heavy ratchet straps vs chain binders question

[newbury]

That's an 8 yr old thread, it's probably in second grade by now.

 

[My Hoe]

For what it痴 worth, the local dealer transports my BX23 on a flat bed truck. The bed extends and tilts, the driver moves the BX onto the truck bed, sets the parking brake leaving the BX at a very precarious angle! The brake always holds. He then places the truck bed into its original position, having accomplished this task he continues by placing a binding strap, material composition unknown approximately 3-4 inches wide across the center of the BX - or maybe I should say the floor board area. After a quick ratchet of the binding strap, off he goes with the BX.

I must add that this is no small dealer they have very large equipment in addition to the Kubota line. I would say that they are a major player in the central Western Ohio region.

I believe you mean a "ROLLBACK TRUCK," like AAA uses to pick up cars, right? Flat beds don't "extend and tilt," and are generally seen behind semis.

Interesting that the floorboards on the SCUT are not damaged by the ratchet tie.

 

[Notforhire]

I have use pieces of fire hose to protect equipment from chains. It works well.
Do be sure the fire is out before you cut the hose, otherwise the fireman get mad.:fiery:

Bill

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have chains Gr70 from HF and find them plenty good for transport. I also have ratchet binder (9200# rating) that I use for fastening. I have hauled my 10,000# tractor with FEL with them several times without a problem. As a matter of fact, I was using one of those chains trying to pull out a fully loaded 14 yd dump truck when I broke the drawbar attachment off my tractor, but didn't hurt the chain even though it was jerking heavily on the chain as all four wheels bit into the dirt. It was the jerk that broke the attachment but not the chain. While other HF tools may be cheap, I think their chains and binders are as good as any you will get at other places. Most all the chain sold is foreign made with very few exceptions and you will pay triple or better for US made (if you can find it). Use the 3/8" Gr. 70 on your CUT with 4 corner tie down and it will still be tied on to the trailer when it hits the bottom of the canyon (should you loose the trailer )
If you are worried about the paint, put a sleeve over it but I am not a fan of covering up something so it cant be visually inspected. I would prefer to use a softener material on the tractor where the chains pass. You could ty-rap a piece of fire hose or some sections from an old tire to the attachment point (front axles/ rear axles) to keep the chains from rubbing.

 

[Gary Fowler]

No, but cheap and/or improperly heat-treated steel can have metallurgical failures. I hope not in your case, but for lifts/hoists/chains (or even straps) I don't feel guilty spending top dollar for name brands.

I guess we all have our own, individual demons--no offense intended, re: your choice.

Why do folks automatically assume that because it comes from HF that it is improperly treated or metallurgical defective. Does anyone have real life experience where a chain from China or India failed prior to reaching the required tensile strength. Folks here are talking about mostly small CUT tractors that weigh less than 4000 pounds with all attachments and using 4 chains rated at 6600 WLL and 24,600# tensile and still worried about failure of a chain.

 

[bcp]

The link to "Dargo's experience" didn't work for me. Any help much appreciated.

My Hoe

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/53683-ratcheting-tie-downs-broke-transit.html

Bruce

 

[David Devuono]

Some of my straps are 10 years old or more. One can probably find equal stories about chains coming loose. I am sure all my straps are from China as I likely bought them at Princess Auto. Nylon straps should not frey unless they come in contact with a sharpe edge which is not the fault of the strap. I do use both but you sometimes need two chains and a load binder to secure one corner. Then you need to wire things up so if things come loose you don't loose a heavy piece of steel on the hyway. Another nice thing about rachet straps is when you stop for a load check, its much easier to tighten things up over chains\loadbinders which require removing safety wires, pulling out a lever bar for added torque, etc.

 

[lawn_king]

If you search my pictures you will find custom made brackets for chaining down my tractor. I have installed these on all my tractors over the years. Chains & binders are the way to go! I wouldnt haul my tractor without them period!

 

[JJZ 109]

I've had some Sam's Club 3 inch wide straps for many years. No problems using them when I had a Kubota B3030. I've used them a couple of times with the Bobcat skid steer. No issues so far.
But I don't haul often or far. I did have a friend give me some heavy duty military chain binders. Trouble is, I've only got one chain, about a 20 footer. I may try those sometime if I stumble upon a deal on chains at an auction or some such.

