL in the ASSEMBLY is your working load limit. If you have 5400lb straps and 5000lb winches you get 5000lbs. If you have 6600lb chains, and only 5400lb binders you'll only get 5400lbs as the WLL remember that it may save you from a ticket one day.

 

California Spread: 53' flatbed trailer that is CA bridge law legal. Usually evident by 6-7 feet of overhang on back.
Rub rail: reflectorized rail (usually) that goes around outside edge of trailer. On a 102" trailer, entire load must be within the rail.
Deck chains: chain pots that have been installed in the top of the deck. Useful for chaining triple suicide coils and such.
Gut strap (belly strap): strap going through middle of load. Generally used on loads more that 3 tiers high. Will prevent forward shifting of bottom layers and also (on tall loads) prevent the middle sections from bowing out and collapsing. Gut straps DO NOT count towards straps needed to meet weight requirements.

 

To the OP, Great idea. Thank you.

 

Shouldn't TMC hand out a flyer with these terms at the indoctrination event?

Too
Much
Crap

Excellence - where TMC continually keeps struggling to arrive.

Super Singles - TMC drive tires. NOT unmarried people from the planet Crypton.

Eye to the sky - skidded coil. NOT someone on anti-aircraft duty.

Eye to the side - suicide coil. NOT Marty Feldman or Sammy Davis Jr.

Shotgun - eye forward coil. NOT Joe Biden's security system.

8 foot drop - lumber tarp. NOT a dive into an empty pool.

That's all for today. Study up there will be a test next Friday.

 

Smoke tarp - What you stand underneath in NY and CA when you want to have a cigar.