Your video makes some good points. One major mistake you made is which side of the truck or trailer does the winch go on. Never ever put the winch on the drivers side of the load. They should always be on the passenger side of the load. Sooner or later you will have to stop along the road to tighten a strap or fix a loose tail on the strap. Having the winch on the drivers side of the load puts you at risk of the passing traffic. Plus a better option for the loose tail of the strap is to go from the ratchet back to the tie point and around the anchor point. Take what’s left of the strap and use half hitch knots to secure the rest of the tail. Use at least 3 knots. This is just my two cents from decades of traveling with strapped loads.
One of the very best UA-cam videos I've ever seen. No jokes or unneccessary music. Excellent script and the diction of the presenter was outstanding! Thank you!
To ensure your strap doesn't come apart, it is COMPULSORY to 'twang' the strap and say "that's not going anywhere." Otherwise it will fail. Every time.
This video should be handed out with every ratchet strap sold at any store! Thought I knew a lot about using these straps, and I do, but I still picked up some great info! Thanks
Great points. Definitely learned some new tricks. I also like to wait 5 mins or so after tightening and then give the ratchet another click or two. The straps will stretch a little bit after being tight for a while.
So, get a velcro strap to hold the stored ratchet strap, that is wound up for storage, in a neat bundle. Then use that same velcro to hold the loose end of the ratchet strap from flopping around. There is nothing extra to carry as the velcro is always in use.
4:15 *When wrapping anything (garden hose, vacuum cleaner cord, this strap, etc.) start from the anchored end, not the loose end. That will avoid causing unwanted twists in the thing you’re wrapping.*
Just put the hook facing down and it won't fall off when you go to the other end to ratchet it. Also, once you are done ratcheting, run the loose end over the ratchet and back through the hook eye and secure it. That way, if the ratchet were ever to fail (as unlikely as it is), everything will stay attached.
Great tips. It's also important never to have a single point failure. Only using a single strap for an item that is depending on that strap to keep it from falling out is never a good idea. I always secure items with at least 2 straps and in a way that if I have to make an emergency avoidance maneuver on the highway, I won't have to worry about my cargo even if one of my straps has failed.
I learned about making sure the lose end of the strap is secure (4:20) by having the tail end get sucked in between the bed and cab going down the freeway, getting wrapped up in my drive shaft and having the rachet metal bust out my back window, get sucked between the bed and cab, scaring the crap out of me.
I have no idea why the algorithm gods placed this in my path, but it was well worth my time. I just struggled securing a mattress with these same straps in the same vehicle last week. I always need ratchet straps in the dark and cold, so my experience is less than optimal. I never take the time to reset the strap and trying to release them to pull everything out never works in the dark and freezing temps. LOL My big takeaway here is to store my straps separated. Much easier to adjust to the right length when I'm feeding the strap at the right position and not trying to back out the line from a much shorter or longer load the previous time I used them. Lesson learned.
I drive a flatbed driver I always find myself examining straps on other vehicles. It’s scary to see most guys in pickups pulling trailers. You’d think if you spend 25k on a side by side you would get nice heavy duty straps to keep that toy on there. Contractors are pretty bad too.
You can also use the spring-loaded clamps (think giant metal clothes pins) available from hardware stores to take care of the loose ends. I often use heavy duty quicklinks to attach my straps to the anchor point. No worries of it coming loose that way.
I store them in plastic sandwich bags. This keeps each individual strap separate, while keeping the dry and preventing rust. By yourself? You can hook the long strap onto itself [so it can't come off] and when starting to ratchet connect it correctly. 90% of the time it works.
If you thread your loose end through the ratchet top to bottom. Then put the excess strap under the load strap, then tighten. This does two things. First it softens any square or sharp corners. Second it gets rid of the excess strap.
Other use for the ratchet strap is hunting tree stands. I know guys that leave the stand up year round for several years and still climb in the stand and trust the strap. Nuts!
You missed a few things. 1. Instead of hooking that S hook over you can feed the entire strap through the S hook, cannot move off the mounting point. 2. If you don't like that then you pass the entire strap through your mounting point and wrap the strap around the hook. Safe & secure. 3. As for the excess strap you put the strap over the rachet handle and then wrap the strap around the base of the rachet handle. By doing this the handle cannot come undone then wrap the strap around the S hook which prevent it coming off its mounting. I use these almost every day in my work and have have had zero problems.
