Gouls:
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
I do it with the claw in the middle so that when I throw it over the load the weight is in the middle and theoretically travels further.
I do it the bottom way, easier to pre-tension and leave the ratchet dangling whilst hooking the strap claw under the side raves, the bottom way looks neater and I understand about feeding strap through when unstrapping but that’s easily resolved by turning ratchet upside down and walking backwards. I always roll em up with the claw last, don’t fancy clobbering someone walking past or a car with the claw 
. To speed things up I have all my straps in plastic shopping baskets in the o/s locker and the ratchets in the n/s locker, that way if I need to retension after a while I’m always on the n/s and only have to undo one curtain, as for uneven tension with ratchets down one side I’ve never had that problem as long as they’re tight, and I’ve never had to use a bar or similar to get more tension.
Gouls:
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
always with the claw on the outside as i’v seen and felt the damage a hook from a strap can do when it been on the inside. when rolling up the strap dont start at the end start about 6 foot in as this will give enough weight too throw it over the load.
If you have the claw on the outside, you throw the straps over,hang claw on chassis whatever and then go around other side and ratchet up.
Easier and quicker.
ROADRANGER:
If you have the claw on the outside, you throw the straps over,hang claw on chassis whatever and then go around other side and ratchet up.
Easier and quicker.
+1
My night man prefers claw on the inside and to walk round the whole outfit twice, once to attach the claws and once to add the ratchets, you’d think that with a 30 pallet wag and drag he’d be as slim as a pencil but no, me on the other hand being of the racing snake build, has no need to walk miles and miles every time I load.
Hmmm, now I think of it I wind them up so he doesn’t walk and he winds them up so I have to…may need a rethink on the “do it this way or else” strategy
I usually liked (note PAST tense!) claw in middle for reasons already stated- it saves at least one walk around the rig. However, when strapping a full load of empty pallets I found that I really needed the extra weight of the claw, especially in high winds.
Well I guess that answers my question, we all have about as many different ways of doing things as you can possible imagine
Given me some things to think about, thanks folks.
Guess i’m not gonna change the world though
I like the claw on the outside because I once walked into one being thrown with the hook in the middle and it hurt.
I put the ratchets on the o/s because of centripetal force, though apparently (according to a person with a dubious grasp of physics) that’s completely wrong and I should put them on the n/s so I don’t get run over. Each to their own.
10-08:
I like the claw on the outside because I once walked into one being thrown with the hook in the middle and it hurt.
I put the ratchets on the o/s because of centripetal force, though apparently (according to a person with a dubious grasp of physics) that’s completely wrong and I should put them on the n/s so I don’t get run over. Each to their own.
n/s for me and roll with the hook on the outside for the 2 reasons mentioned
10-08:
I like the claw on the outside because I once walked into one being thrown with the hook in the middle and it hurt.
I put the ratchets on the o/s because of centripetal force, though apparently (according to a person with a dubious grasp of physics) that’s completely wrong and I should put them on the n/s so I don’t get run over. Each to their own.
I do the same as due to the camber of the road the load is more likely to shift to the nearside,if anyone disagrees with then then look inside a continental euroliner with the ratchet and straps bolted to the side rave,they are always nearside =strap,offside = ratchet,just basic common sense really,health and safety is not always correct 
On the same subject,when strapping a load on a flat,what way do you store the surplus strap? I hate when drivers tie it up in knots around the ratchet as when you go to check they are still tight you have to untie all these knots just to get at the ratchet! I used to fold the strap and trap it between the side rave and the strap attached to the ratchet,it’s nice and tidy and simple to to do but sometimes it can cause the ratchet to come loose.I’ve been doing some event work this year and moved a stage a few times and that’s when I learned how to properly roll up and tie off the strap,all the parts for the stage are ratchet and strapped to stillages and this is where I saw what they do with the surplus strap, it’s quick and simple when you practice it a few times and keeps the strap in place with no chance of coming loose,maybe someone on here that knows what I’m talking about can upload a picture,I’ve been strapping loads for over twenty years and never came across this method before this summer! Just goes to show you’ll always learn something new in this job 
Transc:
10-08:
I like the claw on the outside because I once walked into one being thrown with the hook in the middle and it hurt.
