tachograph:
dieseldog999:
i cant be bothered looking it up,but when you are referring to those…lock over tensioners,are you meaning those things commonly referred to as …dwangs?
He’s talking about these things, it could be bloody painful if it sprung back and hit you in the face
I got hit between the eyes with a length of steel tubing over the handle as it came back which I was using to release one of the zb’s.Couldn’t believe the amount of blood pouring out my head around my feet.I really thought I was on my way out and still have the scar now. 
Look on the bright side all the stitches in my head seemed to scare the tight fisted guvnor enough to chuck them in the skip and buy a set of these.
mbservicesexporting.com/wp-c … 00x375.jpg
Anyone these days using those dangerous useless over centre pieces of junk really has to be a mug.
As for roping and sheeting I was happy to rope most loads but hated sheeting to the point of preferring to use a tilt in most cases.Which in most cases allowed the best of both worlds of being able to rope loads without needing to sheet them.Unless it was an over head loading job like paper reels in which case the thing was stripped to a flat in the yard and nothing to lose.
Although for some reason rope hooks don’t seem to be a regular feature on many tilts thereby removing that advantage. 
nick2008:
Did years of gen haul , I can do a full load old style any time rope @ sheet no prob.
Nothing better than seeing a lovely tidy rope an sheeted load rolling down the road 
I’ve got to say (i’m a southerner) northeners always seemed to have the neatest loads, I could never get it perfect.
I’m lousy at wrapping presents too
Yep, I can tie a dolly knot 
groovemachine:
nick2008:
Did years of gen haul , I can do a full load old style any time rope @ sheet no prob.
Nothing better than seeing a lovely tidy rope an sheeted load rolling down the road
I’ve got to say (i’m a southerner) northeners always seemed to have the neatest loads, I could never get it perfect.
I’m lousy at wrapping presents too
… ‘’ ( i’m a southerner ) ‘’ . You’re forgiven 
nick2008:
Did years of gen haul , I can do a full load old style any time rope @ sheet no prob.
Nothing better than seeing a lovely tidy rope an sheeted load rolling down the road
Never had the need to use one unfortunately,As Nick said does look good when you see it neat and tidy,no edges loose or untidy.
We always called those chain tensioners “dogs” and were very wary of em. Did a good job on timber tho. I can still tie a dolly and used them when helping to erect a tent recently. Une driver I remember demonstrated how to tie a dolly single handed ! I cant remember how he did it exactly, but I was impressed.
simon1958:
Evil8Beezle:
All I was missing was the "Get a life’ badge!
…And the DCPC badge.
i hope your still missing the…dont worry,just be a good boy and itl be over in a minute then you can go and spend the 50p on sweeties…merit badge from the scoutmater for being his special favourite…
dieseldog999:
simon1958:
Evil8Beezle:
All I was missing was the "Get a life’ badge!
…And the DCPC badge.
i hope your still missing the…dont worry,just be a good boy and itl be over in a minute then you can go and spend the 50p on sweeties…merit badge from the scoutmater for being his special favourite…
And what was that statement for?
for a laugh for those with a sense of humour,which must be why it wooshed past you…
Carryfast:
As for roping and sheeting I was happy to rope most loads but hated sheeting to the point of preferring to use a tilt in most cases.Which in most cases allowed the best of both worlds of being able to rope loads without needing to sheet them.Unless it was an over head loading job like paper reels in which case the thing was stripped to a flat in the yard and nothing to lose.
Although for some reason rope hooks don’t seem to be a regular feature on many tilts thereby removing that advantage.
