Flatbed Variety

Here is a beam that we hauled on Monday...

Then I spent the rest of the week hauling shorter beams and have 2 more to haul next week.

Can anyone tell me why I have it so far forward when I still have a foot at the back of the trailer? Not a trick question, it is a teaching moment.

I'm not a flatbedder yet but I would have to say that if you had it evan on the front and hanging over the tail end that it would be considered an over size load and that would call for a permit. I hope that I'm correct in my wording as well.

No, I actually did it for weight distribution. In a couple of later posts I explained it. It would have also over hung 3 feet and because this trailer will stretch to 80 feet even that would not be an issue.

Nice loads Bud. Love the clean tarp job.

Ok here is the latest beam. 4 more to go but only one for me as there will be more drivers there on Monday.

Anyhow, this beam is 128 feet long and that puts me at 146 feet overall. The beam only weighs a touch over 46k so not too heavy. Makes me take a different route to get on the interstate though. Light pole is in the way on the route I normally take. They put that thing right in the middle of the right hand corner. Shorter beams I can get around it.

Just for reference, the distance from the center of the front axle to the center of the rear axle on the dolly at the back of the beam is 10 feet.

I for one have never hauled onions but from what I have seen is that the use of "V" boards on the top edges is almost a must to me, but the tarp only goes over the top and 6-12" down the sides and the straps over that. It needs to be open to get air so the onions don't start to rot under the tarp because of the heat.

Thanks for the reply Pat M. Is a "V" board like an oversized, long edge-protector? And kudos on hauling those beams, that's pretty bad-ass.

I for one have never hauled onions but from what I have seen is that the use of "V" boards on the top edges is almost a must to me, but the tarp only goes over the top and 6-12" down the sides and the straps over that. It needs to be open to get air so the onions don't start to rot under the tarp because of the heat.

Thanks for the reply Pat M. Is a "V" board like an oversized, long edge-protector? And kudos on hauling those beams, that's pretty bad-ass.

Here are some photos the first one is a produced product that you can purchase. The second one is what you see a lot of and they are homemade.

Well we delivered the last 4 bridge beams today. My pilot had his daughter with him and she decided to take a video of me making a corner in Helena. Not a good one but it works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bauAyr5sdk&feature=youtu.be

I wish there was a way to imbed them in here but oh well.

Well we delivered the last 4 bridge beams today. My pilot had his daughter with him and she decided to take a video of me making a corner in Helena. Not a good one but it works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bauAyr5sdk&feature=youtu.be

I wish there was a way to imbed them in here but oh well.

Very nice driving, and maneuvering.

That's one of the coolest videos I've seen in awhile. I read your description of how you make those turns but I didn't understand it until I saw the video.

Mega skills, man!

Awesome driving! That still kinda scares me when I think about if I had to do it. Bet it's handy when you have to back into a spot at the truck stop, though.