Securing Large Coils

Critique this if you will.
2 24 ft trailers [wiggle wagon] legal 140,000. 18 36 inch coils must be 6 inches apart for clamp unload and not touch each other in any other way.
500 mile trip on mostly 2 lane.
How do you load and secure it.
This is an actual scenario, but in about 1975

 

Geez, that's where I put the hammer down in my 127 mph [rated] truck cause I want be as far ahead of that truck as possible.

 

Binders and chains could be rated at 20k lbs. but if you are hooking to the rub rail(spools, stake pockets,or chain popups) you are only going to be allowed 5000-5400lbs per chain due to the wll of the tiedown point. Lowboys usually have higher rated tie down points where the heavier chain can be used without the hit to wll rating.

 

Well technically not true, a securement point on a trailer isn’t required to be rated so it doesn’t actually figure into the equation when your figuring WLL. I’m not saying you shouldn’t figure it just that’s it’s not law.

 

Anchor points are not REQUIRED to be rated. If they are rated, their wll plays into the overall picture.

 

I’m not sure that’s true but a piece of duct tape will take care of that.

 

true or not, if the anchor point was to break causing the load to come off the trailer and damage another vehicle and the anchor point was exceeded in WLL as rated by the manufacture then the lawyers would have a field day going after not only the company but you as the driver also. Any award beyond insurance limits would fall to the driver's responsibility. I'm currently going through this(company and driver being sued) at the moment. i was driving a truck mounted barko loader and knocked down a 13 ft high limb with a 13.6 cab and the old ladies behind me slid into the limb as it hit the ground. The city I work for and myself were named in the suit. The city has a 300k liability cap for damages and I would be responsible for any reward over that amount if it goes to trial.

 

I always use the WLL of my securement, be it the strap, chain, or trailer attachment. I doubt any DOT inspector would allow any more than your trailer will allow, duct tape regardless.

On a slightly different note, let's suppose you are hauling overweight. Your axles are rated 20,000 lbs. That would require your tires have to also be rated to hold that weight divided by the number of tires per axle. THAT also requires that each of your tires MUST be inflated to sufficient psi to support that weight. Any tire on that axle that falls below the required psi is subject to a fine, or more expensively a blowout.

The right thing to do is to make absolutely sure of the limitations of your equipment, whether it it trailer securement points, tire load limits by psi, or straps or chains. It's always calculated to the weakest link, duct tape be ######.

 

Go back and read what I posted, I NEVER you shouldn’t use it just said it’s not law.