When people talk about trucking accessories , they probably are discussing about totally different things , you probably need to put them in to context to understand them, for example , ratchet strap is 2” and 10,000 lbs tie down while ratchets for pick up will be 1” and 500 lbs tie down, we’re only going to discuss about truck tie downs here, more precisely, we will talk about flat beds only, probably you’ve already seen them on the highway or truck stop.
When the jobs come your way, odds are you won’t be able to decide what kind of stuff will be put on your truck, the only thing you can do is to prepare for all the possibilities , 9 of 10 times you will have to accept whatever they want you to transport . In the mean time we’re going to look into winch straps and truck winches, lots of flat beds have winches installed or you can install winches later, then you’ll be able to use winch straps with truck winches, it has to be a straight forward choice .
New flatbeds usually will have truck winches installed, this is a big plus for hauling stuff can be secured by winch strap. There is one thing indispensable for truck winch and winch strap tie down combination, winch bar, which is the tool to help you control the cargo on the flatbed, since you can only tighten the winch straps through turning winch barrel, this only can be done by utilizing winch bar .
OK, now let’s look at ratchet straps which are the most popular tie down devices for all kinds of trucks or hauling businesses. In fact that the ratchet straps are just the assembly of ratchet buckles and tie down webbing, which can be nylon or polyester, the combination of different ratchet buckles and different straps gives us many choices.
The ratchet tie down earned it’s popularity by being the most flexible, adaptable and capable tie down equipment , from sedans to eighteen wheelers , you can see ratchet straps anywhere cargo needs to be secured. The ratchet straps may have flat hooks, double J hooks, chain anchors, cloth loops or just plain straps at both ends, probably some special made ratchets have some other funny ends, say, D ring? And it’s width can be 1” through 4”, length can be a few inches to more than 50 feet . On 18 wheelers ratchet tie downs are the most used tie down devices for truckers , those flat bed trucks without winches installed will find ratchet straps pretty useful .
To acquire these tie down straps, you have the choice between local stores and online retailers. Depends on your available options , sometimes acquire them in local store is a good idea , sometimes online sales are much more attractive. To help you make decision you need accurate and non altered information on the vendors, you can check out online forums, blogs and opinion sites to figure all of these out before you go all in.
FMCSA says it very clear, securing your loads on the truck is mandated, regardless of the situation. Properly secureing your load by using qualified tie downs are also indicated in the rules.