At Walmart I picked up 3300lb HEAVY DUTY straps, TWO (2) inches thick, TWENTY SEVEN (27) feet long. TEN (10) DOLLARS ($) each. I have a trailer, a tandem-axle car hauler, and a crew-cab 8' bed _pick 'em up truck,_ so I bought 6 straps immediately, and plan on another 6 just to have. They are huge, they are heavy duty, they take up a lot of space, but they are MONSTROUS and only $10 each. They are the same straps you see logging truckers throwing over their trailers to secure entire TREES. I hate Walmart, but that deal is INSANE. Oh, and that isn't a _sale_ price, that's the REGUALR price.
I use a lot of the smaller straps so when I store them I roll them up and put each one in a plastic soft drink bottle that I've cut the lid off and then put them all in an old metal ammo box.
Loose ends can be brutal! My bro-inlaw left his tail end loose in front behind cab. Wind caught it, it fell down between cab and box, and wrapped around driveshaft! Doah! Truck actually skidded to a stop after collapsing front of box about a foot. Body shop he went to said they see a truck like his almost once a year. I religiously tie my tails now!!!!!!
D. O. T. In Maine and NH allows UP TO one full twist in the strap as it goes over the load. One HALF twist per side. The issue of weakness occurs when the twist is allowed to contact itself. This can cause an abrasion and breakage. Having a twist can actually prevent excessive vibrations and prolong the straps staying tighter longer.
It has been tested many different ways. The strength was not affected until it went two full twists. I have hauled my motorcycle several times cross country with one full twist. I am still using the same straps 30 years later.
@WiskeyFist It can be even more. During crane training we're told it's as high as an 80% reduction in extreme circumstances. I've never studied what those are because it doesn't matter. We simply can't use the strap if it's knotted. It becomes trash.
I was a firefighter for years, involved it technical rescue. One of the mistakes I see made with ANY ropes or straps is: NEVER loop strap to strap or metal to metal. The only exceptions are knots in ropes, and hooks on chains.
WARNING MUST BE WATCHED MUTED BECAUSE OF INAPPROPRIATE MIND NUMBING VOMIT INDUCING BACKGROUND MUSIC. What is wrong with you people who need your feeble minds constantly inundated with this Tweedledee Tweedledum Ga Ga Pooh background music?
Your video makes some good points. One major mistake you made is which side of the truck or trailer does the winch go on. Never ever put the winch on the drivers side of the load. They should always be on the passenger side of the load. Sooner or later you will have to stop along the road to tighten a strap or fix a loose tail on the strap. Having the winch on the drivers side of the load puts you at risk of the passing traffic.
Plus a better option for the loose tail of the strap is to go from the ratchet back to the tie point and around the anchor point. Take what’s left of the strap and use half hitch knots to secure the rest of the tail. Use at least 3 knots.
This is just my two cents from decades of traveling with strapped loads.
First time i used ratchet straps i had tails flying and had to pull over twice before figuring it out, definitely agree with you
Good video. But you didn’t pull on the strap and say “that’s not going anywhere” so now I can’t trust it.
Exactly. That is the MOST important step and everyone knows it.
This guy knows.
Valid point
😂😂😂 FACTS
I came here to say the exact same thing!
One of the very best UA-cam videos I've ever seen. No jokes or unneccessary music. Excellent script and the diction of the presenter was outstanding! Thank you!
To ensure your strap doesn't come apart, it is COMPULSORY to 'twang' the strap and say "that's not going anywhere." Otherwise it will fail. Every time.
Very informative. I've been using straps for 20 years and I'm still the old dog learning new tricks! Thanks 👍
This video should be handed out with every ratchet strap sold at any store! Thought I knew a lot about using these straps, and I do, but I still picked up some great info!
Thanks
Great points. Definitely learned some new tricks. I also like to wait 5 mins or so after tightening and then give the ratchet another click or two. The straps will stretch a little bit after being tight for a while.
I drive a mile or so and do the same giving it the wiggles a bit to test it out.
Packing tape is handy for temporarily securing one end to the vehicle. Prevents the hook falling out without tension.
