Tips for Buying Headache Racks Online

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Mytee Products is thrilled to be able to offer our customers a range of heavy-duty headache racks that offer both protection and extra storage options. Customers can purchase our headache racks in person, at our Ohio headquarters, or online. We make both options available because we understand that truck drivers need flexibility.

Perhaps you are thinking about a new headache rack for your truck. If so, we invite you to stop by and see us in Aurora next time you’re passing through Northeast Ohio. If you can’t get to our warehouse, you can still order what you need online. We have a great selection.

Buying a headache rack online does come with a few risks. Therefore, we want you to be smart about your purchase. Below are some tips you should find helpful. If you are not planning to buy from Mytee Products, we urge you to be extra cautious. It would be a shame to invest a lot of money in a headache rack only to find that what you purchased doesn’t suit your needs.

Measure Twice, Then Measure Again

The construction trades have a saying: “measure twice, cut once.” The point of the saying is to remind tradesmen to be absolutely sure about their measurements before they begin cutting materials. Otherwise, improper measurements can lead to all sorts of problems, including waste and poor fits.

There is a similar principle when it comes to headache racks. Although headache racks tend to be universal for the most part, your rig might be an exception to the rule. Perhaps you already have other pieces of equipment affixed to the back of your truck that could get in the way of a new rack. Or maybe you want your headache rack positioned a certain way. Here’s the deal: measure twice, then measure a third time – just for good measure, so to speak. Know exactly what you need before you place your order.

Choose a Trusted Brand

Brand means a lot in the trucking business. As such, your choice of headache rack should come from a brand you know and trust. The best brands generally offer the best quality and performance over the long run. And yes, the best brands cost a little bit more. But this is one area in which getting what you pay for is important.

Remember that your choice of headache rack could end up being a lifesaver at some point down the road. You can buy cheap, but then you might also be risking life and limb as a result. Just be willing to spend whatever it takes to give you the level of protection you are after.

Avoid Buying Used

You might be tempted to save a little money by purchasing a used headache rack from an online classified site for one of the popular auction sites. We won’t disagree that buying used can be a big money saver. But there are risks that come with doing so. First and foremost, you never know what you’re getting if you don’t have an opportunity to inspect the product first.

Another risk that comes with buying used is not being able to return the headache rack that’s damaged, malfunctioning, or just doesn’t fit your rig. Is that a risk you are willing to take to save a few bucks? Buying used is entirely up to you, but it’s not something we recommend.

A headache rack is an important piece of safety equipment every tractor should be equipped with. If you are in the market for a new one, please take a few moments to check out our inventory.

What Auto Hauling Amateurs Should Know

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John needs to move an unregistered, uninsured car from one location to another. He can pay a professional to haul the car for him, or he can haul it himself. There is no shortage of amateurs that choose the latter option to their own detriment. Amateurs simply do not know what goes into hauling cars safely.

As a professional auto hauler, you know what it takes to do your job right. We would be willing to bet that you have chuckled in amusement more than once after coming upon a DIY hauler whose methods clearly demonstrate a lack of knowledge. If only amateurs knew what you know. Perhaps their efforts might be a bit safer and more efficient.

A Couple of Straps Won’t Do It

How many times have you noticed an amateur hauling a car – or any kind of vehicle for that matter – on the back of a trailer with only one or two straps keeping the vehicle in place. What a recipe for disaster this is. A couple of straps will not do it if things get ugly for any reason.

The professional uses multiple auto hauling straps and chains to secure the vehicle at as many locations as necessary to keep it secure. You might use wheel straps on each of the four tires along with a chain at the front and back. Even blocking the wheels is not out of the question if necessary.

DIY Hauling Isn’t Cheap

It should be obvious that DIY car haulers do what they do to save a little money. That’s fine. What they don’t know is that DIY hauling isn’t cheap if they are doing it correctly. There is more to it than borrowing your neighbor’s utility trailer, loading your car onto it, and heading down the highway in a state of ignorant bliss.

First and foremost, you need the right kind of trailer capable of handling the weight. Next, you need the right kind of trailer hitch. Next are the various straps and chains necessary to secure the vehicle to the trailer. And finally, there is the matter of informing your insurance company that you are planning to haul a car. DIY car haulers may have to add a temporary rider to their insurance to cover an accident.

There Are Federal, State, and Local Laws

If equipment and costs are not enough to dissuade the DIY car hauler, he or she is probably not aware that there are certain federal, state, and local laws that have to be followed. The starting point are federal and state laws that require cargo to be secured properly prior to transport. These rules apply to anyone and everyone on the road regardless of what they are driving.

