Ratcheting tie downs BROKE in transit!

[Av8r3400]

The only chain that will stretch is a grade 80 lifting chain. Grade 40 or grade 70 (typical binder chain) stretches very little lending it to be more stable for load binding. The ratings given on nylon webbing is usually 50% of a tested pull to distruction. (lifting straps) Nylon binder straps have no regulation on ratings that I am aware of.

My knowledge comes from working for a rigging supply company which sells this equipment.

Edit: Cliff you are correct with the uneven loading of nylon webbing, that is why "D" rings or D-hooks are used instead of wrapping the nylon directly onto the load. Nylon is one of the most common and safest lifting materials if used and maintained correctly.

 

[tinytractors]

I was told that straps are for boxes and other things that are solid and flat against the load bed. Things with tires should be chained.
When I first started trailering things I was moving some overly long RR crossing ties (22') on too small of a trailer (didn't have enough tounge weight)... I made a dumb move and the trailer lifted my F150 and gave me a ride that felt like I was on the tail of an angry gator. Scared but rode it out.... stopped and checked the load, the HD nylon straps had held but the tell tale stripes in them burst. I also had two 3/8 grade 70 chains on the load. The ties had gouges in them at least half an inch and a lot of slack in the chain(I use ratcheting binders now). I think that if I hadn't had the chain too I would have lost the load.
I sure am thankful that we all have stories to tell... consider the alternative.

Pete.

 

[ksmmoto]

I have to agree with tinytractors about the straps for flat loads only and chains for wheeled vehicles.

I used to haul stamping dies when I was an apprentice Tool & Die Maker. We always used chains, the shop wouldn't even try straps. But most of the customer semi's used straps, but once again it was a flat load.

With a wheeled vehicle they will always shift slightly and that can add tremendous force to the straps. And the real issue is not just having the tractor fall off, but also crashing the truck, trailer and anybody else on the road, plus your own life!

I have for my new Mac-Lander 12,000 trailer brand new American made 3/8" Grade 70 chain with American made hooks and new from AW-Direct 1/2" ratchet binders. Four total, I will use two on each end and throw a 2" ratchet strap over the floor deck to boot.

I haven't haul my tractor yet, but will be when I get my new business up and running this spring. And I want to be sure that I don't lose it!

Thanks for sharing and I am sure I and others will keep it in mind. I'm glad you came out ok and get your new chains and keep on hauling!

ksmmoto

 

[DirtHauler]

Glade to hear that no body got hurt and with no major damage (other than a pair of shorts). For years I drove truck with a 48' flate bed, hauled everything from fiberglass shower stalls to drilling pipe/equiptment to lumber. Learned that you use chains and binders on anything of metal/steel, straps on "lighter" material. A couple of things about nylon straps is you NEVER put them over any sharp angle with out some kind of a "pad" and if there is any amount of length, i.e. tall load of lumber, always put one "twist" in the strap on each side to stop them from vibrating in the wind at speed which will weaken it. I'm sure there are a few of you who've had a truck pass you and heard a strap "hummin" in the wind!

Since day one when I haul my CK20 I've used chains and ratchet binders and I've been "teased" about "over-kill" but I just tell them "better to be safe than sorry"! On the other hand, ther's a guy around this area I've seen haulin a compact tractor and he throws a strap over the loader arms/hood and over the implement! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif wonder how it stays on the trailer? safe?

 

[KiotiJohn]

Dargo, sorry to hear you had this trouble, but I'm glad you're okay and no major damages. To me, it doesn't matter why it happened, it just did. I know the same thing "could" happen with chains, as I've had them come apart when pulling with them, but they're probably better than straps for tying down a tractor. John

 

[RobS]

Brent, sorry to hear of your misfortunes but thanks for sharing anyway. Like many others, I use straps for my tractor without batting an eye.

Lots of good thoughts being generated here. How about trailer flex? With the tractor snugged down well you are prestressing the trailer frame too. Could the trailer have twisted/rebounded or something to load up those straps?

Just something else to consider. Glad you got through all this /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Dargo]

Thanks for all of the replys with nobody calling me an idiot. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif I've finally stopped shaking, but my tractor is still cowering in the corner of my barn. I guess part of the reason that I made sure I posted my wild ride was because nobody would have been able to convince me that 4 "heavy duty" nylon straps would have been insufficient. Its just that I've been using these sort of straps for years now without incident. Heck, I thought I was being safe because I promptly replaced the straps anytime they became frayed. As a matter of fact, a buddy who only hauls his ATV's got all of his straps from me. They were the ones that I was tossing because they were getting frayed.

