PDA

View Full Version : MAKE SURE Your Ratchet Straps are Secure!



CJM
11-10-2011, 02:43 PM
This is from another forum I go to, but let it be a warning. I always make damn sure my straps are good and I tie off the excess!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-49biMRTo1xM/TrtH2ZVjFBI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/ydZbCvQKRME/s320/bud+truck+bed.jpg
I wasn't sure where to post this. I saw this pick up today and the owner told me about the mishap.

A couple weeks ago, he was hauling his son's four wheeler, and had it tied down with four ratchet straps, one at each corner of the bed.

He was running down the highway, when the end of the front passenger side tie down must have come lose in the wind. Next thing he knew, "It felt like I ran over a motorcycle!"

The tie down strap worked its way between his truck cab and pick up bed, and got wrapped around the drive shaft. The drive shaft reeled in the ratchet strap like a high speed winch, drawing the bed down rapidly on the rear suspension. It destroyed his rear suspension and his drive shaft, and bent down a deep "V" in the front of his bed:



The tie down ratchet was hooked to a loop in the bed of the truck, which took the brunt of the pull from the strap, so the four wheeler was not damaged.

But between the new bed, new rear suspension, and new driveshaft, this little tie down strap caused a $7,000 repair job!

He went to his insurance agent to file a claim. He says he told the girl, "I was driving down the road, and a UFO came out of no where and hit the bed of my pick up and blew out my rear suspension and driveshaft! Does that sound unbelievable? Well, then let me tell you what really happened. Its even more unbelievable..."

They paid the claim.

buck440
11-10-2011, 03:00 PM
man i actually hange the excess between the bed and the cab lol. never thought of that happening.

chucked
11-10-2011, 03:04 PM
few years ago that happened to a truck my work had, except it was sitting loose, wind caught it, got wrapped around the drive shaft and busted out the rear window

CJM
11-10-2011, 03:23 PM
I just tie the excess to the quad usually, never had an issue. But when driving long distances I stop every so often and check them to be sure!

Scro
11-10-2011, 03:34 PM
That's one hell of a tie-strap!

tayyo789
11-10-2011, 03:45 PM
At least the quads ok....

brian76708
11-10-2011, 03:55 PM
Originally posted by Scro
That's one hell of a tie-strap!

that's what i was thinking.

Thumpin440ex
11-10-2011, 04:04 PM
That strap must have been made of krptonite LOL... I always tie the excess off, so it doesn't get hung up like that..



John

wilkin250r
11-10-2011, 06:51 PM
I always tie up the slack around the taught portion of the strap itself, in a series of loose half-hitches. It's quick and easy, the last loop is always tight. I just have to undo the last loop, give the strap a yank, and the whole thing unravels.

(Toot my own horn), every body I know has adopted my method.

tman12345
11-10-2011, 07:25 PM
Wait I shouldnt tie the excess strap around my drive shaft????

catch22blaster
11-10-2011, 08:28 PM
Thats unreal thats terrible though.
Thats why i just put it in gear an zip tie the front brakes an its good to go lol

KXRida
11-11-2011, 06:45 AM
Originally posted by Scro
That's one hell of a tie-strap!

That's what I said! I always tie off the extra as well for reasons such as that.

smr
11-11-2011, 07:17 AM
Originally posted by Scro
That's one hell of a tie-strap!

I'm with ya brother. I can't imagine why anybody would put that heavy of a strap on a quad. Not to mention 4. It's not always a good thing to overdo something.

When I haul in the back of my truck I do like someone else said. I don't use any tie downs and I just bungy the front break.

wilkin250r
11-11-2011, 12:03 PM
Originally posted by smr
I can't imagine why anybody would put that heavy of a strap on a quad. Not to mention 4. It's not always a good thing to overdo something.


I doubt it was a real super-duty tie strap. I would guess most of us use similar straps, about 1 inch wide? Those have a working load of about 500 lbs, and a breaking strength of anywhere between 1500 and 3000 lbs depending on the particular brand.

That's about a full TON of force pulling on that truckbed before the strap breaks. I don't know about you, but I don't think my truckbed can handle a full ton of force, pressing on a small area of only a few square inches, without buckling.

And of those specifications, I think the weak point is the actual ratchet. I've seen the same strap with a different ratchet rated at 3000lbs breaking strength, and I've even seen some 1-inch straps (just the actual strap itself, no hardware) with a 6000lb breaking strength. The 6000lbs strap was noticably thicker, but I was looking at it because it really looked similar to some older straps I had.


I think this was just a normal 1-inch wide tie strap.

SYKO
11-12-2011, 02:52 PM
Originally posted by Scro
That's one hell of a tie-strap!

I was thinking the same thing...I wounder where he bought it from?:p