Any Tips, Advice On Flatbed And Spread Axle Trailers?

Hello all. I recently started flatbed driving on the 28th of December. Those that know, I'm with Knight, applied for flatbed but did my driver training in a dry van. I've driven the spread axle for 4 days and found it is completely different than tandem axles. Having a little trouble and anxiety from it all and would greatly appreciate any tips you all have for a rookie just starting a career.

My questions are: How to back into a spot?, I dread every time I have to park.

Strapping loads, which techniques are better, folding or roll technique? What is the method you use to throw straps?

The tracking of the trailer is also different, any advice on how to maneuver in tight places, going around corners and turning?

Also anything else I'm missing that you think I would benefit from please let me know. Thanks for the response, Happy New Year and stay safe!

I’ve driven for four years but I’m a baby flatbedder who just started a few months ago so take my advice with a grain of salt. I’ve found I have to turn super wide on some turns to clear that back axle when I’m turning right into a narrow lane. There’s one turn in particular leaving the Home Depot DC in Ogden that I have to take up both lanes and part of opposing traffic before turning right. If I have to make a really wide turn like that because of traffic on the road I’m turning onto I’ll usually stop a tad short at the light or stop sign before throwing on my flashers and swinging as far over as I have to. It feels super weird to me having driven 53ft tandem axle trailers for years because the split axle trailer turns nicely and follows better than a tandem axle trailer but it’s tougher because of that back axle that likes to eat curbs.

Backing it just turns easier than tandems but your pivot point is still somewhere in the middle of the two axles just like with tandems. Seems like the pivot point is a little closer to the back axle. I’ve found when backing into a tight stop at a truck stop it works best to give myself a good 10ish ft between the side of the trailer and the opening of the spot when driving past it to set up so I’m not too close to it once I start backing. Don’t be afraid to do a pull-up or two. I think it’s way harder to back a flatbed with no pull-ups than a tandem axle trailer. Some places I don’t even think it’s possible to do it without pull-ups because of the way the trailer pivots so slowly.

I roll not fold..it’s faster and easier to make your rolls shorter or longer so you don’t have it bunched up too much in the winch. To clarify I roll them and tighten the winch three turns by hand till it’s tight and then stick the extra roll right at the winch so it gets sucked in when I tighten it the rest of the way. If you have a ton of excess strap because of a short load make your folds longer so it’s not bunched up really think.

I’m not the best at throwing straps so I’ll wait for other more experienced guys to chime in

Also anything else I'm missing that you think I would benefit from please let me know. Thanks for the response, Happy New Year and stay safe!

You probably already know this but just in case it wasn’t in your training, that first 50 mile check saves lives, seriously. You can do it ANY time within the first 50 miles (or first hour, whichever is shorter). Alot of these wonky Lowes and Home Depot loads I do I check the load within the first 5-10 miles. Drywall is one of the easiest—I always do my load checks but I pretty much never have to tighten the straps the whole trip. Also I’ve almost learned the hard way, better to overtighten and damage the load than under tighten and lose it. Common sense I know but I do a ton of preloaded trailers that are loaded like crap and try as I might not to damage product I sometimes have to in order to secure it properly (like a pallet of fiberglass/aluminum ladders stacked next to a pallet of pipe—that top ladder is gonna have strap damage sorry). Oh and anything not center loaded will move to the center, I don’t care how hard you strap it, if it’s loaded on the side with nothing on the other side to keep it from moving it will shift and your straps will loosen a little (learned this one the hard way too). For this reason also never leave a significant gap between pallets loaded next to each other. When you strap it the pallets will move closer together every time you hit a bump and your straps will come right off if you don’t catch it in time.

Keep two inch ratchet straps with a WLL on your truck (any Lowes or Home Depot has them). Mine have a WLL of 3333 lbs and they’ve come in handy more than once.

In training they told us throw all the straps you think you need and then throw an extra for your wife and another for your kids. I don’t know why that stuck with me like it did but it really helps to give you peace of mind just throwing a little extra securement. I don’t usually oversecure like I did at the very beginning but I still throw those extra couple straps every trip.

Don’t be afraid to ask other flatbedders you see for help. I have yet to meet another flatbedder who wasn’t willing to help another guy out. The brotherhood is definitely my favorite thing about flat bedding.

Sorry that was a lot but most of those are things I didn’t learn in training and had to learn the hard way so maybe it’s the same for you.

Thanks Pianoman. If your a baby flatbedder then I'm an embryo... I have noticed I have to turn wider on right turns. I was thinking maybe it would help if I left more space from the curb and not "hug" it or be as close to the curb like I did driving tandem axles. Also I noticed doing a jug handle turn for a right turn seems to work better. What are your thoughts on that?

