Anyone know where I can get some good quality load straps… what’s the average length and the best weight rating ones to get… 
?Glorious placed called Surrey…
I use saftey lifting gear for all my slings and shackles ,they are very well priced ,goods delivered on time ,I order on line too ,good firm .
ChunkyChunk:
Anyone know where I can get some good quality load straps… what’s the average length and the best weight rating ones to get…
1.- yes - see post above 
2.- 8 mtrs length or 10 mtr is better #
3. - 5 tonne MBS -breaking strain (orange ones), should be sufficient for most loads, add extras for security .
unless your carrying really heavy items in which case go for 10t mbs yellow - or buy some chains and ratchet pawls depending on load item.
pays ya money , takes ya choice ,
I have to disagree here trux 6 metres for pick up truck (just) ,but really 8 metre for lorry .
Id would have hedged my bets on 10m… better to have enough than not a lot…lol
Punchy Dan:
I have to disagree here trux 6 metres for pick up truck (just) ,but really 8 metre for lorry .
me bad , I`ll go with that , 8mtrs it is or 10 
Kate:
I’ve used these people in the past… No complaints…
Ratchet shop +1
Best supplier I’ve ever used for ratchets quality and price. I’ve used only a handful of suppliers though.
Occasionally do good discounts on all their products they sell especially on Bank Holidays usually the friday just before and all through weekend…if you could convince office staff to do it before they went home that is!
They also have an Ebay shop that may do better prices than the shop itself.
P&P bit heavily priced if below their free delivery amount…but found all suppliers in this game the same!
Strap lengths and capacities depend what you’re strapping really!
In plant when i done small machines and wheeled vehicles 4m lengths felt too long and a lot had to be coiled up in reality BUT NEVER under 5t BF (See below if you don’t know what BF is )
On potato boxes when we used to cover curtainsiders occassionaly, 8m was never long enough and needed 10m lengths to secure properly.
Or for example if you’re going over just x2 1t pallets at single height you’d only need - 1No. 4t BF ratchet strap…what would be called a 4t strap.
Anymore than x2 1t pallets or if double stacked 1t pallets then you’ll need way more 4t straps or a few 5t straps over each line.
Where i last worked we carried 4, 6, 8 and 10 m lengths about x4 of each…PITA if you was carrying a lot of small plant, tools and even materials, as you started to use longer lengths than you needed, which meant you had to coil up more than you actually used.
Might be teaching you to ■■■■ eggs Chunkychunk, so I apologise in advance if I am. 
But for those that don’t:
Think what you’re mainly going to secure and how…Don’t rely on the office as they won’t have a clue and will order you the cheapest which will have either no capacity or not long enough or worse it’ll be both them things!
Work out what way are you going to secure all the way over the top or through part of it so the length might be shorter or diagonal lashing (for plant) or around wheels on vehicles for example even shorter.
Work out in your head the potential length needed and then get the length slightly up from that.
But please REMEMBER a 5t strap for example is its rated breaking/snapping strength when initially taken out of the packaging brand new! After that technically it won’t hold 5t again as its been stretched in its first use…but that is a technicality
Like all straps their actually lashing capacity to hold stuff safely is half of what is stated on the advertising!!!
Its stated on the actual sewed on label and should be in the detailed information on the advert what it’s maximum lashing capacity is, usually reads 2500 kg (for a 5t strap) and has LC at the end of the figure. So that’s the guaranteed maximum weight it will hold according to the design and manfacturing methods they used. The manufacturer sample test that type of strap like thousands of time to either get a British Standard number and/or European Number which is then how the LC is decided!!!
You’ll see another figure stating what its breaking force/capacity is, usually reads 5000 kg (for a 5t strap) and has BF at the end of the figure.
Hence you should rarely see straps being used on plant and other heavy robust loads over 5t.
If for example you’re moving just 5t, like a 5t excavator, 4 straps being used will hold it safely, if doing it in the diagonal fashion from the designated lashing points. If over the tracks you could get away with 2 just!!!
But you wouldn’t really wanna go over 5t in essence, I’m not saying I haven’t done it in the past because I have after running out of chains/dogs/ratchet tensioners 
when doing lots of small plant on multi drop on the low loader.
Not clever as the heavier the load more securing points you need and more straps just to hold it safely and technically you might have an unsecured load without realising. If VOSA or Police was clever enough to calculate it on side of the road, ain’t ever heard of it, but it can be calculated reasonably easily.
Final point get strap protectors they’re cheaper than cutting through a brand new strap and also prevent you from having a unsecured load…you’ll be suprised how many I’ve done in plant just through a slightly sharp edge (e.g one which WON’T cut your hand!!!) being tight and bouncing on the road that’ll cut through a strap halfway through your journey guaranteed.
If you’re lucky to see it go, you might be able to stop in time before the strap end or ratchet falls on the road and causes a potentially serious/fatal accident or even shed your load!!!
Lost 3 straps in my time so far, they won’t be the last either!!! Because I’ve not used a protector or even worse not put protectors in right place or used enough them on the one strap that needed it, all because I was too lazy to put another 2 on with the other 2 already on there!!!
