Truck tie down strap means quite some different things to different applications , we will focus on 18 wheeler tie downs in this post , more specific, we will talk about flat beds only for this time.
Since people put all kinds of stuff on the flat bed truck, just because they can or they have to , the requirement for tie downs can be complicated.
We are going to introduce truck tie down straps solely .
Portable winch and winch strap are most popular tie down devices for flat beds . When you work with truck winches and winch straps, there is one thing you can’t live without: winch bars, these steel bars are indispensable for your job, so get one if you don’t already have one.
Some flat beds come with weld on winches installed, not all flat beds have winches installed . When the flat bed have the winches installed, we can use winch straps to tie down loads on the trailer , usually we tie down steel coils, concrete pipes, skids, anything that not too heavy for the the straps’ safe load limit . Winch straps usually come with flat hooks, because we usually hook the straps on the edge of the flat bed , of course the wire hook can be used too. There are 2” and 4” winches and 2” and 4” winch tie downs, depends on different needs , the length of strap can be 20′, 25′, 27′, 30′, 35′, 40′ or more than 50′ .
Then there is the must have truck tie down: ratchet strap. Usually ratchet straps are assemblies of ratchet buckles and nylon or polyester webbing tie down straps, there are fixed end straps with ratchet buckles and loose end straps.
Ratchet strap is most popular tie down devices because of their adaptability , you can use them almost anywhere when it’s applicable. The ending comes with quite some varieties, flat hooks, wire hooks , chain anchor , snap hooks, endless and more. And it’s width can be 1” to 4”, length can be a few inches to more than 50 feet . On big rigs ratchet tie downs are the most popular tie down devices for haulers , those trailers without winches installed will find ratchet straps pretty useful .
To purchase these tie down straps, you have the choice between local stores and online , depends on your available options , sometimes buy them locally is an good idea , sometimes online deals are much better.
The popular tie down system on semi trailers are E track tie down system, which consists of E Tracks and e track tie downs, E tracks come in with a few different length, such as 2′, 5′ and 10′, and there are two different variations , horizontal and vertical. The E Track tie downs have quite a few varieties, such as rope tie off, D ring with E fitting, cam buckle straps with E Fitting, ratchet strap with E Fitting, wood beam sockets, wheel chocks which usually seen with E Tracks installed on the truck floor for bike or vehicle tie down and there e track cargo bars with e fittings at both ends. But any E Track tie downs need E Track to be installed to work, so the most important thing is to install the E Track properly.
When it comes to the setup of E Tracks, the safety is our first priority.
When you mount the E Track you will have to look for the wall studs on the trailer, we will focus on doing it on the wall but the same principle applies to the floor as well. The wall stud is basically a big channel with a couple of flat spots on top to attach the plywood to, we just have to do the same to the E Track and bridge two of them somehow, when you figure that out you can use screws to hold the E Track up, you will need deep threaded wood screws or tec screws to get the job done. Basically this is all about installing E Tracks on the wall, and you will have to make sure the E Track sit as flat as possible on the wood. The key to safety is to use screws with deep threads, and put a screw into every hole if it is possible, and run the E track as far as possible (length wise), this helps to spread the load out as far and even as possible. But keep in mind that the outside wall is 2 inches away, make sure the screws won’t go too far!
Before you call it a day, you need to test your e track for safety , just hook a 2”x16′ ratchet e track strap in the e track, use your hand or some other stuff to drag it hard to see if there are any loose spots or soft wall mount , if you do find problems please get them fixed before hauling away.
