E track

Big Al · Mar 17, 2005

I am considering putting e tracks on my existing van floor, any good suggestions?
I thought about putting them directly on the plywood; however, it seems that the skids would catch or the tracks would get bent.
I thought about cutting and chipping away at the floor and inserting them but that seems to be a complex job.
Anybody been there.

lap2 · Mar 17, 2005

Why not put a new plywood floor on top of your old floor with the e-tracks recessed correctly?You would loose only 1 inch of cargo space height and have an extra strong floor.

terryandrene · Mar 18, 2005

Al:

More often than we'd like, a full skid at 48" height will barely slide in. If you add another 1/2 inch it might hurt you chances to get loaded. If you have a sprinter, Lap2's idea is perfect.

I think I'm in the minority by not liking E-track on the floor. It gets very dirty and can't be cleaned well And, A broken metal tub leg or an errant nail on a 1000# pallet could easily get caught in the track and prevent the easy pull to the rear for unloading. I prefer a high and a low row of track on each wall to accomodate any securement situation.

Terry

LDB · Mar 18, 2005

I guess the track on the floor would just be for running straps up and over the cargo? Is there any other way to use it that isn't coming to me? What about putting rings in the floor instead? You wouldn't have the almost limitless positioning allowed by the track but combined with track on the wall that might add enough extra flexibility and security to satisfy your needs? Good luck.

Leo
truck 4958

Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

rollingstock · Mar 18, 2005

Hey LDB

You can accomplish the same securement utilizing Terry's setup. You will want to secure a strap around the pallet and pull the strap back towards the sides and secure them. You will then do the exact same and pull the strap around the rear of the pallet and secure is forward on the E-track. It will be bound from front and rear that way.

Bob:7

LDB · Mar 18, 2005

I've done that before as well. I was just trying to figure out if there was something I was missing with track in the floor. I have rings in the floor and some straps with hooks that I can put over the top using the rings if I want to but have only done that about once as well. Mostly I just put load bars up across the front and straps straight across the back. I don't worry about shifting to the rear too much. My big truck can't accellerate fast enough to slide it back much. It's just under braking that I might be concerned and the load bars take care of that.

Leo
truck 4958

Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

Big Al · Mar 19, 2005

>
>
> Why not put a new plywood floor on top of your old
>floor with the e-tracks recessed correctly?You would loose
>only 1 inch of cargo space height and have an extra strong
>floor.

This sounds plausible, perhaps I could use 1/2" plywood since the depth of the e track seems about that size. Thanks

Big Al · Mar 19, 2005

>I guess the track on the floor would just be for running
>straps up and over the cargo? Is there any other way to use
>it that isn't coming to me? What about putting rings in the
>floor instead? You wouldn't have the almost limitless
>positioning allowed by the track but combined with track on
>the wall that might add enough extra flexibility and
>security to satisfy your needs? Good luck.
>
>Leo
>truck 4958
>
>Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you
>like.

I do have rings in separate corners off from the cargo deck, also I use wall e tracks. The company I am considering requires deck e track as I understand it. Thanks

Big Al · Mar 19, 2005

>Al:
>
>More often than we'd like, a full skid at 48" height will
>barely slide in. If you add another 1/2 inch it might hurt
>you chances to get loaded. If you have a sprinter, Lap2's
>idea is perfect.
>
>I think I'm in the minority by not liking E-track on the
>floor. It gets very dirty and can't be cleaned well And, A
>broken metal tub leg or an errant nail on a 1000# pallet
>could easily get caught in the track and prevent the easy
>pull to the rear for unloading. I prefer a high and a low
>row of track on each wall to accomodate any securement
>situation.
>
>Terry

I concur Terry; however, the company I am considering I believe requires deck e track. My previous company didn't reqire this and I use a system with 1X12" s down the sides of the cargo deck 50" apart. I used 2X4's with brackets on each end that I screwed in with a power driver to the 1X12"s to toe in the pallet fore and aft in addition to the wall e tracks.

This seemed a clean way to secure freight. Deck securement with either my previous method or deck e track is more secure method than securing high, also some freight is short and heavy. I have used this method at sea and it works, out there if something breaks loose it may be a few days until you can attempt to solve.

We're enjoying our time off here in the Branson area. What a place to live!