So, get a velcro strap to hold the stored ratchet strap, that is wound up for storage, in a neat bundle. Then use that same velcro to hold the loose end of the ratchet strap from flopping around. There is nothing extra to carry as the velcro is always in use.
Great video especially the roll-up method of the strap ends.
Very informative. Nice production all around.
2:50 *When using a long strap for a short job, no need to thread the entire strap through. Fold it and insert about 6” and save a lot of work.*
4:15 *When wrapping anything (garden hose, vacuum cleaner cord, this strap, etc.) start from the anchored end, not the loose end. That will avoid causing unwanted twists in the thing you’re wrapping.*
Very helpful video.
Thanks for taking the time to create it. 🇺🇸👍
Just put the hook facing down and it won't fall off when you go to the other end to ratchet it. Also, once you are done ratcheting, run the loose end over the ratchet and back through the hook eye and secure it. That way, if the ratchet were ever to fail (as unlikely as it is), everything will stay attached.
Great tips. It's also important never to have a single point failure. Only using a single strap for an item that is depending on that strap to keep it from falling out is never a good idea. I always secure items with at least 2 straps and in a way that if I have to make an emergency avoidance maneuver on the highway, I won't have to worry about my cargo even if one of my straps has failed.
Using only one strap is also a DOT violation and could get you a ticket in some juridictions.
I learned about making sure the lose end of the strap is secure (4:20) by having the tail end get sucked in between the bed and cab going down the freeway, getting wrapped up in my drive shaft and having the rachet metal bust out my back window, get sucked between the bed and cab, scaring the crap out of me.
I have no idea why the algorithm gods placed this in my path, but it was well worth my time. I just struggled securing a mattress with these same straps in the same vehicle last week. I always need ratchet straps in the dark and cold, so my experience is less than optimal. I never take the time to reset the strap and trying to release them to pull everything out never works in the dark and freezing temps. LOL
My big takeaway here is to store my straps separated. Much easier to adjust to the right length when I'm feeding the strap at the right position and not trying to back out the line from a much shorter or longer load the previous time I used them. Lesson learned.
I drive a flatbed driver I always find myself examining straps on other vehicles. It’s scary to see most guys in pickups pulling trailers. You’d think if you spend 25k on a side by side you would get nice heavy duty straps to keep that toy on there. Contractors are pretty bad too.
You can also use the spring-loaded clamps (think giant metal clothes pins) available from hardware stores to take care of the loose ends. I often use heavy duty quicklinks to attach my straps to the anchor point. No worries of it coming loose that way.
I store them in plastic sandwich bags. This keeps each individual strap separate, while keeping the dry and preventing rust.
By yourself? You can hook the long strap onto itself [so it can't come off] and when starting to ratchet connect it correctly. 90% of the time it works.
Nah... just use electronic velcro straps. They stay attached to the strap so you never lose them.
Like the twist idea on long spans.
If you thread your loose end through the ratchet top to bottom. Then put the excess strap under the load strap, then tighten. This does two things. First it softens any square or sharp corners. Second it gets rid of the excess strap.
Love the Mec press in the background. Earned my like just for that. Good content too.
Well-written, well produced informative video. Thank you.
well made and explained strap uses. I like the tip on the excess strap rollup.
Should always drive a short distance and stop to check for loosening from transit movement. Retighten and get on with it.
Other use for the ratchet strap is hunting tree stands.
I know guys that leave the stand up year round for several years and still climb in the stand and trust the strap. Nuts!
Great video for people with NO common sense !
You missed a few things. 1. Instead of hooking that S hook over you can feed the entire strap through the S hook, cannot move off the mounting point.
2. If you don't like that then you pass the entire strap through your mounting point and wrap the strap around the hook. Safe & secure. 3. As for the excess strap you put the strap over the rachet handle and then wrap the strap around the base of the rachet handle. By doing this the handle cannot come undone then wrap the strap around the S hook which prevent it coming off its mounting. I use these almost every day in my work and have have had zero problems.
Nice job. Thanks Like the MEC reloader and the micrometer.😃
At Walmart I picked up 3300lb HEAVY DUTY straps, TWO (2) inches thick, TWENTY SEVEN (27) feet long. TEN (10) DOLLARS ($) each.