It feels super weird to me having driven 53ft tandem axle trailers for years because the split axle trailer turns nicely and follows better than a tandem axle trailer but it’s tougher because of that back axle that likes to eat curbs.

Backing it just turns easier than tandems

I'm having a completely different experience. I have not been driving for yrs, I just finished my 4 week training last week in a dry van. The tandem axle to me was better with tracking and backing. Going around corners I noticed my rear axle was in the other lane. I had to adjust the way I entered a corner and go higher in the lane. Hugging the top of the line with my steers so my rear axles stay in my lane. If I'm doing that wrong please correct me!

I'm having a nightmare of a time backing. I backed 5 times so far in 4 days driving. You say don't be afraid to do a pullup or 2? Ha! How about close to or over 10 pullups and multiple G.O.A.L. I'm losing count on how many times I have to pull up. I was able to 90 degree back the dry van with 1 or no pullups most of the time but this flatbed trailer is a SON OF A B!

You probably already know this but just in case it wasn’t in your training, that first 50 mile check saves lives, seriously.

In my training? What training?? I know nothing about flatbed... I did my 4 week on the road training in a dry van. Once completed they put me in a flatbed trailer with no experience driving it. I met with a flatbed driver my first day and he went over about 5hrs total of what to do. One day, at one stop and I was on my way to deliver my first load by myself. That has been my training so far. Was told nothing about the 50 mile check. Got a quick tutorial at the first stop.

On my way back to the terminal my DM called to give me my load assignment for Monday. I asked if I will be meeting the driver there and he said no, then asked why.... I told him I need more training and he sounded shocked that I said that. He then said to talk to him when I come in Monday. When I was training in the dry van, I was told after completion, I would then follow a flatbed driver for a week to be trained. Not at one stop and done.

Thanks again Pianoman, this information helped

Rolling or folding.

Not exactly sure if you are talking about the excess or how my strap goes through the winch. My TNT trainer would fold the strap and then push that folded strap through the winch. I don’t do it that way. I pull the full strap down through the rub rail and then back up through the winch. The excess that comes back through the winch, I fold that over and put just a small amount of the folded excess between the rub rail and the strap that comes down from the load. I DON”T let it get sucked into the winch for two reasons. First, the excess in the winch “pads” around the winch making it more difficult to get it as tight as you want. Second, sometimes the excess will get bound up into the winch such that you are only further compressing the roll around the winch but not making the securing part of the strap any tighter.

One caveat on Pianoman’s statement of tightening down as much as possible. It depends on the load. Sheetrock, drywall, lumber, you can tighten all you want. And as Pianoman says, you generally don’t need to tighten those much at your load checks. However, there are certain loads that other Prime drivers “have problems with” but I don’t. Specifically, PVC or iron pipe packaged into square bundles. The square bundles stack well because they are square. If you really wrench down on the load, especially your “belly” straps, you will “round” the corners of the square bundle when you wrench down on the strap. So, what used to be a nice square edge for the upper square bundle to rest on now becomes more of a curved shape. With those loads, I make sure that they are snug, but don’t over tighten them. In fact, the buckle of your strap may be looser than you’d like. But, as Pianoman says, the load shift once you get moving will “even out” the tension between the buckle side and the winch side. You’ll have do a couple of extra load checks early on until the tension evens out. But if you really wrench down on it when you pick up the load, you will completely deform what had been solidly stacked square bundle. That’s when you get the bundles shifting off the side of the trailer.

If you think about how straps secure a load like any sort of bundled product like that, you will NEVER increase the pressure on the deck of the middle of those bundles no matter how much you torque on the strap. PVC and iron pipe packaged into a bundle is like a hand full of straws. No matter how much pressure you put on the outer bundles of straw, you can still push the middle ones out. We haul loads of electrical conduit. It’s very solid metal “rails” packed into square bundles. Those are square and solid enough that I can really torque down on them. I had a hard break in Florida because a car pulled out in front of me. The center of those torqued down electrical conduit bundles slid forward.

Difficult loads; load checks, and looking in your mirrors

We haul building materials out of Houston. They had stacked some I-beams on top of some other bundles. I torqued and torqued on those until they kinda collapsed toward each other and thought they were good. As I’m driving along, I see that my straps are flopping in the wind. The I-beams had fallen over and were just sitting loose on top of the load. They had also stacked some smaller I-beams at the front of the trailer. Same thing. I torqued on those as much possible. At one load check, I realized they had collapsed down and were essentially just sitting loose on the deck. Unfortunately, flatbed involves a lot of figuring things out as you go. The more experience you get with loads to more you will learn the nuances.

