Cold Crack to -40° C/F Cold Crack to -40° C/F Cold Crack to -40° C/F Wire Hook 22,000 lbs BS
BOX OF 10 Straps
What are Flatbed Trailers?
Flatbed Trailers are one of the most commonly used ways to transport large and extremely heavy items from one destination to the next. Flatbed Trailers are different from traditional dry van trailers as they have a flat and open bed design that can make for easy loading and easy unloading with a forklift or other equipment much easier and quicker compared to dry vans.
Flatbed Trailers transport various cargo loads ranging from construction building materials, machinery, raw metal materials, farm equipment, and more. One of the major differences with flatbed trailers as they do not have walls which can make transporting some of the largest loads on the roadways such as buildings and farm equipment a breeze.
In this blog post, we will discuss some of the key supplies that you should have on hand while using a flatbed trailer. We will also be going over the cost of replacing equipment as it becomes damaged or in need of repair over time to help you stay safe and save money while in the process. Let’s begin.
Flatbed Equipment That Every Flatbed Trailer Needs
First, let’s talk about tarps and straps. Tarps are used to cover and protect your cargo from the elements, such as rain, snow, and sun. They also help to keep your cargo from blowing away while in transit. Without the use of flatbed tarps your cargo that may contain sensitive wood or metal materials could be potentially at risk of receiving water damage or other road debris that could lead to the cargo needing repair or replacement from potential water damage or corrosion.
Two different main types of tarps are available for the professional flatbed industry. One being Flatbed Lumber Tarps and the other being Flatbed Steel Tarps. Lumber Tarps are generally used for securing wood and lumber building materials from one construction site to the next. At the same time, Steel Tarps are designed for protecting sensitive metal surfaces such as steel coils during transport. Both of the tarp systems are made from the same great 18 oz coated fabric that is cold crack rated to -40° C/F. The main difference between the two tarps is the dimension differences and the drop size on the tarp.
Tie Down Straps, on the other hand, are used to tie down and secure the cargo to the trailer bed. These straps are essential for preventing your cargo from shifting or falling off the trailer while in transit. When choosing tarps and straps, it’s important to select ones that are durable and rated for the weight of your cargo. This can be done by using a safe Working Load Limit rating that is sewn onto each strap and takes the ultimate amount of force before the strap breaks, also called breaking strength, and divides this number by three. For example, 10,000 lbs breaking strength on a strap would have a safe Working Load Limit (WLL) rating of 3,333 lbs.
Working Load Limits were put in place to keep motorists safe from the cargo that is being transported as it’s hard to predict when the next sharp corner, motorist cutting you off in traffic, or sudden jerk motion from a hard brake or quick acceleration will take place. All of these motions can cause the straps to be placed under extra added stress that often the straps were not designed to handle. To keep your straps in good condition and your cargo safely secured throughout transit the working load limit rating helps prevent straps from becoming damaged and the cargo safely secured until it reaches the next location.
At Lodi Metals all of our Tie Down Straps such as Flatbed Winch Straps and Ratchet Straps are made from heavy-duty polyester tie-down webbing. Polyester tie-down webbing is the webbing of choice for cargo securement as it provides great strength and a little amount of stretching. Excess stretching can cause the cargo to come out of place during transit and become a hazard to other motorists if the cargo were to come off of the open flatbed trailer. This is why it’s extremely important to only purchase high-quality ratchet straps that are made from the correct materials to keep you and other motorists on the roadways safe.
While these are some of the main supplies that are commonly purchased for flatbed trailers there are a ton of other products commonly used ranging from rubber tarp straps, corner protectors, wide load signs, red safety flags, winch bars, flatbed winches, binder chain, and coil racks. Lodi Metals has become a one-stop shop for many professional flatbed drivers and fleets that are looking to stock up on supplies for one rig upwards of several hundred at a time. We keep a large inventory to help cater to many different sizes of flatbed fleets and quality products to keep you and your cargo safe.
If you have any questions you can give our flatbed experts a call today by calling 800-807-5634 or by using our online contact us form located at the top of the website. No matter if you are looking for more information, bulk pricing quotes, or a shipping quote delivered to your door our experts are standing by and willing to lend a helping hand. We look forward to helping to improve your safety by supplying you with high-quality flatbed products.
Shop our popular Flatbed Supplies
18 oz Coated Fabric
18 oz Coated Fabric
18 oz Coated Fabric
Assembly 5,670 lbs WLL
Assembly 5,400 lbs WLL
Safety Equipment Needed for Flatbed Trailers
When it comes to flatbed trailers safety is priority number one and having the right tools for the job when you need them often can get flatbed drivers out of a bind. We’ve created the list below of equipment you need to remain safe while on the road. Let’s begin
Safety Equipment Checklist:
1). Flatbed Jack Stand – Tires are known to go bad when securing some of the heaviest loads on the roadways and putting serious miles on them every month. A flatbed trailer jack or a jack for your rig can often help get you out of a bind.
2). Set of Wrenches – A simple hose coming undone for your coolant, fuel system, or air line can cause havoc on your day waiting on the side of the road. Help prevent unwanted downtime by keeping a quality set of wrenches for various repairs inside of the cab of your truck to prevent wasted time in your day.
3). Spare Tire – We always recommend having at least one spare tire for both your rig and your trailer located somewhere along your rig. This can also help unwanted downtime and get you back on the road in a matter of no time in case a tire were to become damaged, flat, or potentially become untreated while traveling down the road.
4). Cell Phone Charger – One of the commonly missed items that every flatbed truck needs is a cell phone charger in case of emergencies you have a charged phone. No matter if you are communicating with dispatch, or customers, checking weather conditions or using a GPS it can be one of the most important tools inside of big rigs.
5). Flash Lights – Spending long hours on road at a time may require you from time to time to get up before the sun rises or after the sun sets. A quality well-lit flashlight can help you inspect your rig, chain, and retightening straps, or even help you while going on a walk.
The Cost of Replacing Ratchet Straps vs Winch Straps for Flatbeds
As Tie Down Straps are repetitively used over a period they tend to become damaged at the webbing from potential friction burns, cuts, or general wear and tear. The next option when your straps become damaged is repairing or replacing the worn-out strap with a new side of the damaged strap or purchasing an entirely new strap.
Ratchet Straps have a more rigid design that can secure cargo extremely tight to the desired strength and does a great job at holding the cargo in place until you reach the next location and is released. However, as it uses more hardware such as metal ratchet hardware to tighten the straps that weigh over 8 lbs alone per strap it can become quite costly for those who are going through 4-inch ratchet straps consistently.
Flatbed Winch Straps on the other hand include the same end-fitting hardware but do not use any form of ratchet hardware and are tightened into place by using a flatbed winch that is installed along the rub rails of the flatbed trailer. Due to this, the cost of purchasing replacement straps for winch straps is generally over 50 percent less expensive than traditional ratchet straps.
One of the ways to greatly improve the product lifespan of ratchet straps and winch straps is through the use of corner protectors. Corner protectors are designed to provide a layer between the strap and the cargo you are securing to prevent cuts or tears in the webbing from friction burns. Those who are using tie-down straps often will normally notice a pretty good difference between using corner protectors vs not using corner protectors.
Flatbed Trailer Products Every Flatbed Trailer Needs
Published on 01/23/23
1115403
$289.00
1115402
$289.00
1115463
$370.00
A42139RWH
$37.50
A42468-Box
$109.99
