flatbedding tricks of the trade?

This is my winch bar. There are many like it, but this one is mine. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me my winch bar is useless. Without my winch bar, I am useless.<-stole it from another driver on these boards.. WORDS TO LIVE BY!!! never lose your winchbar!!!!

check w. your company, usually you can buy extra securement gear from your company's securement shop, # arrow we got everything at like cost plus 10% so... 3/8" chain rachet binders for $22each... not gonna find em that cheap at many truckstops!!
alot of drivers like to hang their bungees on their headache racks and tractor frame, i did, never had any stolen, but always kept 2 50ct boxes in my tarp box just in case they went missing. 2 100" hanks of 1/4" rope come in handy if you ever get into canada in winter, bungees dont like cold weather!!
--- as you can afford it, pick up a few extra 4" straps (always keep your receipts!! if you cant prove the extras are paid for, and they audit your gear, your straps become theirs!!) AND!! 2" straps!! once in a while, its easier to thread a 2" strap than a 4"

--- bungees, i had 400 on my truck (somethin bout arrow trucking flatbedders, some guys had pissing contests, we had contests to see how many bungees we could cram on our truck and still have enough money left over to get groceries that week) 1 50ct box will run ya anywhere from $18-30, 1 everyother month will replace em as they get worn and ensure that if you have a buddy that needs a few, he wont have to shell out upto $5 a piece for the ones in the truckstop... IF they have any left in stock!! i dont know any flatbedder that wouldnt offer a helping hand in the worst of conditions to help out another flatbedder and what goes around always comes around


when in doubt, read up on DOT's requirements for securement and DOUBLE IT!! if they cant tell for sure if your load is secured properly, they will pull you aside to check!! there is no substitute for doing the job right and no such thing as "too much securement"

edge protectors-your lifesaver, 4" 30ft strap= on average about $40, strap protectors... $4ea (unless you hit the mother of all sales # iowa 80 for $0.50 ea!! i bought 2 boxes and man was my wife pissed!! but never needed any more after that!! lol carpet and rubber strips are nice for milled edges, but for plasma cut fabricated steel, plastic wont get cut!!

these next ones go without saying: hardhat-most companies issue plastic ones, when you get the $$, get yourself one of those fiberglass ones that the steelworkers use, if it saves your life once its paid for itself, same goes for comfortable safety glasses (ansi z87-side shield, i get mine dark tinted # northern tool for $6 a pair... dual duty, safety glasses and sunglasses), comfy steel toe boots!! most shippers require you to wear em anyways,

that pole for fishing straps and chains, you will thank yourself every time you use it!!

air powered tools!! a good quality air drill for any free time you need to kill, that mothers puff ball, polish and a cleaning rag can shine up almost any headache rack and rims cheap and fast!!

air hose!! those ones u can get # almost any truckstop w. a gladhand on one end and an air chuck on the other!! keep your tires properly inflated and you can help your tires last longer and keep your tires wearing right longer.

a comfy head-light (flashlight that straps around your head) tarping at night is soo much fun!!

6mil plastic in rolls, like you use for painting drop cloths, if you ever have to swap loaded trailers, and the other guy wasnt very mindful of his tarps, can get you our of a shipper fast so you can get to a truckstop, patch em, and get a shower

1" ratchet straps!! the best ones ive found yet were $16 for a 4pack # walmart and were 1500# rated@!! black straps w/ black molded handles, the straps havent worn yet in 2yrs of use/abuse. most truckers just bungee their dunnage (lumber used to space load from trailer or rows of cargo, like in pipe loads) again.. cold as heck canada, be wise, be safe, use a ratchet strap so that you dont risk that stuff coming off your truck while rollin down the road (even if you store your dunnage on your landing gear, DOT wants a ratchet strap on it)

im going way too long, sorry guys, but thanks for letting me post,i was blessed to be surrounded by many guys who had 'been there done that or seen it" and hope that my info can keep you safe, happy and keep the DOT off your butt for the little things we are prone to skip over

 

awsome post skate i thank it will help ne rookie out.....makes me miss the ole skateboard just readin it hopefully i will get back in front of one down the road..

 

if it werent for my wife needing me home more than once every 5-9wks, and my homebound loads being thrown together at the last minute and totally screwed up, i woulda stayed w/ arrow longer.. but gettin home after a load that loaded late, del time was wayyyyy too early for the drive time, it just took its toll, im hopin to get back in soon, got a few apps out and am lookin forward to gettin back on the pavement, ive been an entry level lube/DOT inspector for a medium duty chevy dealership, but when GM started havin serious money probs, i couldnt work for em ne more, who you work for reflects on you as much as your work, arrow has some awesome oversize opportunities that i was able to do and enjoy and got paid very well for, but im more interested in bein home # least 1 wknd a month

knowing how to do our job is the pride we carry, getting the load from shipper to rec'r w/ no damage, on time and w/ minimal equipment wear is how we are rated, and god knows... in flatbedding, we're a brotherhood, we all know the crap we face, the headaches, the injuries, the tarps, but ive only met 2 flatbedders i couldnt get along w/, for the most part, this is the best end of the industry to be in!

before i forget!!! take $15 and goto walmart!!! they have a 3/8" drive ratchet/socket combo and the ratchet has a telescoping handle, if you've ever had to use portable winches.. this is key!!! dont use portables that dont have screws to pinch it to the side rail!! ive seen a car that got hit in the windshield w/ one that came off a truck, bungee cords dont always keep em on and dear lord, you dont wanna c how deep those things will imbed themselves in the rear seat of a 'burb!! thank god there werent kids in that car!!!

 

This was an awesome thread!

Thanks so much guys. I have a crap ton to learn even though I have been out here for a while. I can't wait to see you guys out there. When I have some time I will post some of the things I have that were not mentioned....well.. I guess now is good.


I use a telescoping boat hook found at Wal-Mart or Bass Pro shops. They run about $20 or so.



They are great for grabbing those straps after tossing them over.

Anyway...hopefully one day I can give more advise. Thanks so much for sharing.