What have you been hauling so far?

Throwing straps.

As far as throwing straps, I generally use the “granny shot” method to throw it over a tall load. That works for me. It does often “flip over” on the top so that I have a half fold on top that I do my best to fix. I know that many flatbed drivers use a type of sling throw. Turtle can explain that to you better than me.

Trailer tracking and backing.

As far as trailer tracking and backing, its trial and error. I have pulled nothing but spread axles. I do find it easier to drive and back with the axles closed on the 53’ trailer, but the trade off is that you have to be careful of the trailer swing when turning corners. As Pianoman says, the pivot point is more toward the rear of the trailer. But it depends on your angle of attack. The tighter the turn, the further back the pivot point. If you make such a tight turn that your tractor is 90 degrees to the trailer, your pivot point will be the rear axles and you will “drag” the front axle sideways across the pavement. I generally try to avoid this because I don’t like to abuse the front axles tires like that. At shallower angles, the pivot point falls somewhere in the middle.

Don't forget you can slide that rear axle forward real easily. It takes all of about five minutes. There is an air valve on the side of the trailer that will release the pins and set the brake on that axle. Then you just back the truck up until you feel it bump into place. Set your tractor brakes and go flip the air valve back and you are done.

That gives you a set of tandems back there so you can back into a spot more easily. You can then slide the axle back into the spread position if you need it that way while sitting in your parking spot.

Also remember if you get a load to Florida you will need that rear axle slid forward in that state. You have to know the laws in these various states so you will be legal. I am heading into California in the morning. They have a 40' king pin law. I am hauling a load of aluminum logs from Louisiana. It was loaded with the axles open or spread out. It was legal that way. It had 37.000 pounds on the rear axles. However it would not have been legal in California. When I have the axle forward it is too much weight on the rear. Before I left the shipper I had the load re-worked so it would be legal with the axles in the closed position.

I'm sorry to go into unnecessary details, but I want you to realize you can move that axle when needed. Sometimes I move it for my convenience, other times I move it just to be legal.

Rolling or folding.

Not exactly sure if you are talking about the excess or how my strap goes through the winch

Me either Chief smh. I guess what I'm trying to ask is how to secure the load properly? The only thing I hauled was aluminum beams out of Cressona. Took it to Wabash National in Indiana. The flatbed driver that was with me did my straps because he was in a rush and didn't want to wait on me trying to figure things out, he wanted to get home for New Years. I was ok with that because I thought I would be with him for a week and would ask more questions later on. I'm not sure what else I will be hauling. I have a pick up back at Wabash National on Monday going to Cressona.

At one load check, I realized they had collapsed down and were essentially just sitting loose on the deck.

How do you fix that?

Specifically, PVC or iron pipe packaged into square bundles. The square bundles stack well because they are square. If you really wrench down on the load, especially your “belly” straps, you will “round” the corners of the square bundle when you wrench down on the strap. So, what used to be a nice square edge for the upper square bundle to rest on now becomes more of a curved shape.

So when the edges curve or round out from tightening the belly straps to tight, are they no longer able to be secured correctly? You make sure they are snug but don't over tighten them. When the load shifts from driving do you then tighten them more? If so, how much? Or will the straps automatically become tight enough from the shifting of the load?

Chief I thank you for responding and giving your input. I know your busy but please keep an eye out for this post as I will have other questions. Thank you and stay safe out there.

I'm sorry to go into unnecessary details, but I want you to realize you can move that axle when needed. Sometimes I move it for my convenience, other times I move it just to be legal.

Old School, I appreciate it. The more details the better. I need the remedial course here. Explain every detail to me, I know absolutely nothing about flatbed.

I did not realize I could move the axles. Is it only the rear or can the front go back as well? With the rear axle forward it drives just like a set of tandems? That would be good for me right now since I have done all my driving with tandems. But how would that effect the weight distribution from the load?

How do you make right turns with the axles spread? I found that if I have more space from the curb paralleled to the trailer, as opposed to tandem axles where I was usually closer, and do a jug handle turn I clear the curb better without going into the other lane as much. Is that a correct way to do a turn with a spread axle trailer?

Any advice you have I will openly accept. If you have time, please check in on this post. I also started a diary on my first yr doing flatbed. Please check in on that as well to make sure im doing things correctly and not posting misinformation.

Thank you for responding, I greatly appreciate your wisdom. Safe travels to California sir

In answer to your questions Twosides:

How do you fix that?

