Know More About Your Truck Straps

An unsecured cargo is dangerous to you, trailing vehicles behind you, passengers and passersby. It can also damage your trailer, pickup truck bed or cargo area or the cargo itself.

Truck tie down straps keep you and your cargo safe by fastening it securely to your trailer or truck. However, with so many different tie-down straps available, for example, rubber tarp straps, ancra ratchet straps, cam buckle straps and even bungee cords, picking up the right one for your purpose could be confusing.

Things To Consider While Selecting Tie-Down Straps

There are several factors that you must consider before choosing a tie-down strap

1.Weight Capacity (WLL) And Break Strength

This is defined as WLL or safe working load limit. WLL is the maximum weight a strap can handle safely.

First, you need to know the weight of your cargo and the total number of straps you’ll need to tie it down.

To tie a load safely the combined WLL of the straps that you use must be higher than the weight of the cargo. For example, if your cargo weighs 800 pounds and you are using 2 straps for hauling, then each strap must have a WLL of 400 pounds or greater.

Also, ensure that you always use straps in pairs.

Break strength is the maximum weight capacity beyond which the strap fails, and this is calculated as thrice the WLL.

Remember always to consider WLL to know which straps are the best for your cargo.

2.Strap Length

Straps must be long enough to secure load from tie-down point to tie-down point or from tie-down point of your truck to your cargo. Ensure that the remaining end of the strap doesn’t flap in the wind. For fastening the loose strap ends different fastening systems like a built-in wrapper, housing, etc. come with the straps.

Now let’s explore the different types of tie-down straps that are available.

1.Rubber Tarp Straps

A rubber tarp straps comes with a metal S-hook at both ends and is used to secure tarps which are used to cover loads during transport or in storage.

Rubber tarp straps are not suitable for securing loads. They are stretchy and used for keeping your load secured from dust, rain, wind, snow.

Remember that these come in fixed lengths and hence before purchasing you need to measure the distance between the edge of your tarp and the anchor point. Buy a strap that’s just slightly shorter than this measurement.

2.Bungee Cords

A bungee cord has an elastic core surrounded by a nylon sheath with metal hooks on each end. These are very useful for securing small items that tend to tip over or roll over inside a car trunk or truck box.

Bungee cords are very stretchy and cannot withstand a heavy lateral weight and are not suitable for heavy loads.

Like tarp straps, these also come in fixed lengths and you measure the required length as mentioned above.

3.Ratchet Tie-down Strap

The most versatile tie-down strap and can secure the weight of up to 15,000 pounds. Typically these are nylon straps with a ratchet mechanism to fasten them over cargo.

While selecting such straps, you need to consider the WLL as we discussed earlier. These straps have adjustable lengths and come with housings to safely lock up the extra lengths.

Ratchet tie-down straps are used for securing large vehicles, furniture, lawn mowers, and other such heavy loads. You can get Ancra ratchet straps, the best of the ratchet straps online from Tarps4Less.

Now that you have the idea of what’ll you need to know about truck straps, you can procure everything whether rubber tarp straps, ancra ratchet straps or bungee cords, you’ll get from Tarps4Less. In fact this company offers a complete line of cargo controls at the best price.

Timm ray provides detailed information about truck, canvas, mesh, lumber, poly, and steel tarps, as well as tarp systems, straps, and more.