Can anyone help - Roping and Sheeting Serious Request

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hello all,

I’m expecting a serious ribbing for this question and request, as I’m a weekend wheel tapper at present, and I know you are not a real lorry driver if you cannot rope and sheet.

I have a strong chance to be considered for a full time job doing Class 2 work locally but they run flat beds including their Class 1’s and rest of fleet is flat beds with HIAB and Moffett, other areas I am interested in. Been a licence holdeer since 2006 and unfortunately only ever used box and curtain siders.

So I know for a fact they are going to expect me to know the basics on this, as this is their main work type!

Just contacted my Dad for advice, but he’s not around when I am because of our shifts crossing over and then he goes on holiday from Sunday and won’t be around. Otherwise he reckons he’d show me and give me all of his tips! :unamused: Shame they can’t be transferred by a telephone call hey!

I was wondering if anyone can help with the above, I am based within East Anglia, but am willing to travel a lot further if someone is willing to give me some practical hints and tips or if I could watch/help them if they are actually doing a physical load.

My only constraints are that I may be working Saturday with agency and I have a full time job Mon-Fri in a completely different field to transport. But willing to go anywhere on a Sat/Sunday within the realms of travelling times etc!

So to have a small chance to shine out from the other contenders I think it might look good, if I have a very basic understanding of what to do. Then I’ll most probably get to shadow a driver and bother them for the more finer points of how to get better at it.

If anyone can help with my above question or even spend some practical time showing me knots and how to do it, then I’d thrown in a couple of pints for your help and precious time, helping an old time Newbie.

I look forward to the zb taking, but also hope someone out there can help me out there.

Thanks for reading and your help.

C

2

Roping is easy but sheeting is another thing altogether and you won’t get it even close to being acceptable ( especially to a guvnor like Bewick :smiling_imp: :laughing: ) without actually doing it for a while.So if you’re not familiar with sheeting loads it’s best to tell the new employer that so they’ll know because it’s not something that you can learn by someone just showing you quickly how to do it.However there’s been some reports on here that VOSA aren’t allowing roped loads using rope hooks now anyway.Which would mean using straps attached in a different way instead of using ropes the old fashioned way.

3

sorry nowhere near you otherwise I would be happy to show you but in the meantime till someone local rocks up if you have a root round the interweb I am sure I have seen step by step guides the dark arts and to dolly knots and I am sure bewick will be along at some point with his piccies :laughing: the trick is with a dolly is practise soe a bit of rope slung over a door to give you a head start with the rope just dnt pull down to hard or of come the handles :blush: the mother still gives me grief about that and yes a was a wee nipper at the time :wink:

4

here’s a start

ehow.co.uk/video_2355281_tie … -knot.html

ignore the ‘comfort’ ad at the start…it is a genuine vid.

5

You mention a (ZB) zarbeen was a moderator many years ago and did a fantastic display of a dolly (over his living room door if I remember).

6

Thank you for the replies:

Carryfast - I look forward to hearing from Bewick then, he might be the man to guide me for a start, I know it would take years to master but I do have to start at the beginning before I can baby toddle, I need to learn how to crawl! :laughing:
I’m very lucky they have stated they are willing to train. But it would still be nice at least to know the process and how to tie a knot before they have to waste even more hours on getting me to do that right. At least have the basics and then they can tell me how to do better from there, which I am cool with!

gonzothejaffa1 - How unlocal are you to me, because if you was the only good bloke to offer to show me a little of this dark art. Then I would still be very willing to travel just get to see it for real, been decades since I’ve seen and hindered Dad whilst he was doing it.

I’ve had a couple of people tell me you can learn everything from you tube recently especially with load restraints, but I’m still old school I need to see what it’s like and do it for real, its the only way I can learn, I can’t do it from a book. Even though I am ‘educated’, its practical or I don’t know it at all for me!

Ps Good job I put the handles on and I will do the practice whilst the wife is out then I can blame her if one gets broken!

GasGas - Thank you so much for that posting I will look that up tomorrow evening when I get back from work.

Thanks again and if anyone else can help out, please don’t hesitate to reply.

Look forward to hearing from some more of you out there!

C

7

There’s a decent example in this video of a typical dolly knot, the hitch this bloke makes is a bit long a not too neat but it does show the technique well enough.

Here’s a couple of diagrams that may help.

8

Many years since I did roping (no sheeting) - stacks of new pallets.
One thing I do remember which might be a useful tip; when working with a long rope, don’t attempt to throw the whole rope over, just pull out a loop and throw that over, walk round and hook it on, come back and dolly up all at the same (nearside*)side.

