Securing cargo
Carefree on the road with a properly secured load
No matter how strong and reliable your trailer is, if you don’t load it properly, you can still end up in unsafe situations. The tips below will help you load, unload and transport a properly secured load safely.
Create a loading plan: heaviest first.
For those just hauling sand or leaves, or, say, a car, machine or other vehicle on our Indigo, a loading plan seems unnecessary. Still, it is helpful to check the payload of your trailer in advance. In addition, we always recommend securing and covering the load properly. Depending on what you are transporting, you can do this in an open trailer such as our Azure or Cobalt by:
- A cargo net
- Flat Sail
- Cover
- Or straps
Securing cargo in a box trailer, such as our Sapphire, is best accomplished with straps or the optional tie-down system. This system consists of two rails and a telescopic rod. The rails are mounted on the side walls. Between them you can click the telescopic rod. Useful for those who want to transport goods on pallets or roll containers. Do you transport different items? Then start with the heaviest stuff. With that, keep in mind the trailer’s drawbar load. You can read more about drawbar pressure here. Load the lightest items onto your trailer last, as these can be well protected from blowing out by a cargo net. You can see the reason why here.
Unloading cargo: balance, stability and equilibrium.
All our trailers can be equipped with support legs, these provide stability while loading, and unloading cargo, preventing you from tipping the trailer. It’s so safe! Do you unload your cargo with a tipping trailer? Then make sure you don’t have a counterweight in the cargo box. A tool secured to the stacking rack, for example. During tipping, such a counterweight can create dangerous situations. When the cargo box is at its highest point, thus forming a flat angle, the trailer can tip over with all the consequences.
Weather forecast check: rain, wind and storms.
Before you hit the road, check the weather report. A heavy rain over an uncovered load of sand can double the weight of the load as the sand becomes wet. As a result, the trailer may become temporarily overloaded. In such a case, it is better not to use the tipping position, because there is a chance that the trailer will tip over or the hydraulics will break. You can avoid this situation by putting a flat sheet over the load.
But wind and storms can also pose a danger. For example, if you go on the road with an empty trailer. The wind can whip under the car from certain speeds and take hold of it, making it a plaything of the wind. This is dangerous for you as a carrier, but also for your fellow road users.
Cargo properly secured? Find out what else you can do to be safe on the road:
