Post flatbed load photos here V2.0

The guys loading always think if it fits on a pallet, it's good to go, the rest of it is the driver's headache. What, you want a metal band around it? Wait, two metal bands? Wait, going both ways, so four metal bands!? .... (Sigh.) OK, but it'll be at least an hour before we can get to it, it's our lunch time.

 

How’s the Freightliner treating ya?

 

last week i went to pick up some trench boxes (those big metal things that they use when digging trenches so they don't collapse). so they break them down, so you have the sides (10' wide BTW, another "surprise"), the poles in between (oh more crap) and then i get all that on and strapped and the guy says "hey, all these pins have to go"

the pins that connect the sides of the boxes to the poles in between. probably 10" long by an inch or so in diameter.

yeah, great, got a crate?

ummmmmmm no
well, it's a flatbed, take a look, see? I need something

Hey, I said, why don't you put the pins and their locking pin (so they don't fall out) back on the boxes, since that is where they are designed to go.

ummmmmm, but they are on the trailer.
well I'm not doing it, it's either that or get a crate

they did great all locked into their holes.

 

The “poles” are called spreaders, if they’re less than 6’ I usually leave them together.

 

It does alright so far. Still miss the ride and drive of the 660, but the space and storage i have with the freightliner blows the 660 away.

 

Thats pretty much my takeaway after roughly 10000 miles as well...

I don’t think I’ll ever adjust to the DT12 completely but it’s not a bad truck to live in. I do miss the smoothness of the 660 — felt like it would go where I wanted it to go rather than following every rut in the road like the Cascadia. Driving it is a chore, minus the shifting...

 

And here l thought all trucks were the same? You're only paying for the name etc? Not saying you guys said that. A lot of guys just parrot that all the time. It gets old and couldn't resist lol

 

I'm an owner operator with a 2003 freightliner Columbia with the 12.7 detroit series 60. This truck has well over 1.9 million miles and burns zero oil between oil changes. In the past 4 years I've only done 1 airbag, shocks, exhaust leak, and batteries. Absolutely fantastic truck money wise. But...

I hate this truck so much. Every single thing makes a noise. The exhaust is in front of the sleeper which creates a lot of extra noise. The cabinets all have vibrated so much the plastic just gives out. Even the roof somehow makes almost popping noises. I've removed cabinets. I've tightened or adjust every #### thing in this truck, and it's like a new annoying squeak appears as soon as the current bothersome sound is fixed.

I know it's old, I know the cascadias are built better, but because of just such poor quality in the interior I won't buy another freightliner. If someone could make my current truck dead silent it would be worth thousands to me.

 

8th week of flatbed and it finally happened. I had to tarp. Broker said it was 20 ft no tarp 10,000 lbs 1 piece. Ended up being 5 units, all 48 ft, and 2 units tarped, 1 box and 1 machine. They ended up paying more money so I'm happy. It was 106 degrees and 1pm when I started, took me 3 hours. Mistakes added so much time.

Things I learned.
1. Remember how you rolled the tarp so you don't put flap on the back instead of front by accident.
2. Don't bungee one side to max because when you go to the other side the tarp all shifted.
3. Dont bungee the side that shifted thinking it will be fine. If you do, the flap will have a gap where air will blow in and you'll have to redo both sides.

One idea a driver mentioned to me (after I was done of course) that next time have them move the 2 taped units back against the machine so you can extend your 26ft tarp instead of trying to roll up 16 feet in the back. Genius. I ended up squishing the 16ft with 2 4 inch straps.

 

It finally happened. I had a load shift. Stupid crate design with 3 levels. The bottom crates couldn't support the top two underway because they put too few nails in the corner support boards. All the nails sheared in two except the two that slintered out of the wood. Took 2 days and one failed attempt but I'm back on my way. Luckily it didn't fall off.