I was asked to have a look at a tautliner today. The driver had turned a corner, caught the side of the trailer, ripped the curtain, 4 buckles and damaged a post. The company asked that we fix it on site but I didn’t have the means to do so. Cut a long story short, I said to the driver, no worries mate, we’ll get the curtains pulled back and strapped, open the back doors strap them also and then chuck some straps over the roof to hold it, just in case. Then you can take a steady 20 minute drive to our workshops where we can repair it.
However, the driver then told me that they don’t carry ratchet straps so I asked how he restrains his loads, to which he answered, we don’t. This surprised me somewhat. He had the internal straps hanging from the runners in the roof but nothing else. I know companies have differing working practices but surely it would be a good idea to have pallets, or whatever the load may be secured to the bed of the trailer, if it’s practical to do so?
But that’s besides the point. I’m just wondering if anyone bothers to carry stuff that may help them or get them out of a muddle on a day to day basis? Like ratchet straps, basic tools, spare bulbs, cable ties etc? We get called to a lot of vehicles for really silly things. Which is fine as it keeps me in work,but I do find it amazing that companies are willing to pay the amount of money they do for us to go out and resolve a problem that really isn’t an issue and the vehicle could easily and safely make it back to it’s depot.
Just out of interest why did you feel the need to strap the curtains back? Sounds to me lie it would have been better driving it to your workshops with the curtains closed
common size spanners and sockets
two dumpy screwdrivers (Phillips and flat head)
two normal screwdrivers (Phillips and flat head)
pliers
side cutters
Mole grips
Hammer
Stanley knife
Gaffer tape
Insulation tape
cable ties
various electrical connectors and crimps
Dust caps
Latax gloves
A fair amount of spare bulbs, fuses etc
A plethora of ratchet straps (nature of the work I tend to do)
A cheap tow rope (following seeing it listed on a thread on here)
and I think I have 3 Volvo warning triangles but it might be 4.
There’s probably other stuff knocking about but I can’t remember ATM
I cant imagine rolling down the road with nowt, it’s all very well thinking International Rescue will jump to your aid but it’ll take time and it’d sooner try and sort it out myself than spend ages waiting for a fitter.
common size spanners and sockets
two dumpy screwdrivers (Phillips and flat head)
two normal screwdrivers (Phillips and flat head)
pliers
side cutters
Mole grips
Hammer
Stanley knife
Gaffer tape
Insulation tape
cable ties
various electrical connectors and crimps
Dust caps
Latax gloves
A fair amount of spare bulbs, fuses etc
A plethora of ratchet straps (nature of the work I tend to do)
A cheap tow rope (following seeing it listed on a thread on here)
and I think I have 3 Volvo warning triangles but it might be 4.
There’s probably other stuff knocking about but I can’t remember ATM
I cant imagine rolling down the road with nowt, it’s all very well thinking International Rescue will jump to your aid but it’ll take time and it’d sooner try and sort it out myself than spend ages waiting for a fitter.
+1,
I carry most of the above, also got a handy airline that I had made up years ago that fits on the red suzy valve, puts about 80lbs
into a flat tyre (enough to get you back to base, I used to use it when I was on landfill)
Crowbar can be usefull.
For the tow rope, I’ve got a couple of old Lifting Straps with U bolts on either end.
A few fuses come in handy as well.
common size spanners and sockets
two dumpy screwdrivers (Phillips and flat head)
two normal screwdrivers (Phillips and flat head)
pliers
side cutters
Mole grips
Hammer
Stanley knife
Gaffer tape
Insulation tape
cable ties
various electrical connectors and crimps
Dust caps
Latax gloves
A fair amount of spare bulbs, fuses etc
A plethora of ratchet straps (nature of the work I tend to do)
A cheap tow rope (following seeing it listed on a thread on here)
and I think I have 3 Volvo warning triangles but it might be 4.
There’s probably other stuff knocking about but I can’t remember ATM
I cant imagine rolling down the road with nowt, it’s all very well thinking International Rescue will jump to your aid but it’ll take time and it’d sooner try and sort it out myself than spend ages waiting for a fitter.
+1,
I carry most of the above, also got a handy airline that I had made up years ago that fits on the red suzy valve, puts about 80lbs
into a flat tyre (enough to get you back to base, I used to use it when I was on landfill)
Crowbar can be usefull.
For the tow rope, I’ve got a couple of old Lifting Straps with U bolts on either end.
A few fuses come in handy as well.
How easy was that to make up? Is it just a suzy line with a standard airline connector on the end?
common size spanners and sockets
two dumpy screwdrivers (Phillips and flat head)
two normal screwdrivers (Phillips and flat head)
pliers
side cutters
Mole grips
Hammer
Stanley knife
Gaffer tape
Insulation tape
cable ties
various electrical connectors and crimps
Dust caps
Latax gloves
A fair amount of spare bulbs, fuses etc
A plethora of ratchet straps (nature of the work I tend to do)
A cheap tow rope (following seeing it listed on a thread on here)
and I think I have 3 Volvo warning triangles but it might be 4.
There’s probably other stuff knocking about but I can’t remember ATM
I cant imagine rolling down the road with nowt, it’s all very well thinking International Rescue will jump to your aid but it’ll take time and it’d sooner try and sort it out myself than spend ages waiting for a fitter.
