A Chat About Pipe Stakes
 

I’m surprised that there isn’t more discussion amongst the open deck trailer types about these simple, yet nearly essential pieces of equipment. I know I can buy them at most pipe yards, but like most things, I prefer to make my own if I can do it cheaper and come up with a better design. I know I can simply cut lengths of steel channel or tubing, but has anybody out there added any extras? I was thinking about using heavy gauge tubing and then welding a couple tabs flat to the pipe so that it stops the pipe from falling through the stake pocket and allows two inches of stake to protrude from the bottom of the pocket. Then drill a hole though the sides in the bottom two inches and using either spring loaded positive locking pins or the old wire locking type to prevent the stakes from bouncing out of the pockets.

My next question is regarding laws in various jurisdictions. I’ve read, maybe even on CAD, that not running a strap or chain across the tops of adjacent stakes in Texas is an unforgivable and costly mistake. Is this correct, and are there and other states that have peculiar regs governing pipe stake use? Is either securement method acceptable? Must the tops of the stakes be secured, or can you simply draw the pipes together as the bottoms with a chain or strap run under the load? What are the various ways folks have come up with the secure the stakes? What size straps or chains are mandated?

Any input (especially if it’s creative and you’ve personally used it with success) will be greatly appreciated.

I never use pipe stakes in aluminum pockets unless it's someone else's trailer!

I thought of making breakaway stakes so they wouldn't crack my pockets when they get hit hard. Let the insurance pay if they roll off the truck. Try getting a shipper to pay for a cracked pocket or even getting one welded back to original strength.

Reitnouer stake pockets snap in, and they claim that makes them much stronger than welded ones. I think they are rated at 5,500 just by themselves. What if I strapped them or chained them tightly at the bottom (below the dunnage) before loading… you know, kinda clamp them together against the trailer?

Depending on the load you have, and the height of the stakes, you might want to consider chaining or strapping the tops together, across the top of the load as well.

When I hauled rolls of chain-link fence, the load was close to 13'6", and the stakes went all the way up. To keep the load from spreading out, I had the tops of the stakes strapped across the top. I also had one of the old steel trailers.

Securing the tops was part of my original question. I’ve heard it's required in Texas and possibly other states. Unless the shipper provides them, I won’t be using any that are very high. I know folks on here have recommended a height of three feet, but I might go as high was 60” since that is what will fit in my trailer boxes. I think I also saw where somebody said to carry a short set of one-footers. What the heck would I need one-foot stakes for?

Back when I had my step I used to haul a lot of plate steel armor. I had 4 12 inch stakes I would put in as, being only 1 1/2 inches thick, was a pain to keep it pulled down. With them if it started to walk at least it wasn't sticking of the trailer at the next stop.

Ummmmm. I see "Pipe stakes" every single day...and used them for a few weeks in 07......and in all the years that pipe stakes have been around I have never seen any secured at the top (across the gap) If you can check out an "Oil field" pipe trailer, you will see that stake pockets have been manufactured out of steel and placed either into the floor or on the floor, of the trailers. The steel straps or plate securing the stake pockets, run across the deck to the frame rail on most, all the way across the deck to the opposite pocket on others.

Some of the "road companies" like Landstar, use 2 1/2 to 3 foot pieces like Walking Eagle described, that slide into the aluminum pockets on the side rail..

Since you have a step and will probably use load levelers to haul pipe I would put a chain about 1 ft up on the stake and run it to the other side of the trailer, not the other stake, you will have taken away the lever action of the stake on your pocket Might need to weld a piece to the stake to hold the chain up.

What you may find is that the stakes must be secured to the bed of the trailer. That hole below the pocket should do that for you.

That is an excellent point that I hadn’t thought about. What might even work out better is setting the stakes even with and securing them to the levelers. On a Reitnouer, the levelers attach to the trailer deck via the “J-hook” system (two plates per leveler set) and therefore themselves have a WLL attachment strength of 13,200lbs. If I set stakes even with the levelers and chained them at the top of the leveler, the stakes would no longer be exerting any pressure on the pocket at all. For that matter, what if I had stake pockets welded to the sides of the levelers? That would allow me greater height above the leveler with one size stakes. You really got me thinking, HD.