heavy ratchet straps vs chain binders question

[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.