+1,
I carry most of the above, also got a handy airline that I had made up years ago that fits on the red suzy valve, puts about 80lbs
into a flat tyre (enough to get you back to base, I used to use it when I was on landfill)
Crowbar can be usefull.
For the tow rope, I’ve got a couple of old Lifting Straps with U bolts on either end.
A few fuses come in handy as well.
How easy was that to make up? Is it just a suzy line with a standard airline connector on the end?
It’s a blue line, coiled the same as a suzy & about stretches about 40-45 ft (can reach the rear super single’s) got the same fitting as the red line fitting on the trailer & just a tyre valve with an on/off tap on the tyre end.
I think some wagons come with a line that you can fit to the air tanks now, not 100% sure, because the fitters I know, used to take that sort of kit out of the new wagons (Think of the Children ! & all that )
I got a fitter to make it for me because I was ■■■■■■ off waiting for tyre fitters at least once a week (especially in the winter) on Crappy Landfill sites. (always said that road going wagons shouldn’t be anywhere near tip faces, then drive onto 60mph motorways with bricks & all sorts of debris between the wheels or hanging off the chassis. Grrrrrrr ! glad I got out of that work )
switchlogic:
Just out of interest why did you feel the need to strap the curtains back? Sounds to me lie it would have been better driving it to your workshops with the curtains closed
I thought it best to strap them back as the tear was nearly top to bottom and there were no buckles to secure that length of curtain. It would have been flapping around into oncoming traffic. I could have swapped some buckles around but then I was worried about the air still getting behind the tear, bellowing the curtains and doing further damage.
As all our work is general haulage we have 18 ratchet straps sets for each truck. Our contracts are Naylors who do clay pipes, ducting etc for civil company’s and builders merchants, compass engineering who do structural steel and Bespoke who do Concrete stairs and landings for construction sites so we need plenty of straps. We have 18 because for a full load of Chep pallets on a flat that’s how many we use including cross over strapping the back and front stacks.
The idea of the air tank connector pipe with a tyre “inflator” on the end is not to be able to inflate your tyres but to be able to use your tyres to realease the spring brakes if the truck wont start then give it a ■■■■■■.
common size spanners and sockets
two dumpy screwdrivers (Phillips and flat head)
two normal screwdrivers (Phillips and flat head)
pliers
side cutters
Mole grips
Hammer
Stanley knife
Gaffer tape
Insulation tape
cable ties
various electrical connectors and crimps
Dust caps
Latax gloves
A fair amount of spare bulbs, fuses etc
A plethora of ratchet straps (nature of the work I tend to do)
A cheap tow rope (following seeing it listed on a thread on here)
and I think I have 3 Volvo warning triangles but it might be 4.
There’s probably other stuff knocking about but I can’t remember ATM
I cant imagine rolling down the road with nowt, it’s all very well thinking International Rescue will jump to your aid but it’ll take time and it’d sooner try and sort it out myself than spend ages waiting for a fitter.
+1,
I carry most of the above, also got a handy airline that I had made up years ago that fits on the red suzy valve, puts about 80lbs
into a flat tyre (enough to get you back to base, I used to use it when I was on landfill)
Crowbar can be usefull.
For the tow rope, I’ve got a couple of old Lifting Straps with U bolts on either end.
A few fuses come in handy as well.
How easy was that to make up? Is it just a suzy line with a standard airline connector on the end?
It’s a blue line, coiled the same as a suzy & about stretches about 40-45 ft (can reach the rear super single’s) got the same fitting as the red line fitting on the trailer & just a tyre valve with an on/off tap on the tyre end.
I think some wagons come with a line that you can fit to the air tanks now, not 100% sure, because the fitters I know, used to take that sort of kit out of the new wagons (Think of the Children ! & all that )
I got a fitter to make it for me because I was ■■■■■■ off waiting for tyre fitters at least once a week (especially in the winter) on Crappy Landfill sites. (always said that road going wagons shouldn’t be anywhere near tip faces, then drive onto 60mph motorways with bricks & all sorts of debris between the wheels or hanging off the chassis. Grrrrrrr ! glad I got out of that work )
switchlogic:
Just out of interest why did you feel the need to strap the curtains back? Sounds to me lie it would have been better driving it to your workshops with the curtains closed
I thought it best to strap them back as the tear was nearly top to bottom and there were no buckles to secure that length of curtain. It would have been flapping around into oncoming traffic. I could have swapped some buckles around but then I was worried about the air still getting behind the tear, bellowing the curtains and doing further damage.
Fair enough.
As for the question in my current job with a truck I drive all the time I have fall a dozen big rachet straps which often come in handy, a selection of different fridge straps, and lots of tools. But that’s only because it’s that sort of company where helping out gets you a good name. Lots of modern big companies don’t want any of that sort of malarkey! And many of them don’t even own rachet straps to give to drivers. I find I just adapt to the company I’m at. And when I’ve worked for companies like that I work how they want me to and call help out when theres a problem.
Problem is with connecting to the red line you cant blow your brakes with tyre pressure because of the circuit protection valve,you have to couple the supply at or before the air drier unit to get air into the tanks.
I carry some basic tools and spare bulbs, fuses and airlines, if I can competently change something safely myself I don’t mind doing it. I’ve got a couple of rachets and straps in the side locker too but as I’m on fridges I always use the bars inside the trailer. (…the rachets damage the bar rails if they’re tightened too much.)
)
! glad I got out of that work 
)