Share Pics of People Hauling or Towing Something Wrong

[1 Old Man]

That's the prettiest trailer floor I think I've ever seen. Do you wax it?

 

[WM75Guy]

That's the prettiest trailer floor I think I've ever seen. Do you wax it?

Thompson Water Seal.

 

[1 Old Man]

Thompson Water Seal.

 

[WinterDeere]

Thompson Water Seal.

Probably great for Texas, but maybe less so for those in more northern climes. I've had a few decks, as in porch decks on a house, that all get slicker than snot when they freeze over in winter with fresh deck sealer on them... Thompson's or otherwise.

Wood trailer decks are never fun in the snow, but they're probably suicide with water sealer on the wood. And yes, I've been caught out in snow storms with my tractor or a big load of wood on my trailer, more than once.

Then again, moss ain't no picnic, either. I did a header on my trailer a week ago, when it was merely wet, due to an invisibly thin but present growth of moss that has taken root in the decking. And that was just a week or two after a fresh pressure washing. The wipeout was impressive enough that I checked the Ring camera, hoping it'd been caught on video, as it might've been an AFV winner.

 

[civilian]

I know someone who uses squeeze clamps to tame the loose ends of ratchet straps. Jon

 

[square1]

Feed the loose end of the strap into the ratchet to be captured as you tighten it. No additional gizmos to lose, damage, or wear out.
Cut the fingers off worn out leather gloves to use as protection sleeves where straps are tightened against components that could cause damage.

 

[civilian]

Truck picking a load of sharp edged steel, used disposable diapers to protect his straps. Jon

 

[Runner]

Cut the fingers off worn out leather gloves to use as protection sleeves where straps are tightened against components that could cause damage.

I take strips of old carpet, maybe 8" wide by 12" long, and cut slots transversly about 2" from each end. You can feed the tie down through the slots and then slide the carpet to where you need the protection. I keep some of these permanently on my axle straps.

 

[Loaderman22]

My preferred strap are these I get from Lodi Metals. They have the wire hooks, but also a "free range" steel loop that is just around the webbing, not sewn into a loop or anything. This allows them to slide the entire length of the strap. I loop the strap around whatever I'm hauling and the other end around the rings of the trailer, this tends to stay more secure than just putting the hooks on the trailer. Plus it fits around anything, where sometimes hooks won't grab. These also have the ends of the straps folded over and sewn in a lump so they don't come out of the ratchet part. This is both good & bad at times, but I carry a bunch of the other straps as well in case I need to thread a loose strap through something where the hooks don't fit. I've also used that steel loop to put 2 straps together when one just isn't long enough, like over an upright fridge etc. I feel it's a lot more secure to put a hook through a loop than just 2 hooks latched together.

 

[scootr]

 

[Jstpssng]

That airbag must have been a shock!

 

[scootr]

That airbag must have been a shock!

When I look at this accident in terms of defensive driving. The car may have missed the roller by swerving left in behind the pickup rather than going off the right shoulder as he did. Stop the film at :09 seconds to see this open area.

 

[civilian]

But what about the car following the roller? Would they have hit that head on? Jon

 

[WinterDeere]

But what about the car following the roller? Would they have hit that head on? Jon

This... and the fact that the driver of the car didn't have the luxury of pausing at 0:09, to think about and plan their options.

 

[rontaki]

Holy roller, Batman! This is when not to be driving a Vanagon or earlier VW van.

 

[Gee Ray]

Wrap a Doodle Doo

I have used these for the past 14 years. They are well worth the money.

 

[Fallon]

Wrap a Doodle Doo

I have used these for the past 14 years. They are well worth the money.

URL in that old video no longer works. Ratchet Strap | Wrap A Doodle Doo | United States seems to be where they are at now. $40 for 2.

 

[WinterDeere]

URL in that old video no longer works. Ratchet Strap | Wrap A Doodle Doo | United States seems to be where they are at now. $40 for 2.

I can buy miles of zip ties or tape for $40, and since I pretty much always use more than 2 straps, I'd be realistically looking at $80 or $120 for those things. I hate to rain on anyone's entrepreneurial idea, but this one seems to be more expensive and less convenient than conventional solutions.

I actually just run the end back along the strap, wrap it around once, and pull a half loop thru. Big giant slip knot. If I'm making a long trip, I throw another half hitch on it as a lock stitch. Free, no waste, comes out easily, and nothing extra to carry with me.

 

[Gee Ray]

I can buy miles of zip ties or tape for $40, and since I pretty much always use more than 2 straps, I'd be realistically looking at $80 or $120 for those things. I hate to rain on anyone's entrepreneurial idea, but this one seems to be more expensive and less convenient than conventional solutions.

I actually just run the end back along the strap, wrap it around once, and pull a half loop thru. Big giant slip knot. If I'm making a long trip, I throw another half hitch on it as a lock stitch. Free, no waste, comes out easily, and nothing extra to carry with me.

I still use the ones I bought 14 years ago. I have also purchased more since then. I’ve never had one break and I have moved almost 3000 loads using them.

An additional benefit is that you can wrap the straps up and store them nice and neatly. And if you shop a little bit, you can find them for about $15 apiece.

 

[Fallon]

I've got the 2" & 1" versions of Amazon.com. Basically a seatbelt like retractor built into a normal ratchet strap. Been pretty happy with them. The ratchet only goes 90 degrees instead of the normal 180. Straps are a little shorter, but that's fine for my uses. They also have clips on the hooks, so they won't come free even if the strap becomes loose. I doubt they will be quite as durable as a normal ratchet, but mine have held up. My only failure so far was a 1" strap getting cut on a corner, which would have happened to any strap.