not experienced with strapping loads at all really , the prob I’m having the most at the minute is getting the bloody straps over the load especially tall loads,
I’m using a curtainsider trip axle at 14’3 and i find that chucking straps over say a 3 or 4 foot high load off the bed not too bad but over 6 foot plus loads christ I’m like a bloody idiot i don’t seem to get the strap over and end up having to roll it back up and try try try again I’m not the tallest of guys but i must be doing something wrong or is there just a knack to it■■?
I feel such a ■■■ not getting it over and i can’t climb up cause its still too high and some places have give me the riot act for getting on the trailer…
also is there a knack to getting the hook end of the strap to stay in place while you walk round to other side and pull it through ratchet■■?
bloody things always drop off … aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!
not experienced with strapping loads at all really , the prob I’m having the most at the minute is getting the bloody straps over the load especially tall loads,
I’m using a curtainsider trip axle at 14’3 and i find that chucking straps over say a 3 or 4 foot high load off the bed not too bad but over 6 foot plus loads christ I’m like a bloody idiot i don’t seem to get the strap over and end up having to roll it back up and try try try again I’m not the tallest of guys but i must be doing something wrong or is there just a knack to it■■?
I feel such a ■■■ not getting it over and i can’t climb up cause its still too high and some places have give me the riot act for getting on the trailer…
also is there a knack to getting the hook end of the strap to stay in place while you walk round to other side and pull it through ratchet■■?
bloody things always drop off … aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!
Any advise would be great thanks in advance…
Cheers
I’m not the tallest of blokes either…But i find persistance is the key…You just get better at it…I find standing away from the trailer a bit helps…Makes the angle better…As for keeping the hook on.If i can’t secure it to the chassis…I find putting the ratchet on…And tighten it a little bit.Adds weight to it.You can then go round and attach the hook…
Whatever it is that you are trying to strap down, remember to make sure that you are not putting your life at risk, don’t be put under pressure by the staff where you are loading to get you to rush and get on with it because there’s another truck behind you and they want to clock off.
i always roll up the strap so the hook is on the outside of the roll,that way you can use the weight of the strap to hold on the hook,just make sure that when you throw it over you keep a hold of the strap hook end so it dont all go over
dont worry ive been doing this job over 30yrs and i still miss
Do you have the opportunity to strap as you go so that you have an empty space to whichever side? Chuck the strap over the nearest corner into the space and then flick it from the other side (or just get up on the bed and put it where you want it).
Hold the metal bit in your hand and chuck the roll like a handgrenade, try keeping a nice arc, try standing a bit further back as well.
Practice and it will come.
As with most I expect, persistence is key to strapping. Don’t stress and don’t rush it’s done when it’s done as long as the load is safe and secure that’s the goal. I find rolling the straps so the hook eye is on the outside is best for me, hold hook eye in one hand and rolled up strap in throwing hand and the welly it over the load. Depending on what’s being strapped then it can take a while to get it right then carefully pull hook eye down underneath bed and attach to body and if it has worked right the weight of the strap hanging over the load usually holds it on enough to get rathchet on and strap secure. If it hasn’t then as someone else has said you can add the ratchet the other side give a couple clicks and then reattach opposite hook eye it gets easier the more you do it I’ve found. Hth
The easiest way for me is to have the strap rolled with the hook on the outside and facing away from the roll. Hard to explain without showing you but if the strap has stitching only on one side then you want it rolled up so that the stitching side is covered. Then hold the strap with your thumb and index finger and the hook under your little finger and just throw it like you would a ball. I find it a lot easier and more accurate than lobbing it over. As for keeping the hook on, just keep your arm extended while the strap goes over then you can pull it down just enough to hook it to the trailer.
Telescopic extendable pole to get the ratchet straps over the load or make your own pole .
I know what you mean, timber that is almost touching the trailer roof with no room to throw a strap.
Luckily they let us use their mobile stair case to climb up to the top of the load .
Not being allowed on the trailer is a pain.
I hate places that rush to get strapped and out the yard .
raymundo:
But just how many truckers are trained in how to throw a hand grenade ■■
Come on, there are loads.
