How to Lace Tires for Delivery
by Tim Plaehn
A laced stack of tires is the conventional shipping method to load the maximum amount of tires into a box truck or container. A truck load of laced tires is also more stable than if the tires were carried in stacks. Lacing works best with tires of the same or similar sizes. With practice, the person stacking the tires can adjust the lacing pattern to best suit the tire and container sizes.
Step 1
Lay one tire flat in the corner of the space to be loaded with laced tires. This tire will be the base for the lacing pattern. If a truck is being loaded, this tire will be at the front of the cargo box in one corner.
Step 2
Lay one tire across the base tire with an edge of the tire on the floor or deck and the new tire leaning on the base tire. The angle of the tire should be fairly flat and the center of the angled tire should be solidly positioned over the edge of the base tire.
Step 3
Lay a row of angled tires across the space, lying on top of and parallel with the first angled tire and subsequent tires. The result will be a row of tires angled on top of each other across the width of the container. One edge of each tire will be touching the deck.
Step 4
Start a second row of tires angling one tire in the opposite direction across the last tire laid on the first row. This tire will have its lower edge in the center of the next to last tire on the first row and will have its center lie across the edge of the last tire in the first row. The tire should fit solidly on top of the last two tires in the lower row.
Step 5
Lay the rest of the tires in the second row, angled opposite the first row with the lower edge of the tire settled into the center opening of the tire below.
Step 6
Place the third row of tires at the same angle as row 1 and positioned on the tires on the second row. Repeat the alternating rows until the desired height is reached.
Step 7
Place another stack of laced tires in front of the first stack -- toward the rear of the truck -- to continue to fill the truck with stacked rows of laced tires.
References
Tips
- Upright tires can be strategically placed at the ends of lacing rows to provide stability.
- A well laced stack of tires should be stable and not wobble when bumped or lightly pushed.
- After the first two rows of tires are positioned, the remaining rows should fit naturally into position.
Writer Bio
Tim Plaehn has been writing financial, investment and trading articles and blogs since 2007. His work has appeared online at Seeking Alpha, Marketwatch.com and various other websites. Plaehn has a bachelor's degree in mathematics from the U.S. Air Force Academy.
