Roll Tarps : Making Life Easier for the American Trucker

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Companies such as Mytee Products sell many truck tarps to flatbed and dump truck drivers. Tarps are tools of the trade for protecting loads and meeting the regulations of the various states. We carry all sorts of products ranging from standard steel tarps to the largest and toughest lumber tarps. Recently, we have noticed a trend among truckers buying more roll tarps. These tarps are being used with different motorized rolling systems to make life a lot easier for the American trucker.

A roll tarp differs from standard steel and lumber tarps in how it is applied. Rather than being manually deployed or lowered onto a load using a tarping machine, the roll tarp is connected to a mechanized frame that rolls and unrolls the tarp with either an electric motor or a manual crank. Deploying the tarp results in the system unrolling it down its length; the retraction process works just the opposite.

roll-tarp

Roll tarps have traditionally been used on dump trucks and grain trailers where it is nearly impossible to safely use any other kind. However, the industry is coming up with new and creative ways to use roll tarps on standard flatbed trailers as well. Drivers choosing to go this route are finding tarping a lot easier.

Dump Trucks and Grain Trailers

Dump trucks and grain trailers usually carry loads that are not especially sensitive to environmental conditions. So why cover them with roll tarps? Because the states have laws in place requiring load securement in order to avoid anything flying off the truck or trailer and striking a car following behind. A dump truck carrying a load of gravel provides a good example.

If that gravel load is exceptionally dry, the wind could pick up a few pieces of rock, which could then fly off the load and strike a car. Even a small rock can break a windshield at 60 mph. At the very least, such an incident would result in damage to the car that needs repair. In a worst-case scenario, the shock of the event could cause the car driver to lose control and drive off the road. This is why the states require dump truck and grain trailer loads be secure.

Roll Tarps and Flatbed Trailers

Flatbed truckers can now use roll tarps by combining them with sidewall systems. Some of the most popular sidewall systems include a set of aluminum posts and panels that can be assembled around the perimeter of a flatbed trailer in mere minutes. Another popular system uses framing similar to what you might find on a covered wagon. In either case, once the sidewall system is in place the roll tarp can be deployed with little effort.

Flatbed truckers seem more willing to invest in these kinds of systems because they are:

•Easier to use than standard tarps
•Safer in terms of wind
•Safer in terms of walking on loads
•Less prone to damaging sensitive cargo underneath
•More than capable of withstanding bad weather
•More likely to last longer due to better deployment.

Another factor flatbed truck drivers have to consider is the time it takes them to deploy and remove a tarp. If using a standard tarp takes 30 minutes while using a roll tarp takes five, that’s an extra 50 minutes on each load the trucker isn’t spending on dealing with tarps. That time can be spent turning the wheels instead.

Mytee Products offers a selection of roll parts for truckers. All of our tarps are made with the highest quality materials and are compatible with most standard roll systems.

Tips and Tricks to using a Canvas Tarp

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Every trucker is responsible for protecting his/her load from the moment he/she hooks the trailer at the shipping yard to the moment it is unhooked at the receiving yard. Among all truck drivers, flatbed truckers have the most challenging job inasmuch as their cargo is exposed to the elements, road debris, and a long list of potential dangers. Tarps are the flatbed trucker’s best protection. Truckers can choose from a variety of materials including vinyl and canvas.

Canvas tarps are more expensive than their vinyl counterparts are, so they are chosen and used very carefully by cost-conscious truckers. When is it appropriate to use canvas? When the trucker needs the extra protection and breathability of the material due to the nature of the load or the environmental conditions he/she may encounter along the way.