The question arose of whether my trailer flexed and caused the break. I'm sure it's possible (I won't say "never" about this stuff again), but I wouldn't think so. Since I'm fairly proficient at welding and metal fabrication, I've really beefed up my trailer so I can haul my fork truck on it. (yes, I have hauled it and only had it tied down with the nylon straps) Anyway, I have 6" channel down the sides and 4" x 6" 3/8" thick angle running crossways every 14" under the flooring. That is in addition to the 2" x 3" angle that was existing under the floor. I also boxed in the tongue and used some 12" channel to reinforce the tongue.

To show how much this incident rattled me, that trailer is now for sale on eBay. It's not that my trailer was too weak, but it is way too short for my needs. When hauling my tractor with the loader on and with my bush hog, I have to pull up so far that I have to curl the bucket completely under and sit it on the front rack of the trailer (any more and it would hit the truck) and my bush hog still hangs over the end of the 18' trailer by over 3', and I have to tie a red rag to the tail wheel of the bush hog. Besides the straps, being too long for my trailer is just one more thing that I've gotten by with but is likely unsafe. I have a wife and 5 kids. I don't need to literally kill myself by doing unsafe things just because they are a little more convenient, or to save a few bucks on not having the right equipment.

 

[slowzuki]

All chain stretchs. Period. How much is based on the size of the chain.

Higher grade chain can stretch more before it fails.

Climbers use both stretch and low-stretch rope depending on what they are doing. A fall from a bit of height on low stretch rope can kill or knock someone unconcious easily.

If you are working with the rope tight all the time and your fall is only a foot or so, the low stretch keeps you closer to where you started.

I wouldn't give up on the straps. A strap with a WLL the same as a chain WLL would be just as safe. Chain with 5 ton breaking strength breaks at the same load as straps.

 

[Av8r3400]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( All chain stretchs. Period. How much is based on the size of the chain.)</font>

Yes, they do, but not by much. Chain of grades 50-70 are DOT approved binder chains and are designed to fail with less than 5% stretch. These are hardened, cad plated (for corrosion resistance), strong metals. Grade 80, or alloyed lifiting chain will only stretch 15% before failure. It is a "softer," usually black, unplated, alloy designed to give a visable stretch so that the crane operator can see the impending failure and put down the load. Grade 40 and lower is what we called in the trade "farmer chain" (no offence intended) and is not approved for transport or lifting. There are also few regulations on the metalurgy of these chains.

 

[stevenf]

I started reading this thread at 3:00am as I couldn't sleep I was just to worn out from the weekend but I'm finally awake enough now to post to this thread. Dargo I'm really glad you came out of this fairly unscathed as pulling trailers loaded with stuff can be dangerous under the best conditions stuff happens. I think your smart to go back to chains and I think at least everyone in the US aught to at least call their local DOT and find out if straps are OK to use under any circumstances for trailering and tieing down vehicular loads. In a lot of states as has been mentioned it is not and you will get a heck of a ticket if you ever get pulled over for anything else they'll add this infraction to the reason that you were stopped as DOT folks usually don't pull you over unless you have broken driving laws first unless you are a commercial carrier or are hauling under obvious overload conditions and it'll be a ticket that'll be well over $500. Now if this incident hasn't convinced you lets put that tractor that Dargo was hauling into oncoming traffic and sliding on its side until it is met by a van load of kids. In the US every parent of every kid is likely to be on that lawsuit and because you used nylon straps you are immediately quilty in states that don't allow it so your million dollar insurance policy doesn't go far if you divide it up between 10 or more families so then they go after your personal assets and since you were negligent again because your state doesn't allow it in the first place you lose your personal assets as well. I say buy some good DOT approved chains to heck with a little paint and tie them tractors down, yes a chain or attachment point could fail however unlikely that is but at least you are doing things in accordance with your local DOT so you aren't quilty before you even have an accident. I really like nylon straps they are lighter and easier to handle and make great tie downs for stuff that would be damaged by chain but they can be damaged easier than chain and they wear out where correctly rated chain will outlast most of us providing it is rated for the job at hand. In the last 5 years and these weren't Sam's $12.00 specials these were 20,000lb rated ratchets I have had the axle break out of the frame of 2 of them under bump, turn, load shift situations so not only can the nylon tear now you need to add the posibility of the mechanical parts breaking down as well.
I'm not a commercial carrier just a normal Texas guy with lots of heavy stuff to move around and have been reminded plenty of times that stuff happens so I try to do it by the book every chance I get as the regulations concerning a lot of things aren't usually dreamn't up they are made after an incident occurs enough times and found to have a common failure point in this case nylon straps for vehicular binding. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Steve