Everything You Need to Know About E Track
Published on 06/28/19
Updated on 08/01/24
Today we will show you everything you need to know about E Track to make your next cargo move simple! Let’s begin.
What is E Track?
E Track is an extremely versatile tool for the cargo control industry and can be commonly installed inside enclosed trailers, flatbeds, moving vans, dry vans, and more. One of the major benefits of using e-track rail systems is the ability to secure from numerous anchor points along the rails. This helps you find the ideal location to secure your cargo and to make certain that the cargo remains safely secured during transport.
Another one of the key reasons for the popularity of e-track rail systems is the ability to install e-track horizontally, vertically, or a combination of both ways. Horizontal E Track is commonly used for securing cargo, where Vertical E Track can be installed and used for shoring purposes or in other words used with e track load bars to prevent cargo from tipping over from front to back while on the road.
This sounds great, but you may ask How Do I Use E Track? That is what this article is all about. From installing to using, we want to provide you with some tips and tricks that might be helpful as you attempt to utilize E track to your advantage. Let’s get started!
The Different Types of E Track Rails
Two main types of e-track rails are commonly used inside enclosed trailers Horizontal E Track and Vertical E Track. In short, one is designed to be installed horizontally and the other vertically and can be used with the same e track fittings but designed for securing or stabilizing different types of cargo applications.
Horizontal E Track Rails
Horizontal E Track can be installed in either sections or the full length of the enclosed trailer. Once horizontal e-track rails are installed into the enclosed trailer, you can start using the numerous anchor points along the e-track rail. Depending on the length of the e-track you selected to equip your trailer the number of anchor points can range from a few slots in the e-track rail to hundreds of locations to latch into.
Horizontal E Track is sold in section sizes of either 5-foot or 10-foot sections depending on the length your trailer requires. E Track can also be cut down to size, for example, a 5-foot section can be cut down to a 2-foot section if needed to help you get the exact length. Horizontal e-track rails are commonly used for securing general cargo with E Track Straps designed specifically to work with e-track rail systems.
Vertical E Track Rails
Vertical E Track Rails are installed along the height of the trailer walls and can be extremely useful for cargo securement applications such as securing taller-sized cargo or pallets of boxes that are stacked inside of enclosed trailers or dry vans.
Vertical E Track Rails are sold in 5-foot or 10-foot sections depending on the height of your trailer or moving van. Vertical E Track Rails can use the same e-track straps, e-track load bars, and e-track accessories as horizontal making the e-track hardware you purchase extremely flexible for those transporting a wide range of personal belongings or cargo from day to day.
E Track Installation Tips and Tricks
Before we begin with our E Track Installation Tips and Tricks, you should avoid cutting corners to save time in these areas and prevent further problems later. If you are not properly installing e-track rails to the enclosed trailer you will be unable to use the full strength of the rails which could reduce the overall strength of your e-track rails and put yourself or your cargo in danger.
Preparation To Install E Track Rails
Firstly, you will want to plan your layout for your enclosed trailer based on the type of cargo you are transporting. If you consistently secure varying sizes and shapes of cargo, you may want to run additional rows or think about running a combination of horizontal and vertical rails.
Next, measure and mark where the e-track rails will be installed inside the trailer. Make sure these measurements are accurate to prevent future issues and headaches.
Now that you have the e-track rails and measurements for your trailer you will want to gather the correct screws or bolts for your trailer’s material. Metal screws work best for metal frames and wood screws can help provide additional support along the rail to ensure heavy-duty strength and support. Now would also be a good time to refer to your trailer manufacturer’s handbook or guidelines to know what size of screws or bolts you will need to ensure the rails are safe to use.
Installing E Track Rails in Enclosed Trailers
Once you have double-checked the measurements to ensure they are accurate and exactly where you want them you can begin with drilling. As you have prepared and have the proper drill bits and hardware needed to install the e-track and the markings of where you want them to be placed you can start drilling out the holes for where you will be installing the screws or bolt hardware later.
Once you have completed this step, place your e-track rails over the pre-installed holes you have drilled. Place the screws overtop of the e-track rails and begin to tighten the screws or bolts firmly into place. Once you have installed on one side work your way down the rail to ensure an even securement to the walls or flooring of the trailer.
