Ratchet Straps

[Philip_L]

Do you guys think these are any good (third one down on the below link)?
- Product Catalog

They are pretty cheap @ $11.75 each. Most straps I have looked at have been in the $20 range. I am looking to strap down my little tractor with them. Tractor weighs around 1880lb.

Thanks

 

[RobertN]

Use chain. Too many issues with straps getting cut or fraying. You should see mine; yuck!

 

[elginfarm]

I would also use chains and load binders. If you are worried about scratches get some old fire hose and use it as a sleeve on the chain to protect your tractor or it is whatever you are tying down.

 

[Marcussen]

The straps looks fine to me, but where I work all straps are marked and are replaced after 12 months regardless of visual condition. Chain last forever (almost).

 

[firemanpat2910]

chains chains shackles and chains. good song good advise.

 

[dfkrug]

Do you guys think these are any good (third one down on the below link)?
- Product Catalog

They are pretty cheap @ $11.75 each. Most straps I have looked at have been in the $20 range. I am looking to strap down my little tractor with them. Tractor weighs around 1880lb.

Thanks

I love ratcheting straps for all kinds of loads. I buy 2-inchers on sale at
Harbor Freight and they work great. The ones on the site you quoted
look better.

I do my best not to let them rub on any metal edges and I use a LOT
of them for redundency.

I also use a lot of redundent cam-lock straps for various types of loads.
They go on fast and stay secure.

 

[Dargo]

I would think two on each end of your tractor would be fine. There again, I am the fool who darn near lost $35k of tractor and implements about a year and a half ago when I didn't think two straps on the front would break. There is a long thread on here about that incident. They were almost new straps and they were not in contact with anything; they just snapped when the trailer flexed due to a dip in the road.

I feel that I got one "free pass" and I'm not counting on another. I won't use anything but chains for a tractor now. Call me stupid if you want, but I do still use two straps on each end of my RTV and Rhino when I haul them. But, I also bought a much stronger trailer that won't flex. And, yes, I know, a 20k GN trailer is a bit much for hauling a RTV and a Rhino.

 

[VT_Hokie]

I love the 2" X 27" for straping down square bales in the back of the truck or on on my flat bed trailer. Will also using them on holding the jon boat snug to its trailer. Chains always go on the tractor though. Just not worth taking a chance of having the tractor end up in back of the truck when someone cuts you off. It seems to me that positioning would be critical for the straps as they could slip a little on an axle and loosen a bit after you get going down a bumpy road. Chains seem bite better. As said, a good set of chains will last a long time and you will find other things to do with them such as helping out with streching woven wire fence...

 

[john_bud]

First tractor haul I used 3" wide straps. Second and all subsequent hauls I use marked transport chain and ratcheting binders. The surviving strap is used to tie down my mule to a small trailer with side rails.

Seems any metal edge can and will cut the strap faster than a halloween slasher movie goes thru prom dates!

jb

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I've used chains & binders and ratchet straps of various configurations over the years and think I've found the best set up for me. When I'm winching a vehicle onto my trailer, I use a pear ring on the end of my winch cable with two chains with J-hooks and frame hooks on the ends. Depending on the vehicle, I use either the J-hooks or frame hooks to connect to the vehicle to pull it on.

Once it's up, I level the trailer bed and secure the rear with axle straps to which I connect ratchet straps and tighten it down. For anyone unfamiliar with axle straps, they are short straps with triangular metal connectors on either end. They are used to go around the axle (or whatever else you're going around) and then each end is connected to the hook on the end of your ratchet strap. I then do the same on the front end and leave the winch and chains on. I like the ratchet straps because they're lighter, easier to use and generally cleaner than chains & binders. I used axle straps because they're way cheaper to replace than my ratchet straps and they make contact with the vehicle instead of my straps.

Subsequently, I have made up some shorter lengths of grade 70 transportation chain (strong, relatively light weight and rust free) with hooks on either end that I can use similarly when the point on the load to which I'm connecting would be rough/sharp and could damage/cut an axle strap.

I'm not claiming I've found some perfect way of doing this. I'm only passing on what I've come up with that works best for me considering the balance between safety and ease of use.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Do you guys think these are any good . . .

They are pretty cheap

They are pretty cheap . . . you get what you pay for!

Seems to me most guys here are STRONG ADVOCATES of chain. I also stopped using strap and switched to chain. It costs more. The piece of mind is worth every penny. I still have/use strap, but not for my equipment. I just hauled my snow tractor today. Rural highway, hills, country roads and into the suburbs through heavy traffic. Never even worried about it. That is a good feeling!

Mine is American made, grade 70 transport chain, with American made ratchet binders. The chain and binders came from AW Direct, a company that specializes in tow vehicles, recovery, etc.

 

[GaryE]

For what it is worth... I would not race car without a proper harness.... Nor I would trailer my tractor without chains. Just my opinion.

 

[Atlas]

After all is said and done as to what works and what we can get away with, what does the law say?

 

[LarryRB]

If you read the DOT book on tieing down, a live load,, live load being anything on rubber tires, they even include tracked vehicles, are to be tied down with grade 70 chains minimum, one at each corner,, Also any attached implements such as a back hoe. I use four grade 70's at each corner and DO USE a strap around the hoe bucket, and frequently cross the Union CT scales. On occasion someone willl walk out and check the chains, No one has said a word yet with the strap around hoe bucket, even though the hoe has a factory pin system..