Damaged Equipment Remedies

Hello all,

Opening a subject here for input on specific damaged equipment experiences you've had and the steps taken to remedy it under load. This was a concern of mine when starting and I think folks would enjoy seeing that a broken X, Y or Z isn't something to lose an inch of hairline over.

To start with, a flatbedder special : tarps.

Tarp went from looking snazzy like so...

...to being damaged on a recent trip

Now, there are some things a Gorilla Tape warrior can effectively suture for repair, this tear was just too long. The edge of these coils were sharp, much sharper than any suicides I have transported yet. I protect all edges with sections of carpet generously donated by my parents but that day I chose moving blanket material. To my horror, I made it from downtown Los Angeles to Barstow Flying J to discover the blanket and tarp slid right open against the corner of the coil.

At the recommendation of my initial trainer, I made contact with a vinyl shop that specializes in boats, commercial overhangs and generally all things tarped. I was delivering in Salt Lake City and found one near our drop there. I was able to drop it off the afternoon before and picked it up the next morning.

Location - Sharp's Tarps Salt Lake City

Time - 4 pm drop off and 8 am return

Cost - $61 with tax

Repair - Heat melded new material to damaged area, like new.

Effect on driver :

Company reimbursement for this repair bill?

Not for preventable damage I would think but good question, I'll dig tomorrow.

Not long after I started with Prime, I was taking a coil from Ohio down to Texas, and had the same problem. Big ol gashing rip, and during a rainstorm!

I did the best I could at the time and went on about my way. Later on that day I checked on it to find out it was rusting pretty bad. I just knew I was going to end up having to pay for this.

I untarped it at the receiver, and the rust had grown. The loader operator came over, looked at it, and without a word stacked it over in the outdoor yard with the others. He said:

"I don't know why y'all tarp these. We're just gunna acid wash 'em and dip 'em in zinc anyway."

Ugh and you had to drive with that concern on your mind. Classic.

On this same trip I had bundled carpet a few times to serve as a edge protector. Just experimenting. Worked great for the most part but one edge on one of the coils had the slightest dent from the chain in it. I was a bit worried while undoing the rest of the chains only to have the crane operator man (kid) come over, throw a chain through the eye, and lift it all up on the overhead crane with the same kind of chain. Nice big dents on both sides now. Looked around in their warehouse and saw these same dents in all the coils.

Ha yup been there done that too.

I actually patched that rip myself with a 6ft half-moon piece of material and adhesive. It held.

Immediately after that trip I ordered a new steel tarp so that I always had an extra. Prime never charged me for it. Oversight?

Shhh...

To prevent this, have either of you seen something like this that you could put on the edge of the coil?

Cardboard Coil Edge Protector

Or even "notch" a straight piece of cardboard edge protector so that it would wrap around the coil?

Sometimes shippers will have that on certain coils that are extremely well wrapped and prepared by shipping (thinking AK steel in Midwest). Even on top of those I add edge protection because the cardboard usually doesn't hold up long.

On the outside edge though, moving blanket material USUALLY holds up just fine, but I'll be doubling up more in the future.

To prevent this, have either of you seen something like this that you could put on the edge of the coil?

Cardboard Coil Edge Protector

Or even "notch" a straight piece of cardboard edge protector so that it would wrap around the coil?

Storing them, and not destroying them, would be the challenge for me. I kept around 8 large heavy duty moving blankets and an equal amount of smaller ones in my headache rack for rip protection. It doesn't take but one or two rips for you to quickly learn how to protect your tarps.

Metal edge protectors for coils are much more desirable to me when it comes to the inner protection from chains.

Some shippers have small but thick cardboard edge protectors for the top of upright coils. I always stocked up on those. They're handy for all kinds of stuff

Go to an Army/Navy surplus store and buy a couple of old heavy-duty sleeping bags.