Take your time on the installation and remember to occasionally step back or use a level to ensure you install the rails as close to level and straight in a row as possible. Once installed the e-track rails can provide up to 2,000 lbs of strength on an even load distributed test but may vary depending on the make and manufacturer of the enclosed trailer or moving van. This is another reason you should always refer to your trailer or moving van owner’s manual to avoid exceeding interior wall weight limitations.
E Track Accessories and Tie Downs for Trailers
E Track Accessories are designed to utilize your e-track rails to their full potential tailored around your cargo application needs. Below are some of our most popular accessories but make sure to check out our E Track Accessories and E Track Straps for our latest up to date offerings.
E Track Load Bars for Load Stabilization
E Track Load Bars can help to provide load stabilization from the front to the rear of the trailer to prevent pallets, stacked boxes, or cargo with a higher chance of tipping over from moving out of place. These bars help to increase safety and ensure that the cargo inside the enclosed dry van or enclosed trailer arrives safely and free of damage.
One of the biggest dangers that professional truckers face is often when they open the dock doors of the dry van trailer as they do not know what is on the other side of the dock door. Often, a hard break e or fast acceleration from a stop is all it takes to tip over stacked boxes, pallets, or other taller cargo which can tip toward the rear of the trailer dock doors.
If drivers are unaware that a load shift has happened while on their journey to the next location, it could cause cargo to tip over and out of the trailer and onto the driver. Due to the weight of the cargo it often very quickly can cause damage to the driver or dock workers.
Load bars help prevent cargo from tipping over while on the road by latching into installed vertical e track rails and can be installed in layers or decks to help distribute the weight of the cargo you are securing. E Track Load Bars work best when paired with Dunnage Airbags that work similarly with load distribution, but from side to side of the trailer. When dunnage bags are combined with load bars they can cover front to rear AND side to side to provide complete coverage throughout the trailer.
E Track Tie Down Straps for E Track Rail Systems
E Track Straps are available in E Track Ratchet Straps and E Track Cam Buckle Straps are the two main types of e track straps. While both straps are made from polyester tie-down webbing the main difference is how they tighten cargo into place.
Did you know that E Track Straps are universally color-coated by the length of the strap? Yellow is the industry standard color for a 12-foot length, Gray for 16 feet, and Blue is the industry standard for 20-foot-long e-track straps. These straps are made from heavy-duty and high-quality 6,000 lbs or 12,000 lbs polyester tie-down webbing, which provides excellent strength and durability. Polyester is the go-to choice for cargo control applications due to minimal stretching compared to alternative blends such as nylon.
At Trucking Depot we stock a wide variety of popular lengths and colors of E Track Straps, we also can custom make straps in-house at our location in Bellville, Ohio if you don’t find exactly what you are looking for. If you have any questions, need a quote, or need it custom-made to order to your exact cargo control needs you can reach us best by calling us at 800-444-0956 or by using our Contact Us form at the top of the website. We look forward to working with you to find the exact e track ratchet or cam buckle straps to keep you safely secured.
E Track Cam Buckle Straps
E-Track Cam Buckle Straps is one of the two types of tie-down straps commonly used for e-track securement applications. E Track Cam Buckle Straps use cam buckle hardware to tighten which uses hand strength to tighten the strap into place. Once the e-track strap is tightened using hand strength, simply release the cam buckle hardware opening to keep the webbing locked into place until you reach the next destination.
Cam Buckle Straps are ideal for more sensitive cargo such as wooden or glass furniture, antiques, or higher-end cargo. While the working load limit ratings are less with cam buckle straps, they can be quite a bit quicker to install and tighten the cargo into place. The cambuckle hardware is much smaller in physical size which also helps to prevent the metal hardware from banging against the cargo you are transporting while hitting bumps in the road.
E Track Ratchet Straps
E Track Ratchet Straps use a ratchet hardware mechanism that provides excellent heavy-duty strength and durability. Ratchet Straps provide peace of mind knowing that once your cargo is secured it will remain safely in place without the risk of moving or becoming unsecured while on the road.
How To Tighten E-Track Ratchet Straps Into Place
• Once you have determined the ideal location to secure your cargo along the e-track rail system, you can latch the end-fitting hardware of the e-track ratchet strap into the desired anchor point along the e-track system.
