Ratchet Strap - usage question

Was looking to canvas some opinions from people on this. I have used ratchet straps for long enough now to know how they work, and know the quickest way to use them, and in my opinion, that is like this… (when you’ve got 16 straps or more to fasten for a load, or worse still multidropping with straps on the same load, speed is a factor)

Obviously, these are on their side, but it should be easy to see which way is up. To the right, if you can’t work it out

However, for some reason, a lot of drivers at a place i’m working at the moment, seem to do it like this… and it makes me die a little inside when I see it, because I think it’s daft.

Now, for those of you who can’t see the difference, in the bottom picture, the user has looped the strap back up through the handle for a reason I can’t fathom, but this does a few things…

Thanks to gravity, the strap gets caught in the mechanism when you ratchet it, unless you hold it with your other hand to keep it out of the way.

When you come to undo it, you can’t just slide the ratchet off the strap because it’s looped through, so you have to either pull it out of the handle slowly by hand, or pull against something that gives tension to the strap.

In the top picture, when you pull on the loose end of the strap (after you’ve released the tension) it will line the drum up perfectly straight, so it is ready to receive the strap again, with no messing about having to ratchet round to the correct spot. The bottom picture doesn’t do this.

Both ways are technically correct, and as long as the lock on rachet is engaged properly then they will do the job of securing the load, but why would you use a piece of equipment in a way that makes it more compicated, more difficult or longer?

I’d welcome opinions, because I have half a mind to mention it. (This place loves to put pictures up on the wall of the right and wrong way to do things, so i’m sure they wouldn’t mind one more )

(Please excuse the rotation, i’ve no idea why that has happened, but hopefully you can see which way is up)
Thanks

I use your method but I have seen that other version a lot , a boss made me do the other way once, i think its something to do with holding iff the ratchet fails but might be talking BS . he usually did ! told me id wasted my first 4.30 driving session by stopping and taking a 45 at 3.30 hours ! , he was the CPC holder

depends on what i’v been securing, sometimes i do it like the first pic, sometimes like the second pic only diffrence is my ratchets tightin up by pulling the handle down but same as yours too release the tension

I find the Dutch and Germans do itthe funny way - its a pita when you are trying to remove the strap because it has to snake through - rather than close the ratchet and pull it clear - i wonder how they take up the slack before using the ratchet ?
cheers
Steve

When I bought my own straps I bought the kind you refer to that ratchet on the push rather than the pull. They are much kinder on your back.

However, I still put the strap through them the same way.

What i’m trying to get to the bottom of here, is what is the idea behind looping it back through? There are absolutely zero advantages from what I can see, and it takes longer.

I was told that it’s easier to tension it doing it the second way - can’t see it myself. I use them the same way you do…

I do mine the same as your bottom picture with the tail going up, as I find it easier to pre tension strap and rarchet handle with one hand, then tighten with the other. Removing, lift handle undo ratchet,little pull on handle unit un hook and close handle, pull again to un roll drum then pull strap out, works for me, I find like the top picture cack handed some how.
I store mine with handle closed, and thread strap through with it closed as well.
Agree with you on those pull down handles a lot better to use.

i got told that they should be like the bottom picture. if the loose end is passed thru the handle it can apparently make a worn ratchet come loose. can’t see it myself, but there we go. we also get moaned at for leaving the straps on the bed of the truck (lightly tightened between 2 roping eyes) when empty so they are there ready for the next car. apparently this poses a trip hazard (even though i’m not actually allowed onto the bed of the truck) and they should be stored in a locker. who actually writes this crap?

I do mine as in the bottom picture. To undo it I just clip it all the way to the top and walk backwards, the strap pulls the middle round so it is in line then its ready to put the next strap in. Think it depends on how you were first taught.

edit. I put the strap in with the handle down so the strap automatically comes out on the top. I also find it easier to pull the strap tight that way.

I use the top method. And i wonder how many drivers make sure they have 2 complete revolutions of ■■■■■■■■ the ratchet before the final tightening.

theres no advantage unless you run out of anti cutting material, you could then use the remainder of the strap between the strap and the goods it rubbing against

i use either way depending on what i’m doing, the bottom pic is better for pretensioning and tightening on the go - after a shakedown, as with the top way you can run out of slack, if you don’t leave enough

top way you can tighten by pulling on the strap against the handle once it’s come through the ratchet tug o war style! if that makes sense? to get it uber tight, but the more you wind on then the less tension you’ll achieve

Whichever way you choose to route the strap through the ratchet THE most important thing is to keep your ratchets well lubricated, I always spray mine with WD40 if they’re dry & it makes more difference than you’d ever think.

Ross.

The bottom way is easier to tension on loads, it removes as much slack as possible first before ratcheting that way you dont run out of clicks on loads that give, ie: carpet and rolls of fencing.

It also leaves the strap tail on the top making it easy to tie off where it is not possible fold underneath and secure with the strap itself.

This is the best way in my opinion, I work with flats, low loaders, hook loaders and lots and lots of plant machinery, it’s hands down works the best.

Bottom for me

(Purely where straps are concerned)

bottom way for me, as had been said tension is reached quicker and with less rotations of ■■■■■■■■ the reel theres greater tension applied.

10-08:
I do mine as in the bottom picture. To undo it I just clip it all the way to the top and walk backwards, the strap pulls the middle round so it is in line then its ready to put the next strap in. Think it depends on how you were first taught.

edit. I put the strap in with the handle down so the strap automatically comes out on the top. I also find it easier to pull the strap tight that way.

I do it this way too.

Bottom method for me most of the time, easy peasy to get the strap out and line the ratchet up for next time all in one go, main reason I don’t go with top method is due to using 10m long straps on loads that only need a strap half that length (body is 3.5m high and some loads can reach to the roof), tugging 5m of strap through that’s hidden away in a tautliner is just a waste of time.

I always use top way, a guy in our yard who sometimes loads my lorry always uses the bottom way. When he straps my load I always find it a pain to undo, where as the top way is just a quick pull then done.

Here’s the real question, when you coil straps up do you roll them so the claw is in the middle of the coil or on the outside? I do it one way, my night man the other…and we both moan about each other and say the other makes the job more difficult than it should be