Thanks

bryan · Mar 23, 2005

HI
I STONGLY SUGGEST PULLING OUT THE OLD PLYWOOD AND BOLTING E TRACK TO THE FLOOR USING STOVE BOLTS AND THEN CUTTING OLD PLYWOOD TO FILL IN THE GAPS. WAS REAR ENDED BY A TRACTOR TRAILOR DOING 55MPH WHEN I WAS STOPPED. INSURANCE ADJUSTOR CLAIMES THIS IS WHAT SAVED ME FROM GETTING HURT. ALSO WHEN YOU STRAP FREIGHT USING WALL MOUNTED E TRACK YOU CAN BOW THE WALLS WHICH WILL CAUSE YOUR SIDE DOORS TO NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. I ALWAYS CRISSCROSS MY STRAPS OVER THE FREIGHT.
READ ABOUT A 27 YEAR OLD NURSING STUDENT WHO WAS FOUND DEAD IN HER CAR. THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT KILLED HER. AS THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND NO VISIABLE INJURIES. AFTER DOING AN AUTOPSY THEY DICOVERED HER SKULL HAD BEEN FRACTURED BY A BOOK. IT WAS SITTING IN THE BACK WINDOW AND WHEN THE CAR STOPPED THE BOOK DIDN'T. THINK WHAT AN ALTENATOR DOING 65MPH COULD DO. SOUND PRETTY UGLY TO ME THANKS HAVE A GOOD ONE

terryandrene · Mar 23, 2005

Bryan raises a real good point about bowing the walls of the van using cargo straps attached to the E-Track mounted on the ribs of the cargo area. This can also happen with ratchet type load lock bars under to much tension. In order to avoid this, I always use 2x4 wooden load bars which drop into E-track sockets fastened to the E-track on my fabricated walls. This method prevents bowing in either direction.

kg · Mar 23, 2005

some companies require plywood to cover the floor to allow 2x4s to be nailed into the floor. this always seemed ludicrous to me.
neither do i like holding the load ONLY from the sides of the van,you cannot tighten the load enough.
its true that 48" clearence in the rear door opening of at least ford vans does not allow the installation of multiple layers of plywood.
however if you start the plywood about 6" forward of the opening, clearence measured from the top of the plywood to the roof gives you much more than 48". this satisfies the requirments of being able to haul a 48" high load.
doing this allows you to use3/4" plywood bolted to the floor. then screw or bolt the e-track to the base plywood.( 4 strips works well,)1 strip on each side of the plywood, and the other 2 equally spaced between the first 2. then you need to cut 3 pieces of 1/2" plywood to fasten(recessed screws) between the 4 pieces of e-track.
this method allows you to strap small and odd shaped pieces plus pallets tightly and securely. try it , you'll like it!
the area near the rear opening not covered by plywood has never been a problem.
additional strapping of topheavy loads from the sides completes your tiedown.

theoldprof · Mar 23, 2005

kg,

Do you mean four strips of plywood, or strips of e-track on the floor?

Thanks, :+ :+

kg · Mar 23, 2005

4 seperate lengths of e-track running the length of the plywood

3 seperate pieces of 1/2" plywood between these lengths of e-track.

Big Al · Mar 24, 2005

I sincerely appreciate everyones comments!!! I am planning on using the wall sockets with 2X4's inserted, I used to use the straps that came with the Ford Commercial Van and they are hand tightened so I've never experienced wall buckling; however, I can see how that would happen. I plan on using these straps with the deck e track or should I use the ones that have a tension pull?

I guess I am left with 2 options:

1. Screw the new e track to the existing floor, staring with a 6" offset from the back door (with many bolts thru the metal floor).
Then glue and screw 3/8"s plywood to existing plywood to cover remaining open 50" wide deck and make the deck level with the e track. Also put in some putty i.e. Bondo to protect the rear edge of the deck from incoming pallets, sorta slope it up to mate with plywood.or

2. Tear out existing plywood and install 3/4" plywood between the e track that's secured directly to the metal with a 6" offset for the rear door clearance.

Sorry that's this is so long; however, if anyone wants to contact me directly please e mail to: [email protected]. Use expediter in subject.

Tanx

terryandrene · Mar 24, 2005

Big AL Tried unsuccessfully to reply to you via E-Mail and Private message, Both returned. You must be too far out in the woods.
Terry

Big Al · Mar 25, 2005

>Big AL Tried unsuccessfully to reply to you via E-Mail and
>Private message, Both returned. You must be too far out in
>the woods.
>Terry

Terry,
It's probably trapped in my spam blocker and I'll edit that later this evening and get you in my address book.

We're out here quite away's but we have phone lines here in Hillbilly Haven

Al