• Next, go around the cargo you are securing to the wall and latch it into the e-track rail system. At this point, you should now have both e-track fitting hardware attached to the e-track rail and the webbing should be roughly located around the cargo you are securing.
• Remove the excess webbing slack by hand by pulling the webbing through the spool of the ratchet mechanism. Once you have removed the slack you can begin tightening the strap into place by cranking the ratchet hardware back and forth. You should remove the excess slack until it becomes tight and then 2-3 additional clicks as needed to ensure it is safely secured.
Before and after using the tie-down strap you should always quickly inspect the strap for any damage, discoloration, burn marks, mold, mildew, or cuts to the webbing. If you spot any of these defects the strap is unsafe to use and should be replaced immediately and is unsafe to use.
How To Release E-Track Ratchet Straps
• Releasing E Track Ratchet Straps couldn’t be simpler by pulling up on the release lever in the middle of the ratchet hardware. Once you pull the lever open the ratchet handle until it is flat.
• Pull out the excess webbing from the e-track ratchet strap and you can now roll the e-track up and place it into storage until the next time you are ready to use it. We recommend keeping straps in an area that is cool, away from moisture, and out of direct sunlight such as inside the truck or moving van. You can also use rubber bands or similar objects to keep the strap neatly rolled until you are ready to use them again to prevent the webbing from becoming frayed from friction burns.
E Track Rope Tie Offs
E Track Rope Tie Offs are made from the same e-track fittings and polyester tie-down webbing used to manufacture our e-track tie-down straps.
The main difference is instead of securing cargo these rope tie-offs are designed to convert your traditional ratchet straps with hooks hardware into being compatible with e-track rails without needing to purchase entirely new straps. Rope Tie Offs are available in several color options: Red, Blue, Orange, Yellow, Green, Gray, or Black. Sold by individuals or a pack of 10 pieces for a discounted price.
Wood Beam Sockets
Wood Beam Sockets are brackets designed to work with e-track systems that can insert a 2×6 piece of lumber to create wooden shelves inside the trailer. This allows you to store or organize cargo or personal belongings without the risk of becoming damaged or destroyed by other cargo while on the road.
Choosing The Right E Track Rails For Your Enclosed Trailer
We’ve created this e-track checklist to help you decide what e-track is right for your cargo control applications.
• E Track Setup Configuration: – Will you need horizontal, vertical, or a combination?
• Total Length Needed: – Measure the total length of the e track required for your moving van, enclosed trailer, dry van, or box truck.
• E Track Color Options: – Do you prefer a powder-coated or galvanized finish?
• Installation: – How do you plan to install the e-track in your trailer? Will you need to purchase additional bolt and screw hardware?
Once you answer these questions you can select the ideal e-track rails and hardware your application requires. If you have any questions or need help selecting our product our experts are standing by and willing to lend a helping hand and can be reached best by calling us at 800-444-0956 or by using our Contact Us form d at the top of the website. We look forward to assisting you with a quote or further information.
Shop Trucking Depot’s Popular E Track Rail Systems
Frequently Asked E Track System Questions
Can E Track Rails Rust?
E Track Rails come in either a powder-coated or galvanized finish which is designed to help prevent rust. However, over time dents or chips in the coating from scratches or dings may expose the metal underneath the finish which could cause minor rusting. The best way to prevent rust on the e-track rails is by keeping sharp metal objects away from the metal e-track when at all possible.
What Are E Track Rails Rated For Safely
Due to E Track being installed inside moving vans and a wide assortment of enclosed trailers, it is unable to be safely rated for every trailer at the same rate due to differences in the construction and materials. However, on an equally rated test e e-track rails can be rated at 2,000 lbs safely, you should always refer to your owner’s manual to determine the limitations and safety ratings that your moving van, dry van, or enclosed trailer offers.
What Is The Best Way To Cut E Track Rails To Length
We’ve heard a wide range of various methods to cut e-track rails down into smaller pieces or to make the e-track expand the length of the trailer. The number one method that is commonly used is by using a reciprocating or circular saw which provides a clean cut and is also strong enough to cut through the metal construction.