84-inch flange reels
An 84-inch reel is a heavy utility or industrial reel. We plan on 18 empties per 53-foot flatbed, from Dura-Line's 83-inch row of 18 to 22, on edge in two rows. Okonite's 84-inch builds weigh 639 to 920 lb empty; Dura-Line's 83-inch duct reel weighs about 223 lb.
- Empties per 53 ft deck (est.)
- 18 to 22
- Empty weight
- 223 to 920 lb
- How it loads
- On edge, 2 rows
- Form answer
- 72 to 96 in
What ships on a 84 inch reel
Reels this size carry heavy medium and high-voltage cable, mining and plant power cable, and long lengths of large duct. Okonite's 84 x 54 x 48 build holds up to 12,000 lb of cable. They come from utility substations and feeders, cement and aggregate plants, and large solar and transmission jobs.
An 84 inch reel is seven feet across, and Okonite's 84 inch build has a 48 inch drum and a 54 inch traverse, so the reel itself is about five feet wide. On the ground it is a structure rather than a reel: it needs a clear, level space and chocks on both sides, and it cannot be moved without proper equipment. The arbor hole is usually plated in steel, and a test hole in one flange is common. A stencil, if there is one, names the owner.
How 84 inch reels load
Dura-Line's chart puts 18 to 22 empty 83 inch reels on a 102 inch wide, 48 or 53 foot flatbed in two staggered rows. We plan 84s at 18. Okonite's heaviest 84 inch reel is 920 lb empty, so a full deck of heavy builds can reach eight tons, still well inside a flatbed's capacity. Lifting needs a forklift rated for the weight or a crane.
Resale or recycling
Most 84 inch reels are bolted and many are returnable. Ones that are not are sold to ranches and contractors or broken down for their timber; the bolts and hardware are pulled and the wood recycled.
How we grade a reel is on resale or recycling; what makes one worth more is on what reels are worth.
Staging and lifting 84 inch reels
Eighty-four inch reels weigh several hundred pounds even empty and can reach 920 lb. Give the driver the forklift capacity on site; a small warehouse forklift may not be rated for the heaviest builds. Stage them on edge on hard ground, chocked both sides, with space between for the forks.
What buyers do with them
Some buyers want the reel whole, for ranch use or for heavy storage. Others want the timber: the heavy staves and flange boards of a large bolted reel are solid wood that can be cut and reused once the hardware is out.
Where 84 inch reels pile up
These are the area pages where 84 inch reels are among the usual sizes we see:
- WilmingtonLos Angeles County
- Oro GrandeSan Bernardino County
Pickup maths for 84 inch reels
Eighty-four inch reels are the territory of heavy users: utility substations, the ports' crane and shore-power work, cement and aggregate plants like the one at Oro Grande, and the transmission projects that connect desert solar to the grid. They appear in small numbers, a handful at a time, but each one takes a lot of deck, so even a few can make a part load on their own. We usually pair them with smaller reels from the same lane, loaded flat at the front of the deck.
| 84 in reels | Share of a 53 ft deck | What it looks like | Empty weight, lb |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 11% | Ride-along | 446 to 1,840 |
| 4 | 22% | Ride-along | 892 to 3,680 |
| 9 | 50% | Part load | 2,007 to 8,280 |
| 18 | 100% | Full run | 4,014 to 16,560 |
| 36 | 200% | More than one deck | 8,028 to 33,120 |
Computed by the load planner from the planning count of 18 per deck. Estimates, not promises.
Mixed stacks: try the planner
Most yards have more than one size. The reel load planner adds 84 inch reels to the rest of your counts and shows how much of a 53 ft deck they take, and whether that is a ride-along, a part load or a full run.
84 inch reel questions
How many 84 inch reels fit a flatbed?
About 18 to 22 empties on edge, from Dura-Line's 83 inch row. We plan on 18.
Where do 84 inch reels come from here?
Substations, heavy plants such as cement works, and large solar and transmission jobs.
Are 84 inch reels returnable?
Often, if bolted and stencilled. We check before loading.
Is our warehouse forklift big enough for 84 inch reels?
Check its rated capacity. The heaviest 84 inch builds are about 920 lb empty.
Can the timber from big reels be reused?
Yes, once the bolts are out. Some buyers want it for that.
Can an 84 inch reel go on a step deck?
Yes, and on a drop deck it gives more height margin. Fewer reels fit than on a flatbed of the same length, because the upper deck is short.
Why do you ask about the stencil first?
Because a stencilled 84 inch reel usually has an owner who wants it back, often through a deposit or return program. Taking it without asking would cost that owner, and possibly you.
Do you pay more for big bolted reels?
It depends on condition and demand. Sound bolted reels are worth more than nailed ones; we price them when we see the count and the photos.