Hi guys, I’ve been driving for 10 odd years and in that time I’ve done mainly car transport/recovery type work. I’ve done a few other bits and bobs but that has been my main specialty. Anyway, for the last 6 months I’ve been in a full time placement through an agency pulling tanks but since Christmas this has dried up and I’m now being offered work elsewhere with curtainsiders. Now I know it’s not rocket science, but I’ve never opened/shut a curtain. I’ve obviously accepted the work as I can’t afford not to work but I’m worried about looking like a ■■■■ and being told to go away for not knowing something so basic, again I’d rather not ask the employer to show me how to do it for the same reason.
Can anyone give me a basic how to ? It would be much appreciated
Don’t over tighten the curtain, it puts strain on the ratchet. Its only got a small bar of metal/screw that slots into the grove of the curtain pole. Make sure the buckles are quite tight and secure to the body because if they come lose they start swinging around which if you are traveling down a street with people walking on the pavement you might clobber someone them with it.
If you are opening them in a yard that is exposed to the wind try to position the wagon where the wind is not going to catch the curtain like a massive sail when you try to open them. When closing them, pull one side across and place the pole back on the ratchet, go around the other side and do the same. This will reduce the aggro you’ll get from the wind forcing the curtain out before you get the chance to secure the buckles.
Radar19:
Don’t over tighten the curtain, it puts strain on the ratchet. Its only got a small bar of metal/screw that slots into the grove of the curtain pole. Make sure the buckles are quite tight and secure to the body because if they come lose they start swinging around which if you are traveling down a street with people walking on the pavement you might clobber someone them with it.
If you are opening them in a yard that is exposed to the wind try to position the wagon where the wind is not going to catch the curtain like a massive sail when you try to open them. When closing them, pull one side across and place the pole back on the ratchet, go around the other side and do the same. This will reduce the aggro you’ll get from the wind forcing the curtain out before you get the chance to secure the buckles.
If it’s windy, leave one side done up tight, including the buckles. It will make your life 100x easier closing the curtain on the other side. If you open both sides you’ll be in for a world of pain .
With pillarless trailers when doing up the buckles you need to fasten them on both sides from the same end, ie. if you start doing up the buckles from the front on the nearside, do up the offside starting at the front too - that way the buckles will still be tight when you get to your destination. If you do the opposite side starting from the other end it distorts the roof and will make all the buckles on the other side go slack. Also don’t tighten the buckles like banjo strings on pillarless trailers otherwise you’ll spend all your time re-tightening the ones you’ve just done further along that have now gone slack. Just pull enough strap through the buckle so that when you close it off it makes the curtain just taut but no more.
Just go tell them of the problem you would get far more respect surely.
They took you on ffs because they liked what they saw and read, and you must have done well on a test drive .
Very simple, stick to using the ratchet/release at the front end of the curtain.
Big lever to ratchet the curtain tight, little ratchet gets pulled out and it’ll release the tension. Always make sure it is put back in position with the little latch to stop it being bumped loose.
Tighten the curtain before doing buckles and vice-versa.
When pulling the curtain it usually helps to pull it front to back. Pull it half way then drag it back two buckles at a time. If you need to squeeze the load in it’s easier if you board the trailer and pull it back from the inside.
One other suggestion. Until you get used to it, wear rigger gloves and one of those bump cap things; more comfy and less naff than a full-blown safety helmet.
Reason? On a windy day curtain poles get blown around, as do internal straps; eventually you’ll know when to duck but till then take my advice; they bloody hurt if they clout you.
And don’t get too close to the forklift that’s unloading you.
Same as Carl Usher, only open one side at a time. A helpful ? forkie undid the second side for me on a windy day without me realising what he was doing. I was a little bit cross about that.
peterm:
Same as Carl Usher, only open one side at a time. A helpful ? forkie undid the second side for me on a windy day without me realising what he was doing. I was a little bit cross about that.
Yeah and it’s part of your training to be a “proper” trucker to 1. have a curtain pole whack you round the back of the head nearly knocking you unconscious and 2. having a curtain buckle or two whack you round your chops . Both hurt like [ZB] !!
At a risk of information overload you really want to tighten the curtains at the front so a bit of the curtain material comes far enough forward you can tuck it over the ratchet handles when you put them back this helps stop the susies getting snagged in them on tight turns.
Some trailers have internal straps that hang from the roof.
Pallets that weigh less than 400 kgs must be secured by internals.
Over 400 kgs, ratchet straps are needed.
For loo rolls, or light loads, at your discretion, but secure the last pallets on the rear end of the trailer.
A big yard brush is handy to sweep out load debris.
Trailers with a load conformity label attached to it, no need to secure the load but the load must be a positive fit, where nothing can move around.
Most depots now do not allow drivers to climb up on the trailer, and a training certificate is needed to do it.
toby1234abc:
Some trailers have internal straps that hang from the roof.
Pallets that weigh less than 400 kgs must be secured by internals.
Over 400 kgs, ratchet straps are needed.
Back in the real world no-one does this except for jobsworths.
toby1234abc:
Some trailers have internal straps that hang from the roof.
Pallets that weigh less than 400 kgs must be secured by internals.
Over 400 kgs, ratchet straps are needed.
Back in the real world no-one does this except for jobsworths.
toby1234abc:
Some trailers have internal straps that hang from the roof.
Pallets that weigh less than 400 kgs must be secured by internals.
Over 400 kgs, ratchet straps are needed.
Back in the real world no-one does this except for jobsworths.
So securing your load is for jobsworth now?
I realise you are a new driver and still very green at the job but those of us that have been doing the job a long time can tell by looking at the load what - if any - restraint it needs to stop it from moving.
As I suspect you’re about to start preaching to me from the VOSA rule book about load security - save your breath. Loads have been secured by ropes, sheets and internal straps just fine since time began and they haven’t suddenly become suoer dangerous overnight that now necessitates the use of 300 span sets and 2 hours of one’s time before one can drive off with 26 pallets of coca-cola.
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