Hauling steel coil requires a different approach to cargo control for obvious reasons. When coils are loaded with the eye either to the front or side, the rolls have a tendency to shift back and forth on the trailer. To prevent this, drivers use lumber pieces as chocks to hold coils in place. We recommend beveled hardwood lumber rather than relying on scrap dunnage.
Mytee carries a selection of task-specific lumber with beveled edges in sizes ranging from 4 to 6 feet. These boards are ideal for hauling loads of steel coil up to 30,000 pounds. Lumber pieces can be used for cargo control of other types of cargo as well. Being that they are hardwood, they should last much longer than scrap.
Loading with Beveled Lumber
Shippers all have their specific requirements when it comes to how they want to load their coil onto trailers. Regardless of their chosen procedures, the finished product on any coil load must meet federal safety standards. Coils must be secured in such a way as to prevent movement in any direction. Beveled lumber is utilized on either side of the rolling edge.
Loading typically starts with placing lumber pieces in their approximate location. The coil is then lowered onto the trailer and held in place long enough for lumber pieces to be adjusted appropriately. Then it is a matter of securing the coils using chains, pieces of rubber for protection and additional pieces of lumber to create what is essentially a coil rack surrounding the load.
More often than not, drivers will have to use rubber pieces over the top of the coils and in the eyes to protect the material from damage caused by chains. Some shippers are very particular about their loads, being more than willing to refuse drivers who do not have appropriate dunnage or tarps to cover steel coil. It is always best for a driver to check with a shipper he or she has never worked with before arriving at the yard and finding out the trailer will not be loaded due to a lack of appropriate equipment.
Loading with Scrap Lumber
Drivers who choose not to invest in hardwood lumber for steel coil loads may choose instead to settle for scrap lumber the shipping yard may have in store. A driver may keep that lumber for future use until it is no longer up to the task. Having said that, we do not recommend this practice.
First of all, scrap lumber is just that. Even if a visual inspection would make it seem as though lumber pieces are undamaged, there could be internal damage that could seriously compromise the wood. Second, scrap lumber tends to be more prone to warping and cracking when exposed to the elements. Any such warping or cracking reduces integrity.
Task-specific hardwood lumber with beveled edges is always the best choice for hauling steel coil. When used properly, it meets federal standards without question. Shippers also like to see this kind of lumber used as well. When they know a driver is willing to invest in hardwood lumber, they rest more comfortably in the knowledge that said the driver will take better care of the load.
Beveled hardwood lumber for steel coil loads should be part of the flatbed trucker’s equipment supply at all times. Individual lumber pieces will last for years if used properly and taken care of. For a small investment in task-specific lumber pieces now, the trucker can virtually guarantee he or she always has the dunnage necessary when arriving to pick up a load.
