E-Track install
- Thread starter jrcase
- Start date
Try a trailor repair place as they sell the e-track and might install for you. Also call Jon Mosher at Freightliner of Knoxville. If he can't help, he can get you in the right direction.
RLENT
Veteran Expediter
I don't have any specific suggestions for places to do it, but I'll say this - make sure that whoever does it knows what they are doing and secure it adequately - since if you plan to use it to secure freight your life may depend on it.
Personally I installed my own. 10' sections of E-Track (painted, not galvanized) ran me about $15 each. The outside row of holes on each piece of E-Track are secured with 1/4" diameter metal screws which are run thru the existing plywood, the floor sheetmetal, and a flange on the top of the frame box channel which is about 1/4" thick or so. I was able to torque these down very tight .... one screw in every other hole.
The inside row of holes only go thru the existing plywood and the floor sheetmetal - which is far to thin too really tighten the screws down - so I used the metal screws as above but additonally ran 1/4" stainless steel bolts thru the holes every 1' with stainless fender washers and self-locking nuts on the backside (as suggested by Moot.)
On the plywood I was having to cover an area over 13' in length (164" to be exact) ..... kinda hard to find plywood that long ...... so what I did was get two 4' x 8' sheets and cut one to 68" and then cut it in half to 34". These sections are placed as follows: 34" section, then the 96" section, followed by the last 34" section. The reasoning is this: by placing a 34" section at the rear, a towmotor operator should be able to lift the front edge of the skid, pallet, tub, etc. to clear the first seam between the first two sections - so that the front of pallet doesn't catch on the seam. Since I'm running a Sprinter with a side door I can load via the side to avoid catching the seam at the front of the cargo area if need be.
I used cabinet-grade Baltic Birch Plywood (recommended by others here) which is pretty hard .... and the seams should be near flush. I'd imagine oak would be fine too ..... the cost difference between the two was minimal at Lowes. I used floor-grade Varathane oil-based polyurethane ...... I've got 4 coats on so far and it's looking pretty good. I might slap on a 5th coat today ..... dunno ..... see how it looks when I go over there.
Personally I installed my own. 10' sections of E-Track (painted, not galvanized) ran me about $15 each. The outside row of holes on each piece of E-Track are secured with 1/4" diameter metal screws which are run thru the existing plywood, the floor sheetmetal, and a flange on the top of the frame box channel which is about 1/4" thick or so. I was able to torque these down very tight .... one screw in every other hole.
The inside row of holes only go thru the existing plywood and the floor sheetmetal - which is far to thin too really tighten the screws down - so I used the metal screws as above but additonally ran 1/4" stainless steel bolts thru the holes every 1' with stainless fender washers and self-locking nuts on the backside (as suggested by Moot.)
On the plywood I was having to cover an area over 13' in length (164" to be exact) ..... kinda hard to find plywood that long ...... so what I did was get two 4' x 8' sheets and cut one to 68" and then cut it in half to 34". These sections are placed as follows: 34" section, then the 96" section, followed by the last 34" section. The reasoning is this: by placing a 34" section at the rear, a towmotor operator should be able to lift the front edge of the skid, pallet, tub, etc. to clear the first seam between the first two sections - so that the front of pallet doesn't catch on the seam. Since I'm running a Sprinter with a side door I can load via the side to avoid catching the seam at the front of the cargo area if need be.
I used cabinet-grade Baltic Birch Plywood (recommended by others here) which is pretty hard .... and the seams should be near flush. I'd imagine oak would be fine too ..... the cost difference between the two was minimal at Lowes. I used floor-grade Varathane oil-based polyurethane ...... I've got 4 coats on so far and it's looking pretty good. I might slap on a 5th coat today ..... dunno ..... see how it looks when I go over there.
"These sections are placed as follows: 34" section, then the 96" section, followed by the last 34" section. The reasoning is this: by placing a 34" section at the rear, a towmotor operator should be able to lift the front edge of the skid, pallet, tub, etc. to clear the first seam between the first two sections - so that the front of pallet doesn't catch on the seam. "
Yeah, well, first time a forklift operator catches the back edge of that rear 34" section and splinters a quarter-inch chunk about 6 inches long out of your deck, you'll realize that you're giving most of them far too much credit. hehe After I got this van and put in the new deck, very first load I picked up they took a 6 inch chunk out of the end of the deck because he didn't have the forks juuust another half inch higher when he went in. Oh, well, it's just wood. One of these days I'll fill it in and sand it down.
Just make sure the seams are well sanded. If there is any gap at all, it's a good idea to smush some wood putty down in there and sand it down smooth. That's mainly to keep any microscopic critters from taking root there, and to help prevent squeaks.
