I’ve been searching this subject but I’ve not got a definitive answer. Who uses internal straps when getting loaded through the backdoors of a curtainsider?
It seems abit of a taboo subject so i’ll give an example of a situation ive been in this week which im sure plenty others have been.
The load is 26 pallets about 4ft high, and weighing 2-300kgs. It’s been wrapped well and feels secure. Your getting loaded through the backdoor and you will get tipped through the backdoors at your destination. The loader has put the internal straps in the headboard. Do you open the curtains, climb up to fish out the straps to secure it aswell as doing the opposite at your destination or do you not bother? It’s raining…
If it’s an XL trailer and all the pallets (and their contents) are butted up to each other and the headboard… no. I’d cross 2 ratchet straps across the back though.
The simple answer is that you can’t technically use internals to restrain that load at the back. (26x300)/2=3,900kgs
Internals do have their uses and leaving them in the headboard really boils my cabbage. Whenever I leave a trailer, I always leave them with same number on either side, at the back, all at the same length with one tied in a slip knot to keep each bunch neatly together.
XL trailer or not, rightly or wrongly, most drivers don’t bother strapping palletised loads on curtain siders full stop. Count how many hauliers pull off the bays at Coke Wakefield, close the doors and leave with no straps on a 26t load.
It’s up to you whether you think the hassle of fishing out the internals is worth it vs. the chances of the load shifting or you getting pulled. 200kg per pallet isn’t that heavy at all.
Undo curtains, leave poles in. Run internal along the side of pallets.
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Here we go again…
Basically DVSA ideally want to see EVERYTHING with a strap. If they had it their way it would all be ratchets as well. But for low weight internals are fine.
However, in reality sometimes things can’t be strapped properly, and ratchets can damage goods so even though it’s heavier than it should be only the internals will do.
Whenever I strap something I think “what would dvsa say if I get pulled and they ask me to open up?” I try and always not leave until I think yeah they would be happy with that, but if I know they wouldn’t be happy I make sure I’ve at least done the best I can and got my excuses as to why it’s not text book. Such as no the double stacked tissue paper is not strapped other than at the back, however it’s a load baring curtain and the pallets are so high you can’t pull the straps over the top anyway.
Depends what it is, have you ever seen 250ml plastic bottles of water, the weight on the pallet will crush the bottom ones, and god forbid they can put more than one layer of wrap around them.
I got a load the other day, double stacked too high to get a strap over the top, so I used the internals knowing that the load was too heavy for the straps. What else could I do? There was no way of ratchet strapping them, taking them off and reloading would have been time consuming and completely pointless, what else could have been done?
Bit of ‘holding hands up’ here…
We only carry pallets of crisps. A full trailers worth weighs only 2-3ton - and the majority of that weight is made up of the pallets…
I was ‘advised’, to only cross the rear straps at the doors due to the boxes being easily damaged by the internals - and then being rejected at the receiving end…
I’ve just started a job on an 18t curtainsider doing local deliveries in my postcode with light pallets, it’s the first time I’ve driven a curtainsider. I was getting my internals ready when another driver said ‘Oh you’re still using straps then’ which surprised me, I’ll continue to strap them down but I can see why the other drivers might not when they don’t leave a 10 mile radius and no motorways etc.
Redrum:
I’ve just started a job on an 18t curtainsider doing local deliveries in my postcode with light pallets, it’s the first time I’ve driven a curtainsider. I was getting my internals ready when another driver said ‘Oh you’re still using straps then’ which surprised me, I’ll continue to strap them down but I can see why the other drivers might not when they don’t leave a 10 mile radius and no motorways etc.
10 mile radius, no motorways.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=149385
All light pallets–no straps.
Franglais:
10 mile radius, no motorways.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=149385
All light pallets–no straps.
You’re spot on mate. I thought he was joking at first but didn’t see him strapping anything down.
Nate187:
I’ve been searching this subject but I’ve not got a definitive answer. Who uses internal straps when getting loaded through the backdoors of a curtainsider?
It seems abit of a taboo subject so i’ll give an example of a situation ive been in this week which im sure plenty others have been.
The load is 26 pallets about 4ft high, and weighing 2-300kgs. It’s been wrapped well and feels secure. Your getting loaded through the backdoor and you will get tipped through the backdoors at your destination. The loader has put the internal straps in the headboard. Do you open the curtains, climb up to fish out the straps to secure it aswell as doing the opposite at your destination or do you not bother? It’s raining…
As someone once said. Would you take it on a flatbed like that? Curtains are nothing more than weather protection.
Redrum:
Franglais:
10 mile radius, no motorways.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=149385
All light pallets–no straps.You’re spot on mate. I thought he was joking at first but didn’t see him strapping anything down.
Just like those “Im only popping down the shops, so I wont bother with a seat belt”, or "Ill be careful" arent they? What are they normally like? “Oh, Ill put my seatbelt on because Im gonna drive like an idiot today”. AARRGHH. Sorry, rant over.