Beyond secure cargo are additional rules covering everything from load limits to licensing regulations. Having a truck, trailer, and car to haul doesn’t necessarily mean a person is moving a car legally. And without a good knowledge of the law, a DIY car hauler is taking a risk. Being cited for improper hauling is actually more common than people realize.

As a professional, you know what you’re doing every time you load a car and carry it away. You also know how important it is to have an ample supply of straps, chains, and other tools on board whenever you go out on a new job. That’s where Mytee Products can help.

Our line of car hauling and towing supplies will keep your toolbox filled no matter what kind of work you do. From straps and chains to emergency lights, we have everything you need to safely haul cars.

Tractor Tires Are Tough, But Stalks Are Tougher

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As suppliers of  agricultural experts here at Mytee Products. So imagine our surprise to learn that while tractor tires are fairly tough, grain stalks are even tougher. Some of the toughest stalks can ruin a brand-new set of tires in 100 hours or less if a grower isn’t careful. Of course, there are things tractor owners can do to mitigate the damage.

According to Ag Web, some of the worst stalks for tractor tires include soybean, wheat, corn, canola, and even cotton. The problem is that running a combine through a field often leaves behind cut stalks with razor-sharp edges that can easily penetrate rubber. If a combine leaves the stalks standing straight up as it passes through, you are looking at a field of spikes sticking up, just waiting to puncture tractor tires.

Ag Web stated back in 2009 that tire manufacturers were working on harder rubber compounds that could better withstand the punishment of the field. We know that to be true as a tractor tire dealer. Today’s tires are better than anything the industry has seen in the past. Nonetheless, there is no such thing as a perfect tractor tire impervious to sharp grain stalks.

Tips for Preserving Your Truck Tires

Every purchase of tractor tires is a cost that goes against the grower’s bottom line. It doesn’t make sense to have to buy new tires every season just for lack of taking care of the tires you purchased the season before. Just a few simple tips can help extend the life of your tractor tires considerably.

1. Modify Your Combine

One of the easiest thing growers can do is modify their combines so that sharp stalks are not left sticking up. Stubble shoes mounted on the combine accomplish this by pushing stalks forward slightly. Rather than being left sticking straight up, the combine leaves them pointed forward at about 45 degrees. They will do little damage to tractor tires as long as the grower doesn’t come back later and drive against the grain.

A stalk stomper is another option. This is a homemade implement consisting of a heavy pipe mounted in front of the rear tires to knock down stocks before the tires pass over.

2. Install New Tires Early

Tractor tires are similar to other tires in that they need time to season. That is to say they need time to ‘toughen up’. If you are buying new tires, install them as early as possible. Give them all spring and summer to toughen up before harvest arrives. They will do much better in the field after a few months on the tractor.

3. Run Between Rows

Growers can also increase tire life by running the tires between rows. This would seem to be common sense. Running between rows minimizes tire exposure and reduces the risk of puncture. If you do have to run across a row, go either perpendicular to it or in the same direction the stalks are leaning. The idea is to minimize contact between tires and razor-sharp edges.

No tractor tire will last forever. But if you make the effort to be careful with the tires you have, they will last longer. So respect the fact that some of the stalks you leave in your field can be pretty brutal on your tires.

If you are in the market for new tractor tires, we hope you’ll check out our inventory. And don’t hesitate to contact us even if you do not see what you need. We still might have a way to get it for you.

 

Hay Storage Options for the New Season

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We are now well into the start of the summer season. That means hay growers around the country are already looking at the first harvest. Now is the time to start thinking about storage options for the 2018 season. How growers store their hay partly determines what kinds of losses they will experience as a result of the forces of nature. As always, moisture is a crucial factor.

We sell a variety of moisture testers that make it easier for growers to achieve that perfect balance that minimizes hay losses. But a moisture tester alone will not do the trick. Growers also need to use a bit of common sense when it comes to storage. Whether hay is stored in the field or brought into a covered area, it has to be protected against both drying out and excessive moisture.

Storing Hay in the Field

The least expensive and labor-intense way to store hay is to leave it in the field as rolled bales. This method is actually pretty common for the first crop of the year. In climates where three crops are grown, the second crop may also be left in the field. Field storage is fast and easy, too.

