One Size Fits All Tarps?

Steel tarps should have a set of drops at 8',then every 2' until you get to the hem. In other words a 16' X 16' steel tarp should have 2 rows of grommets or d-rings plus the hem on each side. It also helps to get the grommets or d-rings on 12" centers,it makes the tarp heavier,but gives you a mulitude of places to hook on to. As far as flaps on steel tarps you do not need them. On coils you put the tarp on top of the coil and let the front roll to the floor of the trailer,then you roll it off the back of the coil. Then you secure the tarp in the front near the coil on each side. If you don't tie the tarp off at the floor the wind will pull it out and it will be waving in the wind. Next you X the ends of the tarp. Take the right side and tie it of on the left side and take the left side and tie it off on the right. In other words you criss cross the tarp,no flaps needed. Repeat on the rear or if you have too much tarp back there fold it to the middle and roll it up. Put a 4X4 on top of the rolled up tarp lengthwise with the trailer then put a chain and binder or a nylon strap over the 4X4. That is how the old time iron haulers tarp coils and it works for most anything. I use the same method to tarp machinery. Tarping lumber i know nothing about.

 

Yeah, that's kinda what I've been doing. 4x4's on the front and the back. I've seen a few crossed over but I haven't been able to figure it out when I go to do it. No matter how I try to tie it down, I just end up with a half wadded mess around the bottom. It doesn't flap much and it gets the job done but it's annoying.

 

"one size fits all" tarps only come in one way........ NOT TARPING.

Only way I know to ever have a tarp that fits everything LOL

 

One steel mill I hauled out of would not let you out unless the tarp was touching the trailer deck. if there was 1/2 inch between the 2, you would be told you must not have any gap. at all. the folks in the guard shack would not come out of shack unless they saw this was not in compliance. one time, after waiting for an hour to get loaded & chained, tarped in 95 degree heat, my usual load of stand up coils, were taller than usual, using more height on my tarp. not enough to completely cover. just 2 inches from deck. what did I do. I pulled tarp farther down on drivers side.( the only side the guard looks at, & left the passenger side 3 or so inches short. there have been times where I would take a piece of scrap rubber or tarp & place where product was showing, just to get out of the scrutiny of prying eyes. though there are some times where nothing will do except comply. I used to haul plastic pipe. every load had to have a smoke tarp. I never used one. my dispatcher found out by a fellow o/o wanting to gain brownie points, & asked me about my no tarp loads & how did I get out of the plant without a tarp?

I told him, look... my truck does not smoke at all. look out the window, tell me, is my truck running or is it off? he said it is off. NO it is running I told him, so I do not need smoke tarp. how do I get out of yard with no tarp? I do tarp then as soon as I can I pull over & take off. why, cause it cost me lot more in fuel, wind resistance with tarp on. I told him, if there is ever a problem with the load or a claim, I will haul it for free. but I told him, I have been hauling this stuff for 2 years & never a problem. the receiving end never cares about it being tarped. just like the coils that you must tarp, but when you get it to the receiver, they set it outside & say, don't know why you tarped that thing.

 

2 lumber tarps will pretty much cover everything, but when hauling steel plates, the D rings are so far apart that you may not have any to hook the bungees to. For along time I used 4 combo tarps for everything, even lumber. Just had to either turn them long ways across the load(witch is a pain putting on and taking off) or use them length wise of the trailer, just having to use 2 at the back and 2 at the front so part of the tarps would overlap each other.

 

Majority of plastic pipe Ive never tarped, but the green pipes ( i guess about 12-16 inch in diameter) used for drinking water, I had to use a smoke tarp when they were going to a jobsite. I have had the job foreman come out with a spray bottle and spray some kind of liquid inside the top pieces of pipe to check for exhaust. I had gotten some bags from another driver that fit over 4 12inch pipes in a bundle. They work alot easier than dragging a tarp. The bags look kinda like the sacks that are used for hauling sand or cement mix.

 

I hauled strictly drain pipe. 10''-18'' round

 

8 foot lumber tarps. they covered everything.

 

That's all I ever use, are lumber tarps with an 8 foot drop. I find they work just fine. I found it more annoying to carry lumber and steel tarps, than I do using the lumber tarps all of the time.

 

never could figure out that smoke tarp crap either.

my old truck's exhaust comes out the bottom to the right just behind the cab.

my current truck has the stacks angled outwards. i have yet to see any black on any type of load.