  • In case you need to stop to tighten them on the road.

I don’t know if this method can also be applied when roping sheeted loads.

9

tachograph:

Be sure to hold the top loop in your fist while pulling to take up the slack so thje “Ear” or loop is kept upright.
If using a thin rope,two turns around the ,“Ear” will prevent it from failing.

10

bestbooties:

tachograph:

Be sure to hold the top loop in your fist while pulling to take up the slack so thje “Ear” or loop is kept upright.
If using a thin rope,two turns around the ,“Ear” will prevent it from failing.

Yes agreed, use two loops around the ‘ear’ till you’ve mastered the knack, if a rope comes loose it will help the rope stay in loop if it doubled.

Put a simple hitch round each hook before going onto the next hook and again on that hook before you throw the rope over, again if one comes lose or undone then the rest will stay taught because each rope over is an individual in itself, takes a few seconds longer.

Most important is the crossovers to package the load at the front and rear, get those right and you’re half way there.

Obviously you put the rearmost sheet on first if you have two, bundle the corners up tight and neatly when you envelope package the ends and tie them taught with the ropes built into the sheet, no flappers please, nice neat taught sides and a neat fold down envelope at the front and back covering the bundled sides.

Generally the fly sheet over the top of the roped down sheets doesn’t get roped as such, its supposed to get wind under it to shake the water off, but in practice its permissable to put a light cross across the front and rear ends and if side winds are really bad to put a couple of loosely tied ropes over to prevent it going off like a ships sail…lightly though this sheet doesn’t restrain the load and is the load waterproofing so as little wear and tear as possible.

Always good to see a properly roped and sheeted load by someone who takes a pride.

11

Nobody will take the mickey pal, because the ones that do WOULDN’T know how to do it themselves! :sunglasses: the dumbest QUESTION is THE ONE YOU NEVER ASK! :laughing: some good advice off the lads there, gonzo and I are Manchester area so big too far out pal but if you see any swains down your way ask one of them lads they’ll show you! Once mastered :open_mouth: they look the dogs DANGLIES! :sunglasses: the mutz nutz! :grimacing: :grimacing: :grimacing: :grimacing:

12

Yeah, the video guy is a bit slack, but maybe its because its not the right equipment to teach someone. Whenever i did a dolly, i would always wind twice as a precaution so it wont slip. I did ropes and sheets for years, and my fingers now at the ripe old age of 67, always split when its cold, its something we get after many years, of winding up the ropes, after dragging them through ice and snow, it was always great when it was raining/snowing/etc to be watched by other drivers as you roll up the sheets,. could be three with a fly sheet, then lift them onto the trailer, or sometimes onto the unit, then on the roof of the cab, it was also amazing how many drivers also drove their trucks over the sheets whilst you were folding them…oh, those were the days.

13

Try giving Woody a call, he’s a rope and sheet man with his his old E reg DAF1900

Tell him you’ve noticed how good his lorry looks when it’s loaded and sheeted. He’s a bit of a character by all accounts, dunno if he would but he’s proud of his work and his old truck. If he thinks you’ve noticed him and it then he might share his knowledge.

edit. Fixed the pic link at last.

14

Fatboy slimslow:
Nobody will take the mickey pal, because the ones that do WOULDN’T know how to do it themselves! :sunglasses: the dumbest QUESTION is THE ONE YOU NEVER ASK! :laughing: some good advice off the lads there, gonzo and I are Manchester area so big too far out pal but if you see any swains down your way ask one of them lads they’ll show you! Once mastered :open_mouth: they look the dogs DANGLIES! :sunglasses: the mutz nutz! :grimacing: :grimacing: :grimacing: :grimacing:

Agreed if you see a driver with a sheeted load ask because he will help. Have fun in the wind and rain.

15

Might be a bit far, but I’m in Milton Keynes & am around this Sunday morning up to around 11.00.
I hav’nt got access to a wagon but I could show you the basics on my car trailer, Dollies, Double Dollies,half Hitches & how to make the sheet look neat/Hospital Corners.

PM me if its an option.

16

Sheeting.
The way your sheet is folded before you roll it out is important. When I was a young kid (abt 10 years old) I practiced folding sheets with a bed sheet (I was obsessed by trucks :blush: ) I even used to rope and sheet my bed with a cross at the front and back… it drove my mother nuts.

Obvious things like put the back sheet on first. The secret to good sheeting, apart from good folding is getting the four corners nice and tight with them all pulling against each other.

I still use sheets or ‘tarps’ as they call them over here in the US and Canada, but they don’t use ropes they use rubber bungee’s with hooks on the end… it’s not the same :cry: … but I still have my rope… and every now and then I use it.

