Equipment needed for Flatbed
 

Need advice on equipmnet needed for new O/O flatbed trailer? how many traps, chains, straps, and any other equipment need to start flatbedding. any advice will be helpful

It depends on the type of freight you plan on hauling. I would start with the following:

2- steel tarps
1-lumber tarp
10- 3/8" 70 grade chains
10- binders
10- straps
5- sets of coil racks
10- pieces of beveled 4" x 4' hard wood
10- pieces of belting
20 - edge protectors for straps
20 - edge protectors for chains
50 - 21" bungee straps
1- bulkhead or headrack.

This will get you started. You can add more as you need them, but this should be most of what you should need on a daily basis.

Started is about right. After you're into it a while, you will likely increase your number of chains, binders, and straps. The number of "bungee's" may go up to a hundred or better. You never seem to have enough of them, and you're continually replacing the ones that break. I was known to buy a hundred at a time.

I don't know what happens to all those bungee's that I have bought over the years. They seem to disappear. I have added a few portable winches, 2" hand ratchets, 4" ratchets and a few other things along the way. One thing that I forgot is padding. A few pieces of carpet or felt works very well. If you are short of cash pampers also works well. Don't forget the duct tape.

Here is an approximation of what I have:

Straps:

(15) 30'x4" straps with flat hook
(2) 40'x4" straps with flat hook
(1) 50'x4" strap with flat hook
(4) 30x4" straps with chain
(4) 30x2" straps with flat hook

Chains(I have 5/16 and would recommend 3/8):

(6) 6'
(8) 16'
(8) 25'

Binders:

11 Snap binders
20 "quik lok" snap binder locks - instead of using bungees
8 Ratchet binders

Tarps:
- 2 steel tarps (25x16 4 rows)
- front tarp (25x14 with flap, 4 rows on sides and flap, and two extra rows at the back - highly recommended)
- back tarp (25x16 with flap, 4 rows on sides and flap)
- "farmer" tarp - cheap POS I use for grader blade leading edges, 30' x 12'
- "smoke" tarp (10x10?)

Other:
- ~70 21" bungees
- ~70 15" bungees
- 4 portables (for straps with 4") flat hook
- 4 portables (for straps with 2") flat hook
- 30 edge protectors for straps
- 20 edge protectors for chains
- usually carry 8 pieces of dunnage (3"x3"x96")
- Various pieces of cardboard, carpet, rubber etc.. to protect tarps and loads
- 2 winch bars (never have just one!!!)
- headache rack - I recommend a custom enclosed that is as big as you can fit - trust me!
- 4 portable chain pockets - hard to explain, they snap in above the wheels on my step where there's nothing to chain to, East and Reitnouer use these)
- 2 load levelers
- Various pieces of rope

All this stuff basically completely fills up four 60" toolboxes plus my headache rack. I do plan on adding a bit more, portables with chains, more bungees, a few other odds and ends.

I carry a couple of moving blankets also for edge (tarp) protection. I made some edge protectors out of 1x6 and pieces of old straps that I had accumulated. Seems like you can never have enough edge protectors. I carry 12 pcs of 4x4x8 dunnage. There's been times I've used them all.

Although you can start with 10 straps, I would have at least enough for each winch on the trailer and at least one or two extra in case one gets gets damaged. It is very easy to cut a strap if you don't properly protect it from sharp edges. Some flats can have as many as 15 winches. It is rare that you should need more than 10, but lately I have had to use 12 on one load and 13 on another. I would start with the basics and then add as needed. Everyone has a different business. If you mostly haul coils or steel, then your securement needs may be different than if you haul machinery or equipment.

Yeah, I had 12 winches when I bought the trailer and added two more later on and sometimes I use them all. Man, if I could carry everything I wanted too I'd have to drag a little 28' pup trailer behind my flatbed. :D

Something else you will find helpful, though you can work with a flatbed for years without one.

A STRAP WINDER.

Cuts down your time rolling up your nylon straps for storage.

Has anyone tried electric winches. The demo looked cool. Push a button and they tighten themselves.

I am waiting for an electric tarp machine. :thumbsup:

I have found my new 13 oz tarps are much easier to roll up compared to the 18 oz tarps I had. The 13 oz are actually stronger and more tear resistant as well. I find with the 18 oz any time the temp was near freezing or below they were impossible to roll, you had to "fold" them like cardboard. I have yet to do that with the 13 oz tarps.

I could have used those 13 oz tarps a couple of weeks ago when I had to tarp outside in 18 degree temps and heavy snow.

Equipment needed for Flatbed
 

Thanks guys for all the useful information

one more question what are the advantage and disadvantage of sidekits and sliding trap system. looking for the easy way out of traping.

There is no easy way! Sliding kit systems are expensive and add a lot of weight, they also exclude you from certain kinds of freight. It really depends on what you haul.

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