Obviously the technique might be slightly different due to the width of the balcony but there are loads of ex sas drivers about…
Oh, hang on, they might not be able to tell you due to the official secrets act, despite having just bored you about the “Embassy Job”…
Right you’ve heard all the different techniques here’s the best one.
High load, on a fairly average height trailer (you will need a tilt bar or a pole with a hooked end.
Put the hook end of the ■■■■■■■■ the trailer hook, side cape or chassis.
2.Chuck the flat end over other side of trailer bed.
3.Walk round other side and chuck end on or over the roof (only done this on Euroliners higher trailers will need longer straps)
4.Load your timber from opp side to where hooked on, and the timber will slide the strap across.
5.If strap has not already come down pull rest of it down with the pole.
Much easier than trying to chuck a strap over in a 6’’ gap.
Personally I have developed a technique to do that through a small gap (mainly because I am soooo bloody good ) it involves chucking it through with a certain flick of the wrist, and doing a little jump…problem is I look so ■■■■ camp doing it so it’s only done when nobody is looking.
Took some thinking to work out robs way but yes I worked it out and is a good way, but not always possible. If you have to throw make sure the strap I rolled from the flat end anti clockwise. Hold the hook in the palm of your hand and the roll sitting vertically above the hook. Throw the roll so it unwinds it’s self in flight with the weight helping it over as it unwinds it’s self (imagine a roll of carpet being roll across a room that’s how you want it to unwind) hope that makes sense.
If I have a high load that’s near the second deck, I find that standing right next to the trailer, holding the strap horizontal and then throwing with a flick of the wrist ( like skimming a pebble on water) works quite well. Failing that, take a couple of steps back and chuck it with a low arc.
robroy:
Right you’ve heard all the different techniques here’s the best one.
High load, on a fairly average height trailer (you will need a tilt bar or a pole with a hooked end.
Put the hook end of the ■■■■■■■■ the trailer hook, side cape or chassis.
2.Chuck the flat end over other side of trailer bed.
3.Walk round other side and chuck end on or over the roof (only done this on Euroliners higher trailers will need longer straps)
4.Load your timber from opp side to where hooked on, and the timber will slide the strap across.
5.If strap has not already come down pull rest of it down with the pole.
Much easier than trying to chuck a strap over in a 6’’ gap.
Personally I have developed a technique to do that through a small gap (mainly because I am soooo bloody good ) it involves chucking it through with a certain flick of the wrist, and doing a little jump…problem is I look so [zb] camp doing it so it’s only done when nobody is looking.
Yip, this works… but only if you are loading the trailer and if you are loading all from one side…
I have a decorators ladder chained to the back of my unit (when I’m on a regular unit)’
If you are loading timber that that goes full width - before the flt offers it onto the trailer - throw the hook end over so that it hangs just above the bottom of the timber, place the rest of the coiled up strap at the top of the stack (tother side), when flt has lifted it into place - use a pole to pull down the rest of the strap.
I’m also bloody good at lobbing & devastatingly handsome too!
robroy:
Personally I have developed a technique to do that through a small gap (mainly because I am soooo bloody good ) it involves chucking it through with a certain flick of the wrist, and doing a little jump…problem is I look so [zb] camp doing it so it’s only done when nobody is looking.
I used to drop the trailer, pull the unit up to the side of it and use the catwalk as a platform when I had loads where there was only a 6" or so gap above them.
Thanks to you all , some good ideas here so will try them out, i also saw a you tube vid last night re throwing over loads and he held the rolled strap about waist high dropped the hook to the floor then pulled it back on its self making a sling type arrangement and threw it with momentum from the sling, tried that today and worked pretty good but i had a fair gap between load and roof, still was worth the try.
Thanks again for all of your advise
much appreciated
then carefully pull hook eye down underneath bed and attach to body and if it has worked right the weight of the strap hanging over the load usually holds it on enough to get rathchet on and strap secure. If it hasn’t then as someone else has said you can add the ratchet the other side give a couple clicks and then reattach opposite hook eye 
it gets easier the more you do it I’ve found. Hth 