I put the ratchets on the o/s because of centripetal force, though apparently (according to a person with a dubious grasp of physics) that’s completely wrong and I should put them on the n/s so I don’t get run over. Each to their own.I do the same as due to the camber of the road the load is more likely to shift to the nearside,if anyone disagrees with then then look inside a continental euroliner with the ratchet and straps bolted to the side rave,they are always nearside =strap,offside = ratchet,just basic common sense really,health and safety is not always correct
On the same subject,when strapping a load on a flat,what way do you store the surplus strap? I hate when drivers tie it up in knots around the ratchet as when you go to check they are still tight you have to untie all these knots just to get at the ratchet! I used to fold the strap and trap it between the side rave and the strap attached to the ratchet,it’s nice and tidy and simple to to do but sometimes it can cause the ratchet to come loose.I’ve been doing some event work this year and moved a stage a few times and that’s when I learned how to properly roll up and tie off the strap,all the parts for the stage are ratchet and strapped to stillages and this is where I saw what they do with the surplus strap, it’s quick and simple when you practice it a few times and keeps the strap in place with no chance of coming loose,maybe someone on here that knows what I’m talking about can upload a picture,I’ve been strapping loads for over twenty years and never came across this method before this summer! Just goes to show you’ll always learn something new in this job
Like this?
That’s the one 
Top method 100% of the time. This has always been a bug bear of mine. Like you, I also die a little inside when I open a Euroliner to see 18 straps all fastned the bottom way, especially when the ratchet is rusty and seized up so you have to thread the strap out one way, then the other. Takes for bloody ever.
The bottom way is the correct way imo. With the top one you end up having to wind the ratchet right up until you get tension so it doesnt leave you any more winds left when the strap gets wet or slackens off and you have to re-tighten. I should think the people that use the top method have never used flats.
robinhood_1984:
Top method 100% of the time. This has always been a bug bear of mine. Like you, I also die a little inside when I open a Euroliner to see 18 straps all fastned the bottom way, especially when the ratchet is rusty and seized up so you have to thread the strap out one way, then the other. Takes for bloody ever.
Slacken the strap off, then close the handle again…simples
Bottom one mate i used to find if you can get to the chassie fix the hook to that rather than the chock rail you can get more pull you are pulling it towards you and not above your head i had a "T BAR " that went through the handle it gave you extra levarage and what the hell if you stop for a ■■■■ no prob in giving it a check
BIG AW
Think I have shown this to a few before but see what you think guys,
regards mike
youtube.com/watch?v=g84HT0bSAHI
Saaamon:
The bottom way is the correct way imo. With the top one you end up having to wind the ratchet right up until you get tension so it doesnt leave you any more winds left when the strap gets wet or slackens off and you have to re-tighten. I should think the people that use the top method have never used flats.
I’ve been loading flats for 40 odd years and always use the top method , but why are people still using those old fashioned straps that you have to push upwards, bad for your back, get the new one that you pull down on.
I think this is the system you use as do I, I also learned it from a young driver after messing with all sorts of ways, sorry its American but could not a brit doing it,
u tube hotshot trucking - neat straps
Bottom method for me. I find it far easier.
Roll the strap with hook on the outside, hold hook whilst throwing strap.
As for ‘push’ or ‘pull’ type ratchet. If you look at the technicalities of it, the ‘push’ type are just about always a ‘short handle’ with a pretty basic sprocket/drive system. These tend to give a maximum pre tension of about 350daN. I’ve not see one higher than that.
The ‘pull’ type are normally ‘long handled’ and have stronger sprocket/drive with more teeth and these tend to start at a pre tension of 450daN up to maybe 750daN. This means if you put 50daN of force onto the handle you will get significantly more tension in the strap and therefore significantly more ‘clamping’ force applied to the load and therefore less ratchets/straps needed.
I find a lot of people don’t know about the STF figure on the label yet for overstrapping this is crucial and we need it (usually) to be as high as possible.
I also have some ratchets here with a built in Tension Force Indicator that confirms whether or not maximum pre tension has been reached. These are the 750daN version. Very high quality but expensive.
