How to Prevent Load Shifts in Tractor Trailer Trucks

Tractor trailers haul huge amounts of material over the highways every day. It's important that drivers and loaders are aware of the any hazards of the vehicle's cargo and that all precautions have been taken to stop it from shifting and throwing off the weight distribution.

Things You'll Need

• Tie straps
• Chains (when necessary)

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Instructions

• 1

  Distribute the load evenly. If the trailer isn't completely full, put as much of the weight in the middle width of the trailer so that there isn't more weight against one wall than the other. Keep heavier loads over the axles, because they won't shift as much there.

• 2

  Strap loads into place with tie straps. Place them in the floor or on the walls of the trailer where straps can be tied to help anchor loads in place. Tie the straps snugly and make sure they're attached to strong parts of the cargo, such as the wooden pallets the cargo rests on.

• 3

  Tie down particularly heavy loads with chains. Chains are more commonly used on flat bed trucks, but if a tractor trailer is hauling something particularly heavy or dangerous like heavy equipment or sheet metal stacks, chains will stop it from shifting and moving.