I just had to tighten the straps over the collapsed I-beams. They were too heavy for me to move around so I just had to make due.

So when the edges curve or round out from tightening the belly straps to tight, are they no longer able to be secured correctly? You make sure they are snug but don't over tighten them. When the load shifts from driving do you then tighten them more? If so, how much? Or will the straps automatically become tight enough from the shifting of the load?

To be clear, belly straps are on the lower tier, as you can see in the photo below that I stole from Dale Clay. Notice the wood and plastic bands around the bundles. In the second row of white pipe, the wood on the side remains vertical. On the green pipe at the front of the load, it looks like he has tightened those a little more which is causing some misshaping of the square shape of the bundle. Not a lot but you can see how the wood on the side of the lower green bundle is not completely vertical. If you were to really torque down on that belly strap is would significantly misshape the square shape of the bundle which affects the flat surface of the bundle. And making that flat surface more round will cause the upper tier to slide to the side.

When you initially tighten your straps, the winch side will be tighter and the buckle side will be looser. This is because of the friction of the strap on the top and winch side of the load prevents the strap from sliding evenly across the load. When the load shifts it releases the friction some allowing the tension across the strap to even out. In the picture all of his straps are winched to the same side, which is not good practice, as I'll explain below. But if he had both buckles side straps and winch side straps on the side in the picture, you could visibly see the difference between how each one is pulling down on the pipe. At your first load check, after the tension becomes more even between the buckle and winch side, snug it down again, which will again make it tighter on the winch side. Then in another 50 miles or so, snug then down again and you should be good. The idea being that want the straps secure enough to hold the load, but not so tight that they misshape the square integrity of the bundles.

Thus, from my explanation above, you can see why having all straps winched to the same side is not good practice. When the load shifts, it will shift away from the tighter winch side and toward the looser buckle side. The prevailing wisdom is that if the load is shifting to the side of the the trailer in the picture, you want to put a strap over the load with the buckle on the side in the picture and the winch on the opposite side so that you "pull" the shift load back to center. But that is wrong. If the load is shifting to the side of the trailer in the picture, you want to put a strap over the with the winch on the side in the picture. The reason being is that when the load shifts it will move away from the side with more tension and toward the side with less tension: away from the winch side and toward the buckle side.

One caveat on Pianoman’s statement of tightening down as much as possible. It depends on the load. Sheetrock, drywall, lumber, you can tighten all you want. And as Pianoman says, you generally don’t need to tighten those much at your load checks.

No no I didn’t say that lol. Probably a third of the loads I haul are drywall and I don’t actually crank down hard on those loads at all. First time I hauled 1/2” drywall I cracked the first few layers and the guy was nice enough not to make a claim. After that I went a lot looser on the straps. I had to slam on the brakes a couple different times (once for a four wheeler that started merging right into me and once for deer) and even strapped less tight those loads didn’t budge.

Some of these Home Depot and Lowes loads though…are terrible. Ladders and pipe in the worst places and sometimes the only way to get stuff secure is to crank down on some of the more easily damaged product. I try not to crank down more than I need to but after trip after trip of having to stop 3-4 times in the first 50 miles because of poorly loaded trailers and babying my straps, I don’t leave the yard anymore until I’m satisfied the load isn’t going anywhere.

In my training? What training?? I know nothing about flatbed... I did my 4 week on the road training in a dry van. Once completed they put me in a flatbed trailer with no experience driving it. I met with a flatbed driver my first day and he went over about 5hrs total of what to do. One day, at one stop and I was on my way to deliver my first load by myself. That has been my training so far. Was told nothing about the 50 mile check. Got a quick tutorial at the first stop.

Dude please make sure Knight gets you that extra training. Remind them how much of a liability it is to them having you out there doing flatbed without sufficient flatbed specific training. You need to know what you’re doing and be taught correctly by more than just guys on the internet or you’re gonna catch a ticket for improper securement if you’re lucky and lose a load if you’re unlucky. I’ve got several other flatbedders and trainers in my phone I can call anytime I’m not sure about something and even with proper securement training sometimes I’m wrong or run into tricky situations.

What I was referring to were the load checks we’re required to do. One within the first 50 miles or an hour whichever comes first, and one every 150 miles or 3 hours whichever comes first, and I believe at beginning and end of day (during pre and post trips but I don’t remember exactly if that was required but I log it and do it anyways. anytime I go On Duty for almost anything I check the load and annotate it).

Also get out your little green book (FMCSR) and start learning 393.100 through 393.136. That’s all about cargo securement and will be your Bible as long as you’re doing flatbed.