That one comment about my ratchet straps changed how I haul logs

An old logger watched me strap down a load of oak last spring and said "you're gonna lose that whole pile before you hit the highway." He showed me how to twist the straps so they don't flap loose at speed... been doing it ever since. Anybody else get a tip that simple that saved them headaches?

2 comments

2 Comments

cooper.taylor4d ago

Did you ever figure out the rubbing problem? That's the part that gets me. I started throwing a couple extra twists in the strap right where it touches the bark, keeps it from sawing through on a long haul. Also makes a huge difference if you pull the strap tight while the truck is still in park, then bounce the load a bit before you do the final cinch. Those thin little straps will cut you if they snap, so I always keep a pair of gloves handy when I'm cranking down.

abby_kim554d ago

And you're totally right about the twisting thing, @cooper.taylor. I've been doing that too and it's a game changer for sure. On top of that though, I also started putting a piece of old rubber hose over the strap where it touches the bark. Just slit it down the middle and slide it on. It stops the rubbing completely even on the longest hauls. And yeah gloves are a must, I got a nasty welt from one snapping a few years back and learned that lesson the hard way.