 

[Notforhire]

.
But I don't haul often or far. QUOTE]

Years ago a friend asked me to check out a small semi auto pistol that he intended to carry for protection. After testing it, I told him that it only worked about 50% of the time, and I wouldn't recommend carrying it. He replied that it should be OK because he wouldn't carry it often. I told him only to carry it during the working 50% period.
If you can trust the straps to travel one mile, you should be able to trust them to go 100 mi. If you don't trust them 100% , I wouldn't use them.

Best, Bill

 

[JJZ 109]

.
But I don't haul often or far. QUOTE]


If you can trust the straps to travel one mile, you should be able to trust them to go 100 mi. If you don't trust them 100% , I wouldn't use them.

Best, Bill

Maybe I should have clarified that. I have used the straps on about a 400 mile round trip with the Kubota. So I guess the distance isn't an issue. The fact remains that I just don't have a need to haul all that often.
The trailer circumstances have also changed. Instead of a 16' flatbed I now can haul the skid steer in a 12' dump trailer. I have yet to do that, so I haven't really considered just how to safely tie the machine into that trailer yet.
But the more I think about things, I'm leaning toward a tilt bed trailer in the next year or two. The ramps on my last trailer were a little light. The incline on the dump trailer ramps is workable, but just not quite to my liking.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Some of my straps are 10 years old or more. Nylon straps should not frey unless they come in contact with a sharpe edge which is not the fault of the strap. I do use both but you sometimes need two chains and a load binder to secure one corner. Then you need to wire things up so if things come loose you don't loose a heavy piece of steel on the hyway. Another nice thing about rachet straps is when you stop for a load check, its much easier to tighten things up over chains\loadbinders which require removing safety wires, pulling out a lever bar for added torque, etc.

I use ratchet straps for securing the FEL and backhoe as per some state requirements even though it is integral to the tractor. The problem with straps is that they do weaken over time especially if exposed to UV light or ozone. I keep mine all rolled up and in the back of my shop on a shelf away from all electric motors and as far from sun exposure as it can get.

As of chains and binders I prefer the ratchet binders for two reasons, 1) they don't snap loose like break over type so the don't require wiring on the handles and 2) you can tighten them to the perfect tightness with the screw. With breakover type it seems that it is either too loose or too tight. 3)I thought of another reason, when doing the check for tightness it is easy to just give them another turn if needed without unwiring safety wired handles.
Chains don't stretch a lot so you aren't constantly stopping to reset them as much as nylon straps. Once the load rides for a few miles and settles in, one check is generally all you need between rest stops or gas stops. Chains generally remain as strong as the day they were bought whereas you don't really know what the strength of the straps are as they age.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Well said Gary. I would be willing to bet most people try the ratchet strap route becaues its either easier on the paint or is significantly cheaper than rated chain is. If you are really debating about which one to use, put your family in the car that you just hit and ask yourself would you trust your families life to the strap in an accident?

Most people with a SCUT or CUT don't really NEED the 3/8" gr70 chains. For peace of mind, i think its a wonderful idea! IMO chains will outlast several sets of straps pretty easily.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I haven't read the whole thread and maybe this is all covered earlier: The unknown quality and/or condition of straps is probably why most states require chains for wheeled or tracked equipment on trailers or truck beds. Also steel tracked gear on steel beds has to have wood dunnage under the treads. A friend of mine is a retired state policeman with 10 years in truck enforcement and he has a lot of horror stories about these issues. If you want to avoid scratches on your tractor I recommend you park it in the garage and look at it. They are a tool and when used, look used. My BX 25 has two tie down eyes at the rear about 2' above the ground. I put shackles in them. I made up chains for all four corners the right length with open hooks that attach to the shackles and my trailer d-rings. Then the binders go on and I have no long piece of chain to wrestle. I use both ratchet and lever binders. Never had a lever snap open, and never had a chain loosen if I compress the tires well. Up here the law does not require safety wrapping, if it was a common problem, you can bet they would require it. Don't forget that backhoe arm/bucket has to have a separate tie down. A strap could work for that. Also I would never go more than 50 miles w/o checking everything and about every 150 after that. I usually need those stretch times anyway.

Ron

 

[sandyc]

I have used the same straps on tractors, loads, and whatnot for almost ten years. Axle straps with metal "eyes" work great. If the straps are fraying I am guessing that they might be too loose which would allow the load to continually shift and therefor chafe the straps.