As ratchet straps get used, they start to become weaker over time until eventually, they become legally unsafe to use for heavy load securing. However, that doesn’t mean you need to throw them away, and there are some ways that you can use your old straps.
Tie items together or to the sides in the back of your van.
Although you can’t use your old straps to secure very heavy cargo items, you can still use them to secure smaller objects or furniture within the back of your van.
Secure luggage/roof boxes to the top of your vehicle.
Have you ever found yourself trying to drive with something that is never going to fit within your vehicle? Perhaps you have large baggage items such as ski?s or snowboards, or a roof box. You can use your old straps to tie luggage and secure it to the top of your vehicle as this won’t require as much strength as cargo securing. You can also use them as an extra measure to secure your roof box ? you can’t make something too secure right?
Stop items from sliding around or jumping up in your truck bed.
If you have a truck that you often carry loose items around in, you can use old ratchet straps to keep these in position and prevent them from sliding, jumping or bashing around. Simply tie your strap around the object(s) and secure it to the floor or the side of your truck bed.
Use them to keep bins and lids shut during storms.
When it’s windy out, bins and baskets with lids on that you might store in your garden or driveway tend to get blown about. One way to make sure that nothing comes out of them is to use your old ratchet straps to keep the lids nice and tightly shut. Simply tie your strap around the bin vertically so that the lid cannot open once it’s pulled tight and you won’t have to worry about the weather flinging your rubbish everywhere!
Use them for hanging storage in your garage.
Have you ever run out of space in your garage, wondering if there was any way to squeeze more in? Well that’s where your old ratchet straps come into play. You?ll need to find a way to secure them to the ceiling, but once you have, they can be used as hanging storage for all kinds of things. Kayaks, bikes, empty suitcases, empty roof boxes and so much more!
As you can see, you don’t need to throw away a ratchet straps, just because it can’t be used for heavy duty cargo anymore. There are plenty of uses that will allow them to live on and serve a purpose!
If you do however require straps for more heavy-duty tasks, be sure to renew your straps when necessary. Feel free to view our range of affordable, durable UK ratchet straps. Fast UK shipping or next day Click & Collect available!
Taking good care of your ratchet straps is always important as it will help them last longer and remain safe to use. Especially during the winter months, you should focus on the proper care for ratchet straps, as the harsher weather conditions can lead to faster deterioration. Here are some top tips that?ll keep your ratchet straps healthier for longer.
Store your straps indoors
A great way to prevent damage to your ratchet straps is to store them in a nice dry place, out of the way of weather. Whenever you?re not using a strap, try to keep it neatly stored indoors so that it can remain dry. This will prevent mould from building on your straps, as well as preventing rust from forming after being left out in the rain. A simple step like this will keep your ratchet straps in safe working order for much longer!
Don?t store your webbing straps wet
Much like with tents or sheets, webbing straps should always be dried off before you wrap them up for storage. If you leave them damp and then place them together for storing, then mildew and mould are far more likely to build up. If your straps go rotten then they?ll become unsafe to use and you’ll have to replace them.
After your straps become wet, hang them out to dry properly before placing them into storage containers.
Much like the webbing of your straps, your handles should also be dried after getting wet. If they are stored whilst damp or wet, they won’t be able to dry effectively and in turn, rust will begin to form. This will make the ratchets harder to use and if the problem continue, could make them completely unusable. By patting them dry or leaving them out to dry, you can make sure that rust can’t build up as easily and keeps your straps in use for longer.
Remove the handle from the webbing
When you?re not using a ratchet strap, you should always try to separate the handle from the webbing as it will prevent the strap from wrapping too tightly around the spindle. It will also stop the webbing from catching on the teeth of the ratchet, which could one day lead to tears and rips of your webbing.
Lubricate your ratchets
If you can, you should try and keep your ratchet handles lubricated with an effective industrial oil or spray. This will make sure the mechanism moves properly without issues and will allow for easy use. In turn, the health of the metal and joints will remain in good working order for much longer.
Be careful to avoid getting the oil on the webbing itself as this could damage it and cause it to bind.
By following all of these quick and easy tips, you can ensure that your ratchet tie down straps remain strong and safe to use for a long time. Make sure to always check straps before using them to ensure there is no significant damage that could make them ineffective.
If you need to replace them at any point, shop our range of UK ratchet straps for the best UK prices. Built to last with high-grade webbing.
Ratchet Straps may seem like a simple tool to use, where little could go wrong. After all, you?ve only got to loop it round your loads, right? However, there are actually many precautions that you should take when using Ratchet Straps, not only to maintain a high level of safety, but also in order to ensure long-lasting quality of your straps.
Store your Ratchet Straps properly
When you?re not using your ratchet straps, you need to make sure they’re out of the way and stored properly for several reasons. Firstly, it will help you to keep spaces clean and free from messy trip hazards. This alone goes a long way in maintaining a safer workplace.
