Straps vs chains - trailering

[bcp]

Straps...lots of straps...like the professionals.






Bruce

 

[Egon]

That, I would not consider professional. The unit will have movement on it's springs chaffing the straps going through the eye bolts.

Tried that once!

 

[check]

One thing that a lot of people don't take into account is a rubber tired load will bounce a certain amount as you go over rough spots. When that happens and the load comes up again after the tires have squatted, the load imparted to the hold downs will be greater than what it was in a static situation. If that bounce is great enough it is possible it can cause the hold downs to break, even fairy hefty ones, and don't forget...the angle of the hold downs between trailer and resultant loads also influences the load on them and can magnify the forces. Vectors and geometry and all that stuff.

Also, an open chain hook can come off when the chain slackens.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Straps...lots of straps...like the professionals.



View attachment 534096


Bruce

My Cargo Handling Battalion Experience was before Roll On/Roll Off ships like this one. In cargo ships we lowered the tire pressure to allow putting down stress on the vehicle. Then we tied down with wire cable and turnbuckles. Qty based on tie down points available and weight of the cargo. Tracked vehicles we placed 4" dunnage under the treads first.

Ron

 

[skills4lou]

The CGU-1/B (5k rating) will be fine, provided you don't overload it. We calculated tie down based on equipment weight*g load. Forward g load was 3, so a 5k piece requires 15k of forward restraint. Always use tiedowns in pairs, so 4 straps or 2 10k chains.
(Retired USAF Port Dawg)

 

[truckdiagnostics]

Straps...lots of straps...like the professionals.



View attachment 534096


Bruce

That looks like an Oshkosh?, I would like to know if Oshkosh approved that! That is like nothing I have ever seen and I have seen how they do the tie down on the MPS ships.

 

[MESSMAKER]

Straps are cheap and last 2-3 years if you take care of them. You can replace all 4 for about $50. Chains and binders will cost about 4 times as much. Straps are a little bit quicker than chains
but not enough to matter.