Ratchet Strap Tie Downs

[oldpilgrim]

I use those $4 ones to keep stuff from blowing out of my pickup. I won't actually tie anything down with them.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've towed trailers with cars on/in them all over the East Coast using straps. Never had an issue loosening or stretching. These are not the straps you'd buy in TSC, which are very thin and almost plastic looking. These are a very fine weave, approx 1/4 inch thick, 3-4 inches wide strap, made for trailering. Not cheap either.

If straps are no good, why is it that truckers use them to secure their open loads ? Their trailers are even made with places to mount the strap hooks.

Towed a lot of Blue Ribbon show cars and we all use ratchet straps in all manor or configuration.

Chains are something used by wreckers and heavy equipment haulers...

I buy all my tie down equipment from

Mac's Package Deals: Tie downs, ratchet straps and axle straps

Made in USA... damage free towing... and great service...

 

[FredH]

Someone earlier here said they never seen any commercial hauler carrying wheeled equipment using straps ?? Hmm , Guess they need to look at the rolling parking lots a little closer . Just this past week I seen 3 different haulers with 3 different technique's for holding cargo . 1 had all 4 wheels strapped , 2nd had only the front wheels strapped , third had right front and left rear strapped . All were using the over the wheel type straps , which Yes , are different than ratchet straps , but are still straps .

Fred H.

 

[Will_C]

I use both chains and straps. My straps come from Mac's. The heaviest load I haul is my B2620-with all attachments probably no more than 3500 lbs total. I use a chain and binder on the back, and 2 ratchet straps on the front.

My brother is an excavator. He uses a 3/8" chain and binder at each corner, and a 5/16" chain over the blade, bucket, or hoe.

Will

 

[jix]

We all agree, straps for light loads, chains for heavy loads... and check straps often, particularly if it is raing. Don't trust lightweight ratchets, frayed stap or use straps on sharp material...or big pipes.

 

[jix]

Towed a lot of Blue Ribbon show cars and we all use ratchet straps in all manor or configuration.

Chains are something used by wreckers and heavy equipment haulers...

I buy all my tie down equipment from

Mac's Package Deals: Tie downs, ratchet straps and axle straps

Made in USA... damage free towing... and great service...

Good onya pal..but you ain't gonna haul my frieght

 

[s219]

Don't know if you guys have ever noticed, but 18-wheeler flat bed trailers generally have strap ratchets built into the trailer frame. Straps are standard practice for most of their freight loads.

 

[oldpilgrim]

Don't know if you guys have ever noticed, but 18-wheeler flat bed trailers generally have strap ratchets built into the trailer frame. Straps are standard practice for most of their freight loads.

As I mentioned in post #10. It apparently doesn't make any difference to some posters.

 

[aczlan]

Don't know if you guys have ever noticed, but 18-wheeler flat bed trailers generally have strap ratchets built into the trailer frame. Straps are standard practice for most of their freight loads.

Saw a couple loads of steel today, a set of rolls of steel wire and a bunch of 2" solid bars.
All tied down with straps on 48' flatbed trailers.

Aaron Z

 

[ultrarunner]

Good onya pal..but you ain't gonna haul my frieght

What do you use to haul 100k plus collector vehicles?

One scratch and you're working for nothing.

I know I would have been shot chaining down a Ford GT...

FedEx transports a lot of high end cars the the drivers are experts with straps.

The moral is use the appropriate method for the load.

 

[PILOON]

As I mentioned in post #10. It apparently doesn't make any difference to some posters.

It is the standard "Only my way is the right way"

LOL, back when, I was certified by the material handling association as to how to load cargo on flat cars down to using fork lifts and packing fragile products.
It is like anything, there are rules and regs specs etc and more so you are needing a certificate to do anything. Logic no longer is valid.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I see nothing wrong with using straps if used correctly, tensioned correctly, protected from sharp corners and of the right rating for the equipment weight. I use chains and binders for my tractors mainly because there is really no place to tie off that doesn't have at least one sharp edge. I am not worried about knocking off a little paint if it happens. It is lots easier to spray some more black or orange paint than to pick up pieces if it comes off. A big plus is that it is much easier to determine if a chain is still good vs a strap that can look good but have chemical damage, sunlight damage, fraying etc that makes it useless. I have some 5000# rated straps that I use to anchor the FEL / backhoe but the chains and binders anchor the main load (tractor).
The problem with straps is that they do wear out rather fast, should be replaced at least every 5 years (or less if manufacturer requires it) regardless of wear and the heavy duty ones are not cheap.

 

[bcp]

Federal standards:

Up to 10,000 pounds
Driver's Handbook on Cargo Securement - Chapter 9: Automobiles, Light Trucks, and Vans | Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Over 10,000 pounds
Driver's Handbook on Cargo Securement - Chapter 10: Heavy Vehicles, Equipment, and Machinery | Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Bruce

 

[BarnieTrk]

bcp,
Thanks for those FMCSA links!


In the link pertaining to <10K# loads, it states:

Securement requirement
- Use at least two tiedowns at both the front and rear of the cargo to prevent movement.
-- Side-to-side
-- Forward and rearward
-- Vertically

So,,,, the way I read that is that they want a chain and/or strap at all four corners - two in the front and two in the back. Fine, I get that.

Now, sometimes I've seen these four tiedowns crossed - like in an X - and other times they are simply direct, corner tiedowns and do NOT cross each other.
Is there a reason for these two ways of tiedown configuration?

BarnieTrk

 

[oldpilgrim]

crossing the straps on either end help keep the vehicle from moving side ways.

 

[aczlan]

Now, sometimes I've seen these four tiedowns crossed - like in an X - and other times they are simply direct, corner tiedowns and do NOT cross each other.
Is there a reason for these two ways of tiedown configuration?

Personal taste and tiedown angles? Ideally, you want 45 degrees front to back and 45 degrees side to side.
Sometimes, the angles (to clear obstructions) work better crossing to the other side vs going to the the same side.

Aaron Z