One of the big dangers of storing in the field is losing too much of the crop to dry matter loss. However, dry matter loss is easily controlled by getting hay up off the ground. Allowing hay to remain in contact with the ground can lead to losses of up to 30% or more under normal circumstances. Fortunately, breaking contact between hay bale and the ground is not difficult. Growers can roll finished bales onto pallets, blocks, or even tarps. Another option is to store hay on a layer of gravel.

Storing hay in the field also exposes it to precipitation, and that is where a good moisture tester becomes important. Hay allowed to get too wet is subject to both spoilage and spontaneous combustion. Throwing a temporary hay tarp over exposed bales might be necessary if the weather turns especially ugly and stays that way for a while.

Storing Hay Under Cover

Bringing hay out of the field to store it under cover is generally considered the best way to protect a crop and minimize losses. But it is also expensive if you don’t already have a structure in place. Building a barn is not an option for a lot of growers, many of whom turn to temporary storage buildings like the ones we sell.

Another option for bringing hay out of the field is to stack it in large quantities and then cover the entire stack with tarps. This is a strategy mainly used for the last crop of the year; it’s impractical for the first crop of spring. That hay needs to be easily accessible for both sale and use by the grower.

Even hay stored indoors is subject to volatile moisture levels. So again, keeping the crop off the ground is a wise idea. Pallets, blocks, and even used tractor tires are excellent storage options for getting hay elevated. The goal is to allow circulation under the hay so as not to allow mold to grow.

Determining the Best Option

Experts recommend using a cost analysis reckoning to determine the most suitable option for early-season hay. In other words, determine how much it would cost per bale to implement your chosen storage solution. Take that number and compare it against the expected losses for that solution. Choose the solution that is most financially viable for you.

Installing Headache Racks and Bulkheads: A Smart Move

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Every now and then if you look up an online trucker forums, you will come across questions from new flatbed drivers asking whether headache racks and bulkheads are required by law. The questions are reasonable given the rules instituted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to regulate cargo control. Thankfully, the questions are easy to answer.

Headache racks and bulkheads are not required by federal regulations. However, using them is still smart as it protects cargo and prevents damage. If a truck owner has the opportunity to install one or both without causing major inconvenience or financial stress, it would not make sense to decline said opportunity.

What the Law Says

A quick perusal of the FMCSA Driver’s Handbook makes it clear that truck drivers are required by law to make sure cargo is properly secured. This includes doing whatever is necessary to prevent forward movement. In a flatbed situation, that means making sure that either tie-downs or some sort of barrier is in place to prevent cargo from moving forward on the trailer.

The handbook includes numerous illustrations along with hard numbers demonstrating what the law requires. It shows the difference between preventing forward movement with a bulkhead and doing it just with tiedown straps instead. The important thing to know is that the law requires a certain number of tie-downs, based on the length and weight of the cargo, if no bulkhead or headache rack is in place.

Drivers also have to pay attention to the working load limits (WLLs) of their tiedown straps. These limits are part of the calculation necessary to determine the number of tie-downs necessary to prevent forward movement of cargo. Too few tie-downs equal a violation.

Meeting the Demands of Customers

Although federal law does not mandate the use of headache racks or bulkheads, there are some shippers who are particular about their usage. Two good examples are rail and pipe loads. A shipper may insist that an owner-operator utilize a bulkhead just for an extra measure of safety.

Such requests do not seem unreasonable for certain kinds of cargo. A contained, rectangular load is fairly easy to secure against forward movement with straps over the top and around the front. But it is not so easy for a load of pipe. And whether or not a truck driver agrees, shippers insisting on bulkheads are not going to release a load until they are confident it will be secure during transport.

From our perspective, insisting on a bulkhead or headache rack for certain kinds of loads is no different than shippers insisting that tarps be used. Their main priority is to protect cargo and limit liability. Preventing forward movement via a bulkhead or headache rack may be the best way to do it in their eyes.

Buy What You Need from Mytee Products

Given the federal mandates for securing cargo and the fact that some shippers insist on bulkheads or headache racks, it just makes sense to install one or both on your equipment. You will be pleased to know that Mytee Products has everything you need. We carry both headache racks and bulkheads, along with the appropriate mounting systems.

Headache racks and bulkheads may not be required by law, but it’s still smart to use them. Both prevent forward movement of cargo and protect you as the driver. Both represent an affordable way to protect yourself as well as your investment in your equipment. After all, it doesn’t take much to cause a big problem. Just a little bit of forward movement could cause you a big headache you don’t really want.

 

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