Canvas_Tarp

Consider the following scenarios:

  • Expensive Machinery – A trucker may be contracted to haul expensive machinery to an oil exploration site. That machinery needs to be protected from the elements, but it cannot be exposed to any moisture that might become trapped under a vinyl tarp. Canvas is the best solution.
  • Fragile Loads – Transporting something fragile enough to be cosmetically damaged by vinyl calls for a canvas solution. For example, transporting a load of classic cars for a collector calls for canvas because the material is softer and less likely to scratch.
  • Extreme Weather – Extreme weather conditions can do a number on vinyl tarps. As strong and durable as vinyl is, it can wither under the hot sun of the Arizona desert or become brittle and break in the cold temperatures of the Colorado Rockies. Canvas is a material that does equally well in all kinds of weather extremes.

Canvas is the material of choice for all sorts of things from boat covers to sail-making. If it is good enough for so many other applications, it is also an excellent choice as a material for truck tarps.

Important Properties of Canvas

It might be easier to understand when a canvas tarp is the best choice if you are familiar with some of its most important properties. To start with, canvas is a heavy-duty fabric usually made from either cotton or wool. Its strength comes from a plain weave that holds individual threads together as tightly as possible. This weave results in a much stronger material than other products created with a twill weave.

Next, a tightly woven canvas fabric is naturally water resistant. The weave is so tight that it repels water on contact rather than absorbing it. Tarp manufacturers give their canvas products greater water resistance by waxing the fabric at the time of manufacture. As long as water is not allowed to pool on top of a tarp, the wax coating should provide a lifetime of water resistance. Re-waxing may be necessary in some cases.

Third, canvas is a very breathable material because it is made from a natural fiber. As we mentioned earlier, breathability is vital for applications in which no moisture can be tolerated. Breathability is what makes canvas tarps the best solution for covering a boat, by the way.

Lastly, canvas is by far and away the strongest material used to make commercial truck tarps. It is thicker than vinyl, as well as being more dense and extremely resistant to rips and tears. A canvas tarp that is properly cared for could easily last an entire trucking career. It is hard to imagine vinyl doing the same.

Mytee Products is proud to carry a full range of canvas tarps to complement their inventory of vinyl products. The company believes every flatbed trucker should have at least one canvas tarp in his/her toolbox. Better to have one on hand than to take a risk with vinyl when canvas is a more appropriate choice.

Why Should You Use Flatbed Truck Tarps

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Truck tarps are often used to secure and cover different types of loads in trucks. Therefore, they can make transporting loads in flatbeds, pickup trucks and dump trucks much easier. There are a very wide variety of
truck tarps you can choose from since they are available in different styles and sizes depending on the type of truck and the type of load being transported.

Some popular types of truck tarps are steel tarps, dump truck tarps, and trailer tarps which are all suitable for trucks that carry heavy merchandise and cargo.

flatbed

Types of flatbed truck tarps

Since they are made of waterproof and highly durable material, most truck tarps are resistant to weather elements including snow, rain, hail, strong gusts of wind, and ultra violet rays.

1.Steel Tarps

Steel tarps are suitable for truck roof covers especially in heavy goods vehicles, delivery services and other outdoor applications especially rugged applications.

2.Dump Truck Tarps

These are mainly recommended for hauling of asphalt especially when a waterproof cover is not necessary. On the other hand, dump truck tarps can be used for towing gravel, rock and sand.

3.Vinyl and Polythene Truck Tarps

Besides being waterproof, vinyl and polythene are also considered the toughest and most durable truck tarps because they are also mold, mildew and rot free. Some type of cargo and materials such as steel, asphalt and wood must
be protected against water especially because truck drivers are usually on the road even when it’s raining or snowing.
They are primarily used for protecting wood freight from weather elements such as rain and snow. However, waterproof
truck tarps might not be suitable for other types of loads such as steel beams. Therefore, it is vital to consider the type of load you will be transporting.

Benefits of using truck tarps

The different types of materials used for manufacturing truck tarps are hard, strong wearing fabric that is coated with PVC to guarantee for UV, tear and abrasion resistance. Since they are waterproof and sturdy, some
truck tarps are available fire resistant material. These truck tarps are recommended for various waste applications such as tree hauling for agricultural, mining and industrial applications, and other severe applications. Besides containing and securing loads, truck tarps can also be used as truck sides and roof covers. Therefore, drivers can rest assured that they will lose none of their cargo by simply taking the time to secure the loads they are transporting safely sing truck tarps.

