Binders - Which Kind?

[slowzuki]

I use break overs. The ratchet ones don't like being out in the weather up here when they aren't used every day. Good friend of mine uses them on his escavator since he's moving it daily and there is no stretch in the undercarriage which makes break overs hard to tighten properly.

[Ken45101]

I disagree that the ratchet binders will overstress the trailer more than the boomer types. With the ratchet you can tighten it just to the appropriate level. With the boomer types, it's often one link too loose or one link too tight, get the big cheater bar. Well which one do you think will be overdone?

Then too when you go down the road a couple of miles and stop the check the load and find a chain with a little slack, gosh that next link is going to really need the tension to get the boomer back down whereas the ratchet type can be easily adjusted to the right level.

[saltbranch]

I prefer the break over binders and have used them for 15 plus years trucking.Common sense when using a cheater pipe has worked for me. I have tried the ratchet binders and don't care for them, just a preference thing. Got the keep the threads lubed so they don't rust up. I sell equipment like this now and the Chinese binders cost around 17.00 to 20.00 each and Domestics cost around 60.00 or so. Keep that in mind and dont over pay to much on what ever you choose. You can also use a tie-down protector to protect your 2" straps from being cut. Something as simple as an old 4" strap cut in sections and placed between the strap and material tied down works good.

[DK35vince]

I prefer the break over binders and have used them for 15 plus years trucking.Common sense when using a cheater pipe has worked for me.

Thats what I thought too!
Used break over binders for 17+ years and never had a problem.
Only took 1 mistake and a serious blow to the head a fractured skull and a stay in the hospital to change my mind.

[saltbranch]

Thats what I thought too!
Used break over binders for 17+ years and never had a problem.
Only took 1 mistake and a serious blow to the head a fractured skull and a stay in the hospital to change my mind.

I am not trying to argue the point or persuade anyone too break over binders. Its just my preference. My father was actually using the break overs and this kid was helping him break open the binders to unload the trailer. My father has always used a fiberglass "pipe" for a cheater pipe..well the kid did not have a good grip on the pipe. It flew across trailer hit my Dad in the cheek. Knocked him out and after a trip to the ER, his cheek bone was cracked. had it been a steel cheater bar... who knows what could have happen. Even after that experience he still prefers the break overs. We both now use a binder call EZ Pro cam lock binders. You use a cheater to bind with and break open by hand.

[DK35vince]

Just please be carefull with those break over binders so you don't have the accindent I did.
They are faster that the rachet style binders, but the breakover binders can hurt you if your not paying attention.

[QRTRHRS]

My trailer manual says not to use the ratchet binders- over tighting will bow the trailer in time and can cause stake pockets to break under road stress. It also says to go through stake pockets and hook to trailer frame. I found a cheater pipe at a Kangaroo Fuel Stop that has a end that will release the binder without creating a flying club.
My brother is warehouse/shipping manager for a local steel company and they don't use the ratchet binders.
He says they are hard to tighten and will work loose on mixed steel loads if it shifts. They also get stolen off the loads all the time!

The preferred way to place chain hooks is to hang them so that if the chain should slack, then the hook does not come totally free. Either drop the chain through a pocket and back up the outside of the pocket but inside the rub rail if you have one or drop the chain between the rub rail and trailer frame and back up through the pocket.

As I said, this is "preferred". Depending on the load and trailer, it just does not alway work out so conveniently.

Take a look at the pockets on a big truck flatbed. I see alot of pockets with steel about half that gauge. No wonder the maker does not want them pulled on too hard.

Guess I must be old school? I prefer lever binders over ratchets too. They have served me well on things like 60 foot I-beams, logs, lumber, machinery. I try to not use the pipe so as to stretch the chain, just a little more tension over levering by hand. I alway "slap" the handle with the pipe to make sure the binder is "seated".

Never got hurt with a pipe though I have with a four inch webbing strap because I did not have quite enough slack to hold the end in a permanently mounted ratchet. I got smacked in the face with the bar I had on the ratchet and the webbing. Ouch!

[joshuabardwell]

Just an FYI: most straps are marked for breaking strength, NOT Working Load Limit, which is typically 20% of the breaking strength.

No disrespect, but all of my straps the working load is 1/3 of the breaking strength.

[saltbranch]

Tie-down straps have to be marked for WLL: for DOT purpose. The ones we sell is well marked and are rated at a 3:1 design factor. Example a 2" x 27' polyester ratchet tie-down is rated WLL: 3;333 lbs with a breaking strength of 9,999 lbs.
The 4" straps are WLL: 5,000 lbs with break strength of 15,000 lbs
Your chain, the links have to be stamped every 18"s( I think its 18") with the grade. if not stamped,DOT will go by grade 30 ratings and calculate if you have enough tie downs for the load.

[saltbranch]

On the break over binders vs. the ratchet binders. My preference is that break overs are faster for me to tie down. If you are 1 link for to loose to 1 link for too tight, twist the chain a 1/2 turn and put binder back on or use 2 binders.
The ratchet binders are considered the safety binders and to be honest I do not know of any oilfield location that will allow a driver pull on to location with break over binders. Shell for example will not allow break over binders on location. They will turn you around and send you back