Effective storage of your ratchet straps will also help them to last longer and remain safe to use. Harsh elements such as heat, sun exposure and moisture will deteriorate the materials of your straps. This will make them weaker and therefore less safe for you to use, as well as meaning that you’ll have to replace your straps far more often than you actually need.
Check your straps regularly and replace if needed
As your ratchet straps get weaker over time, it’s key to check them properly and regularly. On average, you will need to replace a ratchet strap every 2 to 4 years ? but in case they have become damaged sooner than this, you still need to constantly monitor their condition.
Every year there are around 4130 accidents that involve ratchet straps ? make sure yours aren?t part of this statistic!
Use corner protectors
Certain materials, such as concrete, metal and rough wood are prone to dealing extra damage to your ratchet straps. In order to prevent this affect and keep your straps safer, for longer, you should make sure to use corner protectors. These will provide a layer of protection between the goods and your straps, keeping them from being worn down as quickly.
Always make sure you know the LC and STF
The Lashing Capacity (LC) is effectively the strength of your ratchet strap, and is measured daN which are equivalent to KGs. With several different strap strengths, it is important that you check the label and know which yours is ? if it is too weak for a very heavy load, or you aren?t using enough straps then it could give way.
The Standard Tension Force (STF) is also measured in daN and will allow you to determine how many or which straps to use for certain loads. Again, getting this wrong could lead to loads becoming unsecure.
As you can see, there are many ways in which ratchet straps can easily become unsafe ? that’s why it is always important to know what to look for and to do so on a regular basis!
For high quality UK ratchet strap solutions, visit our Shop . For any questions or more information on ratchet strap safety, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us via our contact form or visit our FAQs section.
Ratchet Straps are an easy, safe and cost-effective way of securing loads on the back of trucks, trailers, vans and any other commercial vehicles carrying goods. Here are a few things to help you utilise them safely and to understand why ratchet straps are so widely used.
They help to make roads safer
Each year there are tens of thousands of road accidents involving debris or spillages, often coming from the trailers of trucks. In order to prevent items from tipping or falling off of trailers, ratchet straps are used to secure heavy loads and keep them safe.
Ratchet straps are key to keeping roads safe for other traffic due to their ability to secure extremely large weights. Without them, trucks would be far less safe, and goods would have to be transported in far smaller quantities.
What material is used for Ratchet Straps?
Ratchet straps are made of strong polyester webbing material. Due to its properties it is effective in securing heavy loads and remaining extremely durable.
Polyester webbing has very little stretch, allowing it to keep items fastened securely with minimal movement. As well as this, the material is resistant to the majority of chemicals and UV light damage ? perfect for remaining strong in harsh working environments. The final property that makes polyester webbing ideal is its resistance to water. With very little water absorption, it is effective at preventing mildew, mold and rot build ups, as well as stopping the straps from shrinking over time.
What is the Lashing Capacity (LC)?
The lashing capacity of a ratchet strap refers to the maximum force that it can withstand without tearing or becoming damaged. This is measured in deka-Newtons (daN) and will be shown on the label of your ratchet strap.
One important thing to remember about the LC of a strap is that it’s not directly the amount of weight that the strap can hold. For example, if your strap has a lashing capacity of 2500 daN, that doesn’t mean it can secure a maximum load of 2500kgs. In order to calculate the weight of the max load that your ratchet straps can secure, you should double the LC ? so a 2500 daN strap is able to secure a 5000kg load.
What is the Standard Tension Force (STF)?
The standard tension force is another measurement of the ?strength? of your ratchet straps, but it refers to the amount of tension or force that is created by your strap when it is pulled tight. The STF can also be found on the label of your ratchet strap and will help you determine how many you will need for certain loads.
A strap with an STF of 5000 daN will put 5000kgs of force on top of what it has been tightened over.
What is the elongation of a ratchet strap?
The elongation of a ratchet strap is the maximum amount that it can stretch when fully tightened. By law, the maximum elongation that a strap is allowed to have is 7% of its total length. Most straps will have one of around 4%, but you must always make sure it is 7% or under. The max elongation percentage can be found on the label of your strap.
What is the Tie down angle and its effect?
One of the most overlooked aspects when using ratchet straps is the angle at which they are tied down to the truck. Ideally, the angle of the strap against the flat bed of the trailer should be no less than 90 degrees. Anything less than this will reduce the effectiveness of the strap and will reduce the downward force that would be exerted by the strap.
For example, if your strap is tied at a 45-degree angle instead of 90, the downward force is only around 70% of what the straps maximum is. Therefore, if the strap?s STF was 5000 daN, but it was tied down at a 45-degree angle, then it would only exert 3500kg of force instead of 5000kg.
As you can see, there are many aspects to ratchet straps that you may not think about at first. Whether it is measurements to show how safe they are, and being able to understand these, or simply the reason why they are used so commonly, there are many factors that could be overlooked. Hopefully this short guide has helped you to understand the many aspects of ratchet straps and why they are so useful, when used correctly.
If you’d like to shop for heavy duty, premium UK ratchet straps, browse our UK stock stock today – available for fast nationwide delivery, or next day click & collect.
