securing flatbed loads

Welcome to flatbedding. I havent done it long but i know one thing for sure, there is no such thing as too much securement, esp. with coils.

 

go up under search and type in flatbed all kinds of post will come up.. I'm am considering flatbed and found a lot of useful post on here...

 

Hauling plastic pipe will make one hard and fast rule of flatbedding very apparent to you..........THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CHANGING LANES OR TAKING AND OFF RAMP TOO SLOW!!! Best of luck. When in doubt...put another strap/chain on it!

 

OH, and one other thing.

Once you get down the road 15 or 20 miles. STOP!! AND CHECK YOUR BINDERS AND TIGHTEN AGAIN!!

And that little rule about checking your load every two hours......ACTUALLY DO IT!

Hope you like your new career choice. I did and still do.

 

Best thing I found to do if you wern't sure how to tie down---ask the fork lift driver or crane operator. They see the what-ever-it-is loaded everyday all day. With steel pipe I almost always ran a couple of belly chains. (imagine a bundle of pencils with a rubber band holding them together) then strapping down tight as you think you can get it, then get it a little tighter. With pvc, usually loaded in bundles, tie down every course, or every other course, your loader will know. With coils make sure your boards are set so the bottom of the coil doesn't touch your trailor deck. Make sure you have two tiedowns in first ten feet of load.
If you look in mirror and see your load moving or swaying you probably don't have it tied down right. Its mostly just common sense, if it can't move forward, backward or sideways its safe. Your tiedowns load limit must equal half the weight of the load. In other words a 5500 lb strap can hold down 10,000 lbs. When in doubt add more tiedowns.
Good luck

 

You can't have too many chains or straps on a load and chains in the rack mean you can loose a load. Never lost one. hauled pipe including twisted stuff out of Tulsa and wood moulding stacked to the 13.6 line. I hate it but the rest, like 60 ft beams and aluminum, I loved. Wrap all your pipe with 2 chains so it doesnt spread and tie the ends to the opposoing side of the trailer.

 

I use a 5400lb strap to hold down 5400lbs. Break limit is around 15k and there is a lot of stress going on when it's in motion.

Like he said, a high load of soft wriggly stuff like plastic pipe rides much better if you throw 3-4 straps over when you're about 1/3 loaded. Then 3-4 more (or 2-3, whatever you think will hold it well) when you're 2/3 loaded, etc.

Chains have much higher load limits and can tighten down a lot tighter. Be careful with soft loads as chains will hold it nicely, but can scratch, bend, break, and crush the cargo pretty easily.

Speaking of chains and pipe, just wait till you get a load of plastic coated steel pipe. No chains allowed. Keep several of those 2 inch ratchet straps. Home Depot has them for $11-$16.

 

This may sound crazy but, Think of the trailer sitting loaded by it's self, loaded. If a big hand were to pick it up, turn it upside down and shake it, would anything come loose, or fall off? If it can add more securement.

 

You just gotta love plastic pipe. The last load of plastic pipe I hauled was out of Lubbock, Tx last winter when one of those nice storms were rolling through the panhandle. Anyway. Just don't be afraid to ask another driver or the forklift operator if you're unsure about how to strap. At my last job we had a guy come from JB Hunt after his year. I taught him what I knew about flatbedding. It took him a little while to adjust to the work involved but after that he caught on quick. ASK, ASK, ASK. WORK SMART, NOT HARD. If you have to question the way your load is tied down then throw a couple more straps. An old timer told me once that its cheap to throw straps and chains. Alot cheaper than picking a load up out of the highway.