Side Kit or Tarps when hauling steel products

If that's all you'll ever be hauling on it, a sidekit is the way to do it. They're a huge pain to tear down if you ever need to haul something that won't fit under it-you'll wish you'd never seen it (slight exaggeration). The weight varies depending on what the panels are made out of, but I think you can count on roughly 7-800 lbs, IIRC.

 

To be honest I prefer a sidekit as I think it is easier. My old kit was roughly 500lb or so. I have dealt with some alot heavier and one alot lighter. As long as your not tearing it down or putting it back up I think they are quicker to set up and get back on the road.

 

Conestoga!

 

oh I understand however you can do oversized. I've got a pic of a guy hauling 10' wide plates, you just roll it fwd and strap it. However even with a side kit you'll find out most oversized loads won't pay enough to motivate you to tear it down and store it. I used to run into the occasional place that didn't want to load one but that was 15+ yrs ago. If your doing long distance stuff I'd probably just rag it, local short hauls is a no brainer for side kit. Les2 found out that when you go south the term side kit is a foreign language.

 

There are some loads that shippers will only put on a SK and they pay a little more than for any FB.

I'd personally rather be available for OD loads.

If I lived in IL, IN, OH, western PA I'd definitely run a SK.

 

I used to haul alot of coils and plate back in the 90's and i could load, through my small steel tarp or coil bags in the same time as the guy with the side kit could get ready to load, loaded and redo the side kit and tarp. So for me i would say no to a side kit unless the shipper required it and you do alot for that shipper.

 

Sidekit!!
I think ya'll are way off on the weight of a sidekit. Headboard sides and tarp added 1100 pounds to my truck. The tarp alone must weigh close to 300 pounds, dont believe? I'll take it off and let the non-believers put it on by there self.

 

Side kit if you're not constantly setting it up and tearing it down. Like 379 said, tarp is an easy 200# and lifting that up over each bow gets old fast. If you're only hauling flat steel or small coils and just need to loosen the tarp and flit it off to the side and swing some bows out of the way, a side kit is the way to go.

If I had to set it up and tear it down daily it would be surely easier to throw a rag.