A Lesson In Step Deck Load Balancing

A week or so ago, I picked up a load from Louisiana Pacific, in Thomasville, AL. The load was 12 bundles of 4x8 osb board. Each bundle weighed approximately 3,750 lbs.

I should have found the center, of the step deck I was pulling. If I had taken the extra few minutes to find center, and do a little math, I would have saved myself 3hrs of extra work. This was my first attempt at loading.

Once I got it secured, and took a good look at it, I had a feeling my balance was off. So I told the guy loading, that I was going to go and weigh, before I tarped it. I drove 10 miles to the closest scale, and this was my result.

So I went back, and we re-worked the load, and ended up with this.

I decided to go ahead and tarp it, and then weigh in the morning, as I was 30min from hitting my 14hr wall.

Here is my re-weigh

If I had taken the time to actually figure out my math, I would have avoided running out my clock, and been able to get a 100 or so miles up the road. It ultimately didn't effect my schedule, because I did a 34hr once I got to within 20 miles from my delivery. But it could have.

Yup, I almost always load center-out, heavier toward the rear. I see a lot of guys struggle with that.

Great lesson Danielsahn, and one you'll probably never forget. Most of us learn things the hard way, but at least we remember those lessons better that way. Thanks for sharing with us.

A week or so ago, I picked up a load from Louisiana Pacific, in Thomasville, AL. The load was 12 bundles of 4x8 osb board. Each bundle weighed approximately 3,750 lbs.

I should have found the center, of the step deck I was pulling. If I had taken the extra few minutes to find center, and do a little math, I would have saved myself 3hrs of extra work. This was my first attempt at loading.

Once I got it secured, and took a good look at it, I had a feeling my balance was off. So I told the guy loading, that I was going to go and weigh, before I tarped it. I drove 10 miles to the closest scale, and this was my result.

So I went back, and we re-worked the load, and ended up with this.

I decided to go ahead and tarp it, and then weigh in the morning, as I was 30min from hitting my 14hr wall.

Here is my re-weigh

If I had taken the time to actually figure out my math, I would have avoided running out my clock, and been able to get a 100 or so miles up the road. It ultimately didn't effect my schedule, because I did a 34hr once I got to within 20 miles from my delivery. But it could have.

So the center is somewhere close to that fourth strap?

A week or so ago, I picked up a load from Louisiana Pacific, in Thomasville, AL. The load was 12 bundles of 4x8 osb board. Each bundle weighed approximately 3,750 lbs.

I should have found the center, of the step deck I was pulling. If I had taken the extra few minutes to find center, and do a little math, I would have saved myself 3hrs of extra work. This was my first attempt at loading.

Once I got it secured, and took a good look at it, I had a feeling my balance was off. So I told the guy loading, that I was going to go and weigh, before I tarped it. I drove 10 miles to the closest scale, and this was my result.

So I went back, and we re-worked the load, and ended up with this.

I decided to go ahead and tarp it, and then weigh in the morning, as I was 30min from hitting my 14hr wall.

Here is my re-weigh

If I had taken the time to actually figure out my math, I would have avoided running out my clock, and been able to get a 100 or so miles up the road. It ultimately didn't effect my schedule, because I did a 34hr once I got to within 20 miles from my delivery. But it could have.

So the center is somewhere close to that fourth strap?

Roughly between the 4th and 5th, right around the center light but center also depends on whether the axles are opened or closed. I'm still surprised they loaded anything on the top deck on the first load. Normally, they put everything in the well.

A week or so ago, I picked up a load from Louisiana Pacific, in Thomasville, AL. The load was 12 bundles of 4x8 osb board. Each bundle weighed approximately 3,750 lbs.

I should have found the center, of the step deck I was pulling. If I had taken the extra few minutes to find center, and do a little math, I would have saved myself 3hrs of extra work. This was my first attempt at loading.

Once I got it secured, and took a good look at it, I had a feeling my balance was off. So I told the guy loading, that I was going to go and weigh, before I tarped it. I drove 10 miles to the closest scale, and this was my result.

So I went back, and we re-worked the load, and ended up with this.

I decided to go ahead and tarp it, and then weigh in the morning, as I was 30min from hitting my 14hr wall.

Here is my re-weigh

If I had taken the time to actually figure out my math, I would have avoided running out my clock, and been able to get a 100 or so miles up the road. It ultimately didn't effect my schedule, because I did a 34hr once I got to within 20 miles from my delivery. But it could have.

So the center is somewhere close to that fourth strap?

Roughly between the 4th and 5th, right around the center light but center also depends on whether the axles are opened or closed. I'm still surprised they loaded anything on the top deck on the first load. Normally, they put everything in the well.

Here is a cheat sheet. I had lost it, but was able to find it, while reorganizing my truck during hometime.