Also, when tightening your ‘dolly’ always pull down, arms ridgid and use your knees, never pull outwards cos if it slips you will fall backwards and get run over. :open_mouth:

As someone said earlier… just ask, ive done it for years, i’m never afraid to ask and i’m happy to show new lads the basic skills which were shown to me when I was starting out sheeting…

Good luck and have fun ( buy a boiler suit!)

17

Sheeting.
The way your sheet is folded before you roll it out is important. When I was a young kid (abt 10 years old) I practiced folding sheets with a bed sheet (I was obsessed by trucks :blush: ) I even used to rope and sheet my bed with a cross at the front and back… it drove my mother nuts.

Obvious things like put the back sheet on first. The secret to good sheeting, apart from good folding is getting the four corners nice and tight with them all pulling against each other.

I still use sheets or ‘tarps’ as they call them over here in the US and Canada, but they don’t use ropes they use rubber bungee’s with hooks on the end… it’s not the same :cry: … but I still have my rope… and every now and then I use it.

Also, when tightening your ‘dolly’ always pull down, arms ridgid and use your knees, never pull outwards cos if it slips you will fall backwards and get run over. :open_mouth:

As someone said earlier… just ask, ive done it for years, i’m never afraid to ask and i’m happy to show new lads the basic skills which were shown to me when I was starting out sheeting…

Good luck and have fun ( buy a boiler suit!)

18

Sheeting.
The way your sheet is folded before you roll it out is important. When I was a young kid (abt 10 years old) I practiced folding sheets with a bed sheet (I was obsessed by trucks :blush: ) I even used to rope and sheet my bed with a cross at the front and back… it drove my mother nuts.

Obvious things like put the back sheet on first. The secret to good sheeting, apart from good folding is getting the four corners nice and tight with them all pulling against each other.

I still use sheets or ‘tarps’ as they call them over here in the US and Canada, but they don’t use ropes they use rubber bungee’s with hooks on the end… it’s not the same :cry: … but I still have my rope… and every now and then I use it.

Also, when tightening your ‘dolly’ always pull down, arms ridgid and use your knees, never pull outwards cos if it slips you will fall backwards and get run over. :open_mouth:

As someone said earlier… just ask, ive done it for years, i’m never afraid to ask and i’m happy to show new lads the basic skills which were shown to me when I was starting out sheeting…

Good luck and have fun and dont forget to buy a boiler suit cos its a filthy job sometimes.

19

Sheeting.
The way your sheet is folded before you roll it out is important. When I was a young kid (abt 10 years old) I practiced folding sheets with a bed sheet (I was obsessed by trucks :blush: ) I even used to rope and sheet my bed with a cross at the front and back… it drove my mother nuts.

Obvious things like put the back sheet on first. The secret to good sheeting, apart from good folding is getting the four corners nice and tight with them all pulling against each other.

I still use sheets or ‘tarps’ as they call them over here in the US and Canada, but they don’t use ropes they use rubber bungee’s with hooks on the end… it’s not the same :cry: … but I still have my rope… and every now and then I use it.

Also, when tightening your ‘dolly’ always pull down, arms ridgid and use your knees, never pull outwards cos if it slips you will fall backwards and get run over. :open_mouth:

As someone said earlier… just ask, ive done it for years, i’m never afraid to ask and i’m happy to show new lads the basic skills which were shown to me when I was starting out sheeting…

Good luck and have fun and dont forget to buy a boiler suit cos its a filthy job sometimes.

20

Sheeting.
The way your sheet is folded before you roll it out is important. When I was a young kid (abt 10 years old) I practiced folding sheets with a bed sheet (I was obsessed by trucks :blush: ) I even used to rope and sheet my bed with a cross at the front and back… it drove my mother nuts.

Obvious things like put the back sheet on first. The secret to good sheeting, apart from good folding is getting the four corners nice and tight with them all pulling against each other.

I still use sheets or ‘tarps’ as they call them over here in the US and Canada, but they don’t use ropes they use rubber bungee’s with hooks on the end… it’s not the same :cry: … but I still have my rope… and every now and then I use it.

Also, when tightening your ‘dolly’ always pull down, arms ridgid and use your knees, never pull outwards cos if it slips you will fall backwards and get run over. :open_mouth:

As someone said earlier… just ask, ive done it for years, i’m never afraid to ask and i’m happy to show new lads the basic skills which were shown to me when I was starting out sheeting…

Good luck and have fun and dont forget to buy a boiler suit cos its a filthy job sometimes.