Curtain Side Flatbeds

Glad you ask my friend: when I first got my authority I thought getting a curtain side made sense: the best of both worlds van and some flat bed. So I got it, the first painful lesson was I found out how much loaders could give less than a dam about tearing your curtains. then I had gotten a 48 footer and many loads wouldn't even book me; the rest wouldn't book me just for being a curtain side, I guess I was still trying to hard to get van loads: then I got another load: two pallets of cooking oil, wouldn't fit-- we had to break them down and stack them across the back row; I felt like I could die and I wanted to. My next three loads canceled, which did it for me, I went immediately and traded in on a van. So goes my curtain side experience for what it's worth, lol hope that helps, sorry I couldn't be the encouraging one, who know maybe somebody else had a different experience, good luck friend, Jo Bernard

 

pulled em as a company driver for a few years...they're nice when its pouring down rain and windy you can shut it up and climb in to chain! They are expensive if you tear one up though....
i neve had to book loads so i cant attest to how hard it is to get freight for one

 

Hello FlaHarley and Welcome to the Forum

Best of Luck

 

It becomes a sail boat in a cross wind if you are empty especially on ice.

 

Are you talking about a curtain side like this-

http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=2166337

Or a rolling tarp system like this-

http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=2295741

I don't have any experience with the first type, but I'm guessing you might be talking about the second kind type since you said something about tarping faster. They definitely cut down on tarping time, and there are some good paying loads out there that require one of these trailers. There are some great deals on these trailers to be found right now, and you have to figure in what you would be saving on tarps and a headache rack when you look at the price. The downsides are having to make sure forklift operators don't bump the rails while loading, and they're hard on fuel mileage from what I hear, I've never pulled one OTR. There are also some things you couldn't load on them, like 48' I-beams, and I wouldn't want to take one on a small jobsite either, too much stuff to hit. They're 108" wide on a 102" trailer, so they're awfully wide to see around. I've heard that Vango makes a "run open" kit now with a cover to hold it against the headboard, so that might solve some of those problems. I've been considering trading up to one lately because I haul a lot of stuff that has to be tarped but I also haul enough side-loaded loads that a side kit wouldn't be practical.

 

Currently own 5 of them (3 different brands), and have had 8 total. If loads won't fit in the curtain their probably over width. Unless you put one on a 96" wide trailer (those are worthless). We've hauled everything from lumber, pallets, steel, machinery even a firetruck. We've had them since '95-'96 and since there are a lot more of them around, shippers are more familiar with how to load them. Only downfalls are weight, most kits are around 1,500-2,000 lbs. Cost, they're anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 depending on options and brand for the kit only new installed. And size since their mounted to the rub rail of a 102" wide trailer that makes the overall width ~106" so their a little harder to see around. Tarps can last 5 years or more if their kept tight. Replacement tarps are between $3,500-$5k depending on brand.

There are some great deals on used ones around and each brand has it's pros and cons. Their expensive and heavy but I can tarp almost anything in less than 5min in any weather wearing a white t-shirt and never get dirty or break a sweat.

 

Actually we haul 48' wooden "I" Joists or LVL's a lot with ours. The forklift operator swing them inside or if the truck is still attached we sometimes back into them while the lift holds them up. When the driver gets to the delivery they just lift them up and he drives out from under them. Sounds a lot harder than it actually is. I'm not one to break a sweat so if I'll do it it's pretty easy!

 

I'd sure want that to be a forklift operator I trusted! I guess it's getting it off at places with a small forklift that I'd worry about most, but you obviously know what you're doing. Is that first picture at Wyatt Bell in Paducah? Sure looks like it. Do you pull any regular flats and know what the fuel mileage difference between the two is?