Barn Doors or Roll Up Door???

**sickdog40** · 03-12-2007, 10:25 PM

Just wondering what is the most popular or maybe the most wished for. All the new trucks for sale (almost) offer only barn doors. I tend to want a roll up door.

**RichM** · 03-12-2007, 10:25 PM

I have had both and prefer a rollup. You can keep the drunk f/lift driver off your truck until you unlock and open it up.

**LDB** · 03-12-2007, 10:35 PM

I like roll up best. You open and close it from inside, not out in the weather. You keep it locked until you are ready for anyone to get into the truck. The drawback is you lose a few inches of height.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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**davekc** · 03-12-2007, 11:43 PM

Both are ok.....but like the others, I like the roll up door.

Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

**Deville** · 03-13-2007, 09:57 AM

And you dont have to worry abou a roll up door opening up while you are diving down the highway

**x06col** · 03-13-2007, 03:49 PM

Contrary to others barn is the only way to go. You will loose way too much height and width with a rollup. Also there will be more maintenance with the tracks and rollers. Barn close tighter for sensitive freight. Also there is the refreshing aspect of opening them up, and waking the driver for the loading task at hand.

**ATeam** · 03-13-2007, 05:38 PM

Diane and I have driven trucks with both kinds of doors. Rollup is our choice for the reasons stated above and several additional reasons too.

Regarding tall freight, with our carrier (FedEx) there ain't that much of it to worry about missing a load here or there. When we had swing doors, I do not recall a single instance where having them got us a tall load that we would have missed with a rollup door-equipped truck.

**Deville** · 03-13-2007, 06:22 PM

I only had barn doors becuase of Pfizer, other wise Roll up would have been fine

**RichM** · 03-13-2007, 06:31 PM

The only maintenance I ever did with rollups was about once a month to clean the tracks and spray some wd 40 in the tracks and on the rollers.

**LDB** · 03-13-2007, 07:20 PM

Properly done you will not lose anything in width. The roll up door on my 2nd truck has a wider opening than the barn doors on my other trucks and they aren't poorly designed or built trucks. You do lose some height but in all my time I've had one load that was too tall. I'll gladly trade 1 run every 3 years for the benefits of the roll up door. You just have to be sure it's done correctly.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

**sickdog40** · 03-13-2007, 11:07 PM

Well...just what I thought. My favorite is the rollup door because of the fact I don't have to hurry up, drop my gear and get on the dock before some yahoo just figures he's going to start loading without your help. (or before you get the gear down). I too have never lost a load because of the rollup doors. They are more expensive than barn doors to produce. That's the way dealers say they are more poplular that rollups. I'm trying to make a point to dealers that they should just build what I want, the way I want it and that I was right.

**cheri1122** · 03-13-2007, 11:51 PM

Could you prevent the eager forklift drivers from entering your truck before you're ready for them, by putting a load lock across the opening, when the truck is empty? I'm pretty sure they wouldn't get off the forklift to remove it, but will wait for you to do it, lol.

**LDB** · 03-14-2007, 12:14 AM

That only keeps the majority out. I've had them remove a load bar and be rolling in before the dolly legs are fully down. The only sure way is a locked roll up door.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

**dukesadog** · 03-14-2007, 01:23 AM

Barn doors are pretty easily torn off by those tired drivers that back into tight docks next to you. I can tell you that they are very heavy to lift up and put new pins in/hinges on

Just a thought

**Mudflap** · 03-14-2007, 02:00 AM

I always preferred barn doors for the long run. 2 barn doors have about 10 moving parts. One rollup door has around 50. Run in the northeast a lot, and that fact shows. Mudflap