Flatbed with no rub rail question

I have the chance to be buying a 99 53ft doonan from another driver i know. It’s a really nice trailer but it has no rub rails? I believe he said it used to have a side skirt or something like that on it but no longer does.

I normally haul a mix of local loads some tarped coils, steel sheets, lumber etc, others no tarp it’s a mix just depends

I really like this trailer and it’s in good shape and the gentleman has had it for some time and taken good care of it

How would you bungee your tarps down or secure them wondering if anyone has some insight Iv only been flat bedding for a few months. The trailer I run now has a rub rail for me to use.

I was looking at 48s for price point but now i could get a 53 for a similar price point which opens up some more doors for local loads that want a 53

 

Those rails can be welded back on ...

 

Post pictures. Just stretch the bungee to under the bottom of the outer frame. It’s only about another 2-3 inches like having the rub rail. I have a 1988 utility park that has smooth sides(no rub rail).

 

I’ll take some tomorrow when I go to the yard thank you

 

Weld rope hooks under the rail. I used to pull Western flats and they have no rub rail. Rope hooks also allow you to use stretch cord or rope in your tarps instead of 1000 bungees.

 

You can see our rope hooks under the deck.

 

Does the trailer have J hook tracks in the floor? If it doesn't just add some chain ties in the floor. JMO I use a 3/8" shock cord and a few bungees to button up the ends of the tarp. Rope hooks work great for me.
I would also drop a 3/8" grab hook through the stake pockets to make sure.

 

Even having a bumb rail I sometimes bungee to the cross members if it don't seem taught enough, or need extra pull to the inside to pinch in some excess..

 

I’m not sure why anyone would want to go to the trouble of welding stake pockets and a rub rail onto a trailer that never had them to start with.

Back in 2014 I was thinking about buying a flatbed. Western Trailer was wanting me to deal with their Midwest sales rep and that was going nowhere because all he knew was belt trailers. I then spec’d a Wilson flatbed and it was what they called their curtain spec, meaning no pockets or rub rail, even though I had no intention of ever bolting a curtain to it.

Unless you need stake pockets for a side kit rub rails serve no purpose other than looking like crap once they get hit and are bent out of shape. Western has stake pockets and no rub rail but they don’t really do the heavy main beam for the Midwest steel haulers.