I pull nothing but tilts, m ostly older ones like VanHool and Gronewegan and would take one of these over a curtainsider any day. Rope hooks were never really a feature of tilts and although i use ratchet straps on some loads on groupage the sides are always so much stronger with the side boards in place that with a lot of stuff like the pallets and bulk bags of plastic granules we carry its not really needed ive found…
there was always a lot of satisfaction when you had made a nice job of roping and sheeting a load, especially when it had awkward shapes, we all hated them in the wind or rain but an errant sheet did not try to kill you like a curtain pole or back door caught by the wind, other down sides were split fingers caused by the ropes, broken wrists by a slipping dolly, as said Sylvester’s trying to knock your head off or teeth out, and everyone nearby would laugh their heads off when the sheet took off with the wind (then you needed a kind forkie to lift it and you back up on the load to start again) skill was needed to fold sheets on your own as well, and woe betide any truck going in for paper reels or sacks that had not sheeted the empty floor, as wet floor no load even with your union card,
AndrewG:
Carryfast:
As for roping and sheeting I was happy to rope most loads but hated sheeting to the point of preferring to use a tilt in most cases.Which in most cases allowed the best of both worlds of being able to rope loads without needing to sheet them.
Although for some reason rope hooks don’t seem to be a regular feature on many tilts thereby removing that advantage.
I pull nothing but tilts, m ostly older ones like VanHool and Gronewegan and would take one of these over a curtainsider any day. Rope hooks were never really a feature of tilts
Ironically the regular tilt I used was fitted with rope hooks.In addition to some other ones I pulled sometimes.Which were more often in that case used as unaccompanied flats.I didn’t really notice that it wasn’t a common feature at the time just taking it for granted having never used any without that provision.But roping loads on a tilt on mostly side loaded jobs was miles better than roping and sheeting a flat.It would be interesting to find out exactly how some had them and why so many didn’t with it being a game changer in flexibility of use on general haulage work.
I don’t mind going in the hall of shame. I was shown by a driver when I was an apprentice fitter 25 years ago,but I’ve never needed to use it and it’s long forgotten. I’ve only driven plant lorries with ratchet straps,chains&loadbinders. I had the usual 2ft scaffold pole with the old type over-centre load binders and never had a mishap,but there was lots of stories of people getting a whack in the face. All I seem to do with the new ratchet load binders is whack myself on the shin with the handle when I pick one up.
I agree nowadays it’s nice to see a load that’s sheeted and roped.
You can’t say if you can’t do this or that you’re not a proper driver. If you get the load to the job intact,don’t break any laws or crash into anything getting it there,your’e a proper driver.
Never had to, couldn’t do if asked.
Carryfast:
AndrewG:
Carryfast:
As for roping and sheeting I was happy to rope most loads but hated sheeting to the point of preferring to use a tilt in most cases.Which in most cases allowed the best of both worlds of being able to rope loads without needing to sheet them.
Although for some reason rope hooks don’t seem to be a regular feature on many tilts thereby removing that advantage.
I pull nothing but tilts, m ostly older ones like VanHool and Gronewegan and would take one of these over a curtainsider any day. Rope hooks were never really a feature of tilts
Ironically the regular tilt I used was fitted with rope hooks.In addition to some other ones I pulled sometimes.Which were more often in that case used as unaccompanied flats.I didn’t really notice that it wasn’t a common feature at the time just taking it for granted having never used any without that provision.But roping loads on a tilt on mostly side loaded jobs was miles better than roping and sheeting a flat.It would be interesting to find out exactly how some had them and why so many didn’t with it being a game changer in flexibility of use on general haulage work.
Ive always n oticed the absence of rope hooks on european tilts, the odd one being the exception. Theres many that never bothered with ropes or ratchets (not always a good thing i know) but just relied on the side boards and i do know the aforementioned VanHool were and still are very strong in this area. Could it be a UK thing speccing them so they could just be used as standard flats?? I dont know…
I too used to be able to rope & sheet, not done it for many a year but could probably make a fair job out of it after all this time.
That was all there was when I started, from hay and straw from farm to farm to 20 tons of paper bagged potatoes for the markets. I pulled my first curtainsider in 1981.
Doing a dolly knot is easy. Seen loads of drivers who can tie the knot but their roping and sheeting is crap.
It’s a bit like drivers. Different standards.
