After the very helpful advice I got on securing pallets I thought I’d ask about this.
Got a, possibly long term, contract with a stockist of metal sheeting and tubing, copper, steel, aluminium etc. It’s a fleet of ex builders merchant flatbeds with the side boards and they carry both sheeting and tubing on the same runs.
I’ve never carried sheets before so first of all what’s the best way to secure that, and secondly what’s the best way of carrying it all together?
I’ve done bits of steel tubing work before, separated it with wood and strapped the he’ll out of it with more bits of wood for support.
i presume the sheets are thin gauge (roofing, cladding)? they will be fine with a couple of straps over them, just make sure you pack the edges to stop them cutting through. i use old gloves but anything will do; cardboard, rag waste, gaffers best leather jacket… for the tubes i would suggest some kind of choke or bite on bundles to stop them rolling about. if you’ve got a large amount of loose big diameter tubes you should use goalposts/side pins and try not to brake harshly or you could find yourself resembling a hedgehog hope this helps
Wheel Nut:
If it is steel plate, you need chains, otherwise the steel will slice the straps like a butter knife.
It it is thin gauge steel sheets, they should be already strapped with timber and signode steel bands
I have to agree with this
I have seen steel plates and sheet metal slice through this cargo like a cheesewire. I would NEVER tal such a load out without chains and tensioners, they will also cut right through and protective item if you should have to swerve or stop suddenly.
We have plastic edge protection for carrying sharp steel - but as most of ours is packaged the edges are not sharp. speak to a few P&O drivers if you see them and maybe they’ll throw you some edge protection FOC.
I do have some pictures of how to secure plate and bulks with straps if you are interested?
regards
Steve
You might have a problem securing anything at all on a dropside body, especially if the load is
lower than the dropsides. Sometimes those dropsides can be removed but if they carry any
advertising for the firm they may not like them being taken off.
Wheel Nut:
If it is steel plate, you need chains, otherwise the steel will slice the straps like a butter knife.
It it is thin gauge steel sheets, they should be already strapped with timber and signode steel bands
I have to agree with this
I have seen steel plates and sheet metal slice through this cargo like a cheesewire. I would NEVER tal such a load out without chains and tensioners, they will also cut right through and protective item if you should have to swerve or stop suddenly.
i also use chains and tensioners on steel plate, but the OP says sheets, which i presume would be in a banded pack.
If it is roofing or cladding sheets, then you can’t use chains as they will damage the edges which are cut to fit. Ratchet sets with protectors are probably the only way. The flat bed drop sides may have post positions in the bed and if you can set posts , you can then use the posts to stop first forward movemen
I’ve been told its sheets and plate between 1mm and 40mm thick, some bespoke cut and some not.
Which is why I’m at a bit of a loss as to how to prepare.
Thing is I’m covering it as they only have one vehicle and both the regular driver and regular TM are off so I’m going to be pretty much on my own once I get there.
Thanks for all the help so far though guys, sterling stuff as always.
for the tubes i would suggest some kind of choke or bite on bundles to stop them rolling about. if you’ve got a large amount of loose big diameter tubes you should use goalposts/side pins and try not to brake harshly or you could find yourself resembling a hedgehog 
hope this helps 
