I was at a shipper the other day and I noticed several other trucks were using some kind of device to anchor chains to the deck of the trailer. I got to talking to another driver and he showed me the anchor things that his company provides. Turns out that the trailers that my company uses are made for these anchors but my cheap-### company does not provide them. I think these anchors may make my life a little easier because I could do all my securing from the deck of the trailer and they seem to be more secure than using the rub rail. What do you guys think about these anchors? Are they faster, better and more secure than using the rub rail? What exactly are these things called? Is there an online company that sells them?
J-Hook Here's a link to some I found on google not a recommendation that you should buy these specific ones. Tie Downs Reitnouer 6-1/2" Oval J-hook 6700lb Wll | TMI Trailer Marketing, inc.
I'll admit I have the J-hook tracks/channels on my trailer I bought new, but never invested in the hooks. Would probably make some securement jobs very tidy, especially narrower loads that require tarp.
We have them on our Reitnour and 3 Benson steps. I only use them if I have to. I'm not a fan of pulling sideways on them with heavy pieces. They really are designed more for straight up and down. All of our trailers with them have the channels on the outside edges and a second set about 2 ft in from each side. I think we have about 30-40 of them on each trailer.
They called j hooks, alot of the steel guys use them pulling covered wagons, makes it faster to tie down and get rolling
The only time j hooks are useful is when used on the inside tracks. Nothing else can easily do the same job in my opinion. Out by the rubrail I would just use the rubrail. The chains over the top of this coil for example. (Not my picture)
Now that they welded or bolted stops in I would try them on a new trailer. But if your hauling coils and chaining to rub rail you need a different trailer or they are picking up coil loads as cheap back hauls. Seen some guys that actuall attach there binders with clevis to J hooks. I like that idea.
I have j hooks on my Reitnouer that can be turned in either direction. They can be fixed to pull in , out or up. On my Benson they can only pull up or inward. I like being able to pull out with them especially when hauling oversized steel. They are extremely useful for this instead of pulling out on the rub rail or from running the chain under the edge of the rub rail. I always TRY to put 4x4 dunnage underneath the steel and use them, it really keeps the edge of the trailer from getting eaten up. If your one of Those who don’t care what the edge of the trailer looks like then you may not find them useful for this. I know my drivers don’t care enough to spend the extra time or to pad the edge of the trailer, but on the Reitnouer that I pull it gets a J hook or if I have to go around the edge it gets padded. The edges still look like new even after 2 years. I also have a Fontaine Revolution that has them but I have personally never pulled that trailer so will have to ask my driver if he can turn those in either direction.