I have a trailer, a tandem-axle car hauler, and a crew-cab 8' bed _pick 'em up truck,_ so I bought 6 straps immediately, and plan on another 6 just to have.
They are huge, they are heavy duty, they take up a lot of space, but they are MONSTROUS and only $10 each.
They are the same straps you see logging truckers throwing over their trailers to secure entire TREES.
I hate Walmart, but that deal is INSANE. Oh, and that isn't a _sale_ price, that's the REGUALR price.
Do t you mean 2 inch wide
@@donames6941 It depends on which angle you view them from. But for you, no, I mean "thick".
Those are probably pretty good straps, but the ones big trucks use are 3 or 4 inches wide.
And rated for over 5,000 lbs
Dollar Tree hair ties work wonders holding the slack wrapped around the unit in place while in storage.
I use a lot of the smaller straps so when I store them I roll them up and put each one in a plastic soft drink bottle that I've cut the lid off and then put them all in an old metal ammo box.
So ... the soft hooks are for what? It looks like each hard hook can attach directly into those rings in the truck bed.
Another cracking video mate.
Is there a way to make me remember this though 😅
Good information, thanks, Gary J.
Loose ends can be brutal! My bro-inlaw left his tail end loose in front behind cab. Wind caught it, it fell down between cab and box, and wrapped around driveshaft! Doah! Truck actually skidded to a stop after collapsing front of box about a foot. Body shop he went to said they see a truck like his almost once a year. I religiously tie my tails now!!!!!!
I've been straping things for years and wondering why comes loose sometines hahah thankss
Spell ‘exceeded’ properly
Excellent job!
Most excellent video! When recording remember to turn off your phone. The repeated “blinging” sound in the video is annoying and distracting.
0:30 *Info starts here.*
“You’re not going to use a bottom of the barrel strap to hold down heavy equipment.”
My crazy Mexican neighbor…”wanna bet Señor??”
Great information! Thanks
At :047, you say not to exceed 1500 lbs. But the tag says do not exceed 500 lbs. (which is its WORKING LOAD) The 1500 is its failure point.
This is clearly explained in the video.
@@james_gatlin My bad. I commented before watching the whole video. My apologies.
Great video 👍👍
Thanks!😊
Great info, thanks!
Very good. Thank you.
Great video!
Look at the berm and shoulders of the HWY.
Littered with ratchet straps.
Ratchet straps are the GOAT!
LET ME GET ONE OF THE SHIRTS YOU USED TO SELL
But doesn't putting a twist on strap reduce its holding power by half?
Or is it only when twist does a full revolution?
No that is a myth, even a full revolution will still be fine.
When the strap has a knot in it, it will be compromised.
D. O. T. In Maine and NH allows UP TO one full twist in the strap as it goes over the load.
One HALF twist per side.
The issue of weakness occurs when the twist is allowed to contact itself. This can cause an abrasion and breakage.
Having a twist can actually prevent excessive vibrations and prolong the straps staying tighter longer.
It has been tested many different ways. The strength was not affected until it went two full twists. I have hauled my motorcycle several times cross country with one full twist. I am still using the same straps 30 years later.
A knot will reduce the strap strength by 50%
@WiskeyFist It can be even more. During crane training we're told it's as high as an 80% reduction in extreme circumstances. I've never studied what those are because it doesn't matter. We simply can't use the strap if it's knotted. It becomes trash.
Good info. Thanks.
Great tips.
i stop after a few minutes and check that my straps are staying tight
I have been using my Harbor Freight ratshit straps all wrong this whole time
Thank you so much
I was a firefighter for years, involved it technical rescue. One of the mistakes I see made with ANY ropes or straps is: NEVER loop strap to strap or metal to metal. The only exceptions are knots in ropes, and hooks on chains.
Ratchet strap fine 😅
Poop on sidewalk and nothing to see here.
SWL
WARNING MUST BE WATCHED MUTED BECAUSE OF INAPPROPRIATE MIND NUMBING VOMIT INDUCING BACKGROUND MUSIC. What is wrong with you people who need your feeble minds constantly inundated with this Tweedledee Tweedledum Ga Ga Pooh background music?
Good info. Thanks for sharing.