Enhanced Safety

Wood chips, gravel, metal scraps stones and other debris can easily fall from the truck especially when driving and this generally creates unsafe driving conditions even for other drivers. In order to ensure that heavy cargo does not fall onto the road when loose or unsecured, flatbed truck tarps are primarily manufactured to hold cargo securely while preventing any cargo-related damage to other road users.

Another major benefit of using truck tarts is reducing the dragging effect on the vehicle. Therefore, you can easily increase the miles per gallon you get because the movement of air is more streamlined.

Flatbed Truck Tarps 101 : All You Need To Know

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Flatbed truck tarps come in a wide variety of materials, sizes and even functionality. There is also no one-size fits all solution for these products. All this factors can make it extremely challenging for the uninitiated to effectively determine just what kind of tarp is ideal for their exact needs and preferences. To this end, this article has been specifically designed to briefly elaborate on some of the most common varieties of these items, and what use they are generally put through.

Lumber Tarps

These products are primarily used to protect lumber from exposure to the elements as well as been in contact with the flatbed truck’s exterior components. Despite of this fact, this type of tarps can also be used for safely transporting other kinds of cargo. Lumber tarps come with flaps at their ends that are meant to cover the nether regions of a flatbed truck’s load. These products generally come In the following sizes:
·16X27
·20X27
·24X27

flatbed-tarps

Smoke Tarps

These category of tarps are designed to effectually wrap around the front area of flatbed load. In essence, they are meant to protect cargo from accumulating soot, dirt and more importantly, the truck’s exhaust emissions while it is in transit. Smoke tarps can also be utilized to prevent the wind from generating the unnerving whistling sound that emanates from transporting cargos such as PVC and steel pipes. These tarps for the most part come with 10X12 dimensions.

Steel Tarps

This variety of tarps features a 4-sided severe steel construction that is totally devoid of flaps. This unique configuration makes steel tarps excellent for transporting:
· Cables.
· Steel rod
· Sheet metal.

Steel tarps come in the following sizes:
· 16X27
· 20X27
· 24X27

Dump Truck Tarps

This is a waterproof tarp that is primarily designed for protecting dump truck loads. However, it can also be used for with other similarly styled trucks like:
· Fertilizer tenders.
· Trailers.
· Grain carts.
· Grain trucks.

Dump truck tarps dimensions can be:

· 9’10X41
· 10’6X42

As would be expected there are also a number of accessories, which are necessary for properly using flatbed truck tarps in any kind of situation. This includes tie downs that secure these products in place. Let us now take a look at some of the most common of these accessories.

Bungee Straps

Also known as Rubber Tarp Straps, these are handy tie downs that come in two major types, natural rubber and EPDM rubber.The first variety is designed to be utilized in areas that are characterized by cold climatic conditions. Natural rubber tie downs cannot crack, tear or get brittle even when exposed to freezing temperatures for protracted periods of time.

On the other hand, EPDM rubber straps are meant for areas that experience hot weather. They can effortlessly withstand prolonged exposure to the scotching sunlight.

Shock Cords

This is a stretchy rope that comes with a heavy duty polyester fabric that encases a rubber core. A shock cord can be the best solution if you wish for a custom length tie down, which you can make use of by adding a bungee hook.

Rubber Ropes

Just like a shock cord, this type of tie down can be cut to the exact length you desire. It usually comes in two varieties, which are the hollow and solid core. The first type is designed for heavy-duty applications, while the second for lightweight applications.

By now you would have come to realize that tarps are unique to the type of load a trucker carries and come with a variety of accessories to secure cargo and safely transport it.Please make sure you buy the right tarp for your cargo needs that is also durable and gives you the best value for your money.