hotel magnum:
on timber I used a flat tyre bar about 2ft long with the little turn at one end, ideal and suggested a local young lady get one from her local tyre place as she was far from strong enough to get the straps tight enough. the next time I saw her she was most grateful and bought the coffees.
Only works if the mechanism is strong enough to take the force, some of the ones I’ve used the metal isn’t strong enough, I usually find the first thing to go is the spring that pushes the locking bar in to the teeth fatigues after a fair bit of use.
Don’t forget a bit of a lubing with some oil or WD if you don’t have light oil does wanders for a shagged ratchet.
Silver_Surfer:
I did write an essay on ratchet straps but it’s been lost in the ether. I’ll bullet point it to the fact that you can get the pull down ratchets which are great but 50% bigger from Spanset if you can get them to take your order, they are pricey though.
Did try these some time ago, great until they get a bit worn then if the mechanism gets a bit worn it slips and you smack your elbows on the trailer deck. This happened on more than one occasion prompting me to go back to conventional ratchets.
coiler:
Silver_Surfer:
I did write an essay on ratchet straps but it’s been lost in the ether. I’ll bullet point it to the fact that you can get the pull down ratchets which are great but 50% bigger from Spanset if you can get them to take your order, they are pricey though.
Did try these some time ago, great until they get a bit worn then if the mechanism gets a bit worn it slips and you smack your elbows on the trailer deck. This happened on more than one occasion prompting me to go back to conventional ratchets.
Never commit your body weight to something. I learnt that on the spanners! Only took a few times of ending up on my backside trying to torque wheel nuts with those stupid bright green indicators on.
OP, buy the pull down type of ratchet straps. Be weary when using them, they’re designed for easier operation, not writhing off of them to make your straps FT. That’s what wears the mechanism.
Used these guys for a few years now, they make them on site to your specifications.
haywoodproducts.com/catalog/ … =page&id=6
Yeah, the metal in some of them ain’t the best. The Spanset ergo’s seem bullet proof, a lot of the other firms just go for price versus quality of metal & gubbins though.
Just wish you could order Spanset online so you don’t have to traverse the lady wall.
FH Hammy:
coiler:
Silver_Surfer:
I did write an essay on ratchet straps but it’s been lost in the ether. I’ll bullet point it to the fact that you can get the pull down ratchets which are great but 50% bigger from Spanset if you can get them to take your order, they are pricey though.
Did try these some time ago, great until they get a bit worn then if the mechanism gets a bit worn it slips and you smack your elbows on the trailer deck. This happened on more than one occasion prompting me to go back to conventional ratchets.
Never commit your body weight to something. I learnt that on the spanners! Only took a few times of ending up on my backside trying to torque wheel nuts with those stupid bright green indicators on.
OP, buy the pull down type of ratchet straps. Be weary when using them, they’re designed for easier operation, not writhing off of them to make your straps FT. That’s what wears the mechanism.
I wasn’t swinging on them, just normal hand (or arm) force is enough to bring a tear to my eye when my elbow hit the deck. This was 20 years ago when We used to do timber which they were great for, but no good for steel. They’ve only had a resurgence since the working at height thing has kicked in and everyone has to try to do everything from ground level, no matter if it does bring other unforeseen problems to the fore.
Deeireland:
Those pull down straps are a great job.
We use them on hay and straw.
Bought the special handle to get more leverage on also.
With the handle there’s no stopping 5 mile down the road to re tighten 14 straps…!!
I know two lads who have been hospitalised with pull down straps. Don’t know how they did it. I presume they didn’t wait till the mechanism clicked before releasing them. Both guys had the handle ping back into their arm.
I have used them for ages with no issues.