Ratcheting tie downs BROKE in transit!

[viking65]

Wow /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif, I'm glad everything turned out ok for you.

I only have a SCUT and a 12' trailer but after reading this I am buying chains. What do I need? What are "boomers"? How do I apply tension to the chains as I do now with the ratcheting devices attached to the straps?

 

[edski]

Use the "boomers"...chain binders.

 

[Dargo]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( How do I apply tension to the chains as I do now with the ratcheting devices attached to the straps? )</font>

I bought ratcheting chain binders to go with the chains I ordered. I never liked the ones with a handle that I had to use a pipe as a "cheater" bar to latch. It seemed that one link was too loose, and the next link was too tight. Also, I've had those type of binders pop loose if I didn't wrap the loose part of the chain around them or duct tape them. The ratcheting binders (boomers - probably wrong terminology I picked up from truckers) are just about as easy as the ratcheting strap ratchets.

 

[Av8r3400]

Excellent point on the racheting binders!

I must admit that I am using the "over-center" or "boomer" type binder because I keep forgetting to buy a good ratcheting one. I was told that "boomer" comes from the noise thy make when they pop off unexpectedly. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

If you are using the alloy lifting chain for binding, make sure to keep them clean and sprayed with WD40 or similar for corossion resistance. Also, if I may be so bold, hang them up for storage, don't let them lay on the floor or a shelf, they'll rust.

 

[surfran]

Dargo,

I took a very similar ride on I95 in NC several years ago with a 16' Lanscape Trailer filled full of "stuff" I was moving back to NY. My 5000lb trailer didn't have brakes and was probably overloaded as well. I hit a washboard area going about 55-60 when she started doing the side to side.

Like you the side to side became very unstable and started throwing my Ford Expedition all over I95 while the trailer whipped back and forth from side to side. I steered my but off trying to keep her straight and each time she came around it slowed me down a bit more until finally it just threw the truck sideways and i was headed for the trees in the median.

I thought I was going to roll it, but luckily didn't. I ended up stopping about 5' before I hit the trees.

As you I was very lucky to not get hurt nor hurt anyone else as no cars were close to me when I started and those behind backed off quickly (as they told me when they stopped to help me out).

My equipment was not safe (never haul that much load without brakes!!) but I didn't think much about it before leaving that morning moving back. It was a big mistake.

I neve want to take a ride like that again. I will also say that I still get very tense when the trailer starts getting blown around on a windy day or a washboard or bump like you hit.

I will never be as comfortable towing again.

Now that I read your story, I think I will replace my straps with chains as well.

Thanks for sharing and glad you came out with primarily a learning experience.

 

[Dargo]

av8r, since you obviously know your chain (no pun or joke intended), I took your advice and changed my order (fortunately it hadn't shipped yet) to make my new chains the grade 70 chains. I think that realistically four of the grade 70 factory welded chains will securely hold my L5030HSTC with loader and rear implement on my trailer. The people at AW Direct even said that there is a point at which your chain will be stronger than your attachment point on the trailer. When I pickup my new trailer later this week I'm going to have to make sure that I have enough strong attachment points on the trailer.

On a side note, I just told my wife yesterday that I'm buying a new trailer and am spending a few hundred bucks on proper tie down equipment. She began to let me have it for spending the money until I explained my near disaster to her. I didn't really want to tell her, but she was really going to let me have it for buying a new (much larger) trailer and accessories. Now she understands and only asked me to make sure that my new equipment will be strong enough. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[dullpain]

Dargo- glad you and equipment are OK. Tuff lesson to learn! Many here including dirthauler make excellent points to be heeded. I own/use straps, chain, & boomers. I only use chain on rolling equipment, straps on other stuff.

Now for some empirical data. Not far from me is a Truck Stop next to interstate. The entrance ramp here is severely off camber. In the last 6 years have seen 10 flat bed tractor/trailers hauling rolls of steel coils turned over there. About 50% had nylon ratchet straps, the others had chain securing load. Of the ones using nylon straps ALL broke, and lost their load. Some straps held well enough to rollover the trailer & truck but broke on impact and the steel goes flying. Of the ones using chain all turned over but the coils still fastened.

Again Glad all went well for you in what could have been a real disaster

 

[Av8r3400]

Thank you for the compliment Dargo.

My apologies if sometimes I can get a little preachy on the subject of trailers and transporting. I too have ridden the tail of the tiger to near destruction, so I'm with you brother. (Suburban on my 18' car hauler, broken nylon ratchet, luckily it was a straight hill. There's still a brown spot on the drivers seat.)

I have messed with placement of my BX on that trailer and even that "little" bit of weight I can get my 7000# Dodge Cummins to get really squirrelly.

Any time you have a single wheeled item that is 2000# or more on a single axle trailer, any weight shift is going to cause disaster. So many of these rigs look like they just haven't gotten to the scene of the wreck yet.

 

[Bowhunter]

Dargo, just out of curiosity do you have a link to your ebay auction?

 

[jwnge]

Dargo, glad to hear it came out ok, I know also it is a very scarey thing..My story...My wife and I had just bought a load of 16 foot deck boards. Loaded them between 2x4's mounted on the sides of my 5x8 miller trailer on top of the plywood sides. I had 2 feet off the front as that was all the further foward I could go due to steering room between truck and trailer so this left 6 feet hanging off the rear. It was lifting the trailer on the ball. I went back in and bought several bags of decorative stone and that weighed the front back down, it seemed ok so I strapped everything down. Now the fun part, knowing the load, I decided to take back roads home. Everything was going along fine, we were doing about 40 mph and came to a long downhill grade. As we started down the grade the truck wanted to pick up speed, I didn't want it to so on the brakes easy to hold speed, I started swerving gently and then as we were about half way down it kept getting worse. Just a few days prior I had heard on a radio station that if this happens, the only way to get it to stop is to speed up, to power out of it. I was nearing the bottom of the hill and decided, if it works , great, if not , we are in for a unknown ride anyways, so I hit the accelerator, we were white knuckled , my wife was praying, so was I, funny how that happens when you feel you are in real trouble, back to the acellerator, I held it to the floor and amazingly it pulled us right out of the swaying. I got to the bottom of the hill and started up the other side and just let it slow to a stop by itself, whew!!! believe me when I say I just pulled over and sat for a few minutes before our shaking stopped.. I drove the rest of the way home verrrry slow.. I am presently looking for a tractor hauler and it will be at least 16 ft. with tandum axles and will be used to haul long loads and definately will have chains and chain boomers, my dad was an Driller in the oilfield and always called them boomers, and I thank you for you telling your story, It may well save lives ...JohnJ