Hauling Drywall Mud Buckets/ Joint Compound

Do any of y'all have tips to keep these buckets from collapsing over at the slightest pothole? They're horrible to haul. I've hauled these about 10 or 15 times and still haven't figured out how to be absolutely sure the stuff won't fall over. I x- strap, put up pipe stakes, belly strap, and put on edge protectors, but it seems that none of that matters and what determines whether or not I'm gonna lose the load is luck. Of that 10 or 15, only 3 have fallen over. The culprit each time has been a particularly rough series of potholes in 2 cases, and a hard braking car in front of after a section of road with obstructed view in Prince William VA. I drive extra cautiously with them, under the speed limit and with extra follow distance, but it just doesn't work. That said, after today, I'm gonna start refusing these. They're not worth risking my license over.

That said, after today, I'm gonna start refusing these. They're not worth risking my license over.

C'mon now, that's pretty silly. These things get delivered safely all the time. You need what flatbedders call "V-boards." Some flatbed drivers even make their own with lumber and pieces of old straps. You put a V-board across the outer edge of the buckets and throw your straps over the top. They work great.

I'm so sorry, I have no pictures for you, but hopefully some of our other flatbedders can produce something that will show you what they look like. Surely you've seen other drivers using them where you're picking up these buckets, haven't you?

Another thing I've seen the shipper do with these mud buckets is to palletize them and shrink wrap them. That also eliminates the problem you're having.

Let me dig through some stuff and maybe I can get a picture of some I have around here. I know....I’m not a flatbedder.

The V-boards I'm thinking of are about 8 feet long. They sit on top of the buckets with their other lip hanging down over the outer edge. When you strap it down it keeps the buckets standing upright.

I have v-boards. Give me a sec and I'll shoot a pic

I have either 10 or 12 sets. A set is made up of two 1x4x8 furring strips connected by an approx 1ft section of a sacrificial strap at each end of the boards. Some folks make them out of 2x4s also.

They live up next to my headache rack.

The strap used to connect them

Now envision them on pallets of buckets, bundles of upright roofing, or felt paper etc. Throwing securement straps over the v-boards will provide both downward and side-to-side securement of palletized products, spreading the effectiveness of a couple straps to the length of the boards. Make sense?

In that last pic, pretend my rubrail is the tops of your buckets. See how the v-boards will hold them in?

Thanks Turtle! That's what I'm talking about.

I have some similar, just about three feet long. I made mine with some pieces of old fire hose and used 2 X 6 boards.