Incidentally, be prepared in that the seam closest to the back of the van will have skids slid across it many more times than it will have skids set down onto it. A forklift operator will often place the skid in a little more than half way, drop it, back up and then push it and slide it in the rest of the way. This is particularly true when loading a second skid, as they'll use it to push the first one farther in.
When removing a skid, unless it's far enough back that they can grab it all in one go, they'll grab the front part of the skid, raising it up so that the skid is resting on its back edge, and they'll slide the thing towards them, until it's where they can set it down and get good fork under it.
And pulling out that 2nd (or 3rd) skid with a pull-strap of pallet puller means the skids have to slide right over one or both of those seams.
I wouldn't worry too much, as the vast majority of skids are relative smooth and/or forgiving underneath. It's the oddball skid that is broken or has a nail or something sticking out the bottom that will cause you problems.
Yeah, well, first time a forklift operator catches the back edge of that rear 34" section and splinters a quarter-inch chunk about 6 inches long out of your deck, you'll realize that you're giving most of them far too much credit. hehe After I got this van and put in the new deck, very first load I picked up they took a 6 inch chunk out of the end of the deck because he didn't have the forks juuust another half inch higher when he went in. Oh, well, it's just wood. One of these days I'll fill it in and sand it down.
Just make sure the seams are well sanded. If there is any gap at all, it's a good idea to smush some wood putty down in there and sand it down smooth. That's mainly to keep any microscopic critters from taking root there, and to help prevent squeaks.
Incidentally, be prepared in that the seam closest to the back of the van will have skids slid across it many more times than it will have skids set down onto it. A forklift operator will often place the skid in a little more than half way, drop it, back up and then push it and slide it in the rest of the way. This is particularly true when loading a second skid, as they'll use it to push the first one farther in.
When removing a skid, unless it's far enough back that they can grab it all in one go, they'll grab the front part of the skid, raising it up so that the skid is resting on its back edge, and they'll slide the thing towards them, until it's where they can set it down and get good fork under it.
And pulling out that 2nd (or 3rd) skid with a pull-strap of pallet puller means the skids have to slide right over one or both of those seams.
I wouldn't worry too much, as the vast majority of skids are relative smooth and/or forgiving underneath. It's the oddball skid that is broken or has a nail or something sticking out the bottom that will cause you problems.
RLENT
Veteran Expediter
Ken,
I hear ya ...... one (me) can have all sorts of ideas as to how things might work in theory ..... how it actually works out in practice is another matter.
Wherever possible I plan on trying to get the forklift op to load it how I want it loaded - with care - afterall it is my investment, not theirs. If permitted, I will be on the dock, at the side or back doors, right next to the forklift as they are loading it (safety and company rules permitting) Barring that, I'll try and speak to the towmotor op and ask him to avoid ripping up my floor and specifically point out the seam for him to avoid shoving stuff across it.
In fact, if I could I'd prefer to just operate the forklift myself .... but then I realize the chances of that are probably slim to none.
If I find that one is just plain careless or willfully ignores my advice and really tears things up I would probably treat it no different than if they stuck a fork thru one of the doors. That's why companies have insurance.
I'm also seriously considering using Terry and Rene's Slip Padsâ„¢ - I like the idea of me positioning the freight in vehicle at the shipper - and being able to move it all the way to the rear at the consignee for unloading - alot better than leaving it to some forklift op who could care less.
Point is, I'm sure that if left to their own devices there's lots of interesting stuff that a forklift op could do - but I intend on trying to take whatever responsibility that I can to avoid it.
I hear ya ...... one (me) can have all sorts of ideas as to how things might work in theory ..... how it actually works out in practice is another matter.
Wherever possible I plan on trying to get the forklift op to load it how I want it loaded - with care - afterall it is my investment, not theirs. If permitted, I will be on the dock, at the side or back doors, right next to the forklift as they are loading it (safety and company rules permitting) Barring that, I'll try and speak to the towmotor op and ask him to avoid ripping up my floor and specifically point out the seam for him to avoid shoving stuff across it.
In fact, if I could I'd prefer to just operate the forklift myself .... but then I realize the chances of that are probably slim to none.
If I find that one is just plain careless or willfully ignores my advice and really tears things up I would probably treat it no different than if they stuck a fork thru one of the doors. That's why companies have insurance.
I'm also seriously considering using Terry and Rene's Slip Padsâ„¢ - I like the idea of me positioning the freight in vehicle at the shipper - and being able to move it all the way to the rear at the consignee for unloading - alot better than leaving it to some forklift op who could care less.
Point is, I'm sure that if left to their own devices there's lots of interesting stuff that a forklift op could do - but I intend on trying to take whatever responsibility that I can to avoid it.