Tied Down; The Art of Securing Things
by Andrew Meblin, copyright, August 4, 2023
The man who invented the nylon-strapped ratcheting tie-down deserves a prize. These devices make securing a load on an open-topped trailer a cinch, pun intended. They are sold in sets – usually four or six or eight - held in place in a plastic tray, with plastic arms that necessitate a dangerous maneuver with a pocketknife. Diagonal cutters are recommended.
Once freed from their confinement it is time to put the tie-downs to work. Two hooks, one on each portion of the pair needs to be attached on either side of the object to which you prefer to impart stability. In plain English, hook ‘em on either side of your cargo. It helps to have two people involved in this endeavor when using a trailer, but solo implementation of the straps is possible.
The official name is “ratchet strap,” and the design and patent dates back to the middle of the 17th century. A railroad manufacturer, Matthias Baldwin, patented his product in 1853. No doubt this superior method of securing freight inside a boxcar or on a flatbed made sense to all those concerned. Heavier loads were held in place more safely, and accidents during shipment declined as did damage to goods in transit.
Now, the correct way to use the straps is something I had to figure out by trial and error. I watched no YouTube tutorial, but YOU SHOULD.
Now, the ratchet strap, AKA tie-down, is a valuable piece of equipment, and you’ll make your life much easier if you invest in a batch of them. Once you have the number of tie-downs you think you need, add an additional amount equal to what you first placed in your cart; rule number 48, You can never have too many tie-downs.
Once you are finished with your tie-downs, you will be tempted to bundle them up, ratchet end and strap end, and toss them in the back of your vehicle. That, my friend, is a grave error. Though there are some who actually feel the challenge of untangling a dozen ratchet straps is oddly pleasurable, I am not one of those people.
My solution is to roll the strap up in a coil, starting with a few wraps around a couple of fingers on the opposite hand. Once a good-sized loop is established, I keep winding until the strap is nicely looped around itself. Then the ratchet is closed, and both the strap and ratchet are placed in a one-quart Zip-Lock bag. The bags are loaded into whatever crate or tool bag you choose. Note; avoid winding the strap into too small of a loop. The end may curl making passing it through the gap more difficult. The blue one is better than the orange.
Perform this clean up method after each use of the tie-downs, and you’ll be a happy trucker. Or whatever you think you are. Click away, y’all.