Look at the side of dual carriageways and central reservations sometimes and see how many ratchets and cut straps are lying there…you may or may not have noticed. But they didn’t all get there from falling out of skip travelling down the road.
Hope it helps someone specify what they actually need if they want to do the job properly or a newbie even if they read this, it’ll apply to any sector using proper ratchet straps to secure loads.
Not talking about those wardrobe ones or “stealth straps” the curtainsider boys use! 
C
Top marks Constantine, very helpful
Constantine:
Kate:
I’ve used these people in the past… No complaints…Ratchet shop +1
Best supplier I’ve ever used for ratchets quality and price. I’ve used only a handful though.
Occasionally do good discounts on all their products they sell especially on Bank Holidays usually the friday just before and all through weekend…if you could convince office staff to do it before they went home that is!
They also have an Ebay shop that may do better prices than the shop itself.
P&P bit heavily priced if below their free delivery amount…but found all suppliers in this game the same!
Strap lengths and capacities depend what you’re strapping really!
In plant when i done small machines and wheeled vehicles 4m lengths felt too long and a lot had to be coiled up in reality BUT NEVER under 5t BF (See below if you don’t know what BF isOn potato boxes when we used to cover curtainsiders occassionaly, 8m was never long enough and needed 10m lengths to secure properly.
Or for example if you’re going over just x2 1t pallets at single height you’d only need - 1 4t BF ratchet strap…what would be called a 4t strap.
Anymore than x2 1t pallets or if double stacked 1t pallets then you’ll need way more 4t straps or a few 5t straps over each line.
Where i last worked we carried 4, 6, 8 and 10 m lengths about x4 of each…PITA if you was carrying a lot of small plant, tools and even materials, as you started to need longer lengths which meant you had to coil up more than you actually used.
Might be teaching you to ■■■■ eggs Chunkychunk, so I apologise in advance if I am.
But for those that don’t:
Think what you’re mainly going to secure and how…Don’t rely on the office as they won’t have a clue and will order you the cheapest which will have either no capacity or not long enough or worse it’ll be both them things!
Work out what way are you going to secure all the way over the top or through part of it so the length might be shorter or diagonal lashing (for plant) or around wheels on vehicles for example even shorter.
Work out in your head the potential length needed and then get the length slightly up from that.
Like all straps their actually lashing capacity to hold stuff safely is half of what is stated on the advertising!!!
Its stated on the actual sewed on label and should be in the detailed information on the advert what it’s maximum lashing capacity is, usually reads 2500 kg (for a 5t strap) and has LC at the end of the figure.
You’ll see another figure stating what its breaking force/capacity is, usually reads 5000 kg (for a 5t strap) and has BF at the end of the figure.
Hence you should rarely see straps being used on plant and other heavy robust loads over 5t.
If for example you’re moving just 5t, like a 5t excavator, 4 straps being used will hold it safely, if doing it in the diagonal fashion from the designated lashing points. If over the tracks you could get away with 2 just!!!
But you wouldn’t really wanna go over 5t in essence, I’m not saying I haven’t done it in the past because I have after running out of chains/dogs/ratchet tensioners
Not clever as the heavier the load more securing points you need and more straps just to hold it safely and technically having an unsecured load. If VOSA or Police was clever enough to calculate it on side of the road, ain’t ever heard of it, but it can be calculated reasonably easily.
Final point get strap protectors they’re cheaper than cutting through a brand new strap and also prevent you from having a unsecured load…you’ll be suprised how many I’ve done in plant just through a slightly sharp edge (e.g one which WON’T cut your hand!!!) being tight and bouncing on the road that’ll cut through a strap halfway through your journey guaranteed.
If you’re lucky to see it go, you might be able to stop in time before the strap end or ratchet falls on the road and causes a potentially serious/fatal accident or even shed your load!!!
Lost 3 straps in my time so far, they won’t be the last either.
Because I’ve not used a protector or even worse not put protectors in right place or used enough them on the one strap that needed it, Because I was too lazy to put another 2 on with the other 2 already on there!!!Look at the side of dual carriageways and central reservations sometimes and see how many ratchets and cut straps are lying there…you may or may not have noticed. But they didn’t all.get there from falling out of skip travelling down the road.
Hope it helps someone specify what they actually need if they want to do the job properly or a newbie even if they read this, in any sector using proper ratchet straps to secure loads.
Not talking about those wardrobe ones or “stealth straps” the curtainsider boys use!
C
Blimey Dan, you’ve come on a bit since I taught you how to tie a Dolly Knot. Lol.
I don’t know where to get them but Spanset make a cracking product. Their ABS and ERGOABS are top quality and have a high STF
Thanks for the comeback Constantine… like you say the office don’t know ■■■■ about loading, securing
Seeing what’s been written in the past about the DVSA checking loads… as a newbie I just don’t wanna get caught out and fined
So my plan is, if in doubt strap the crap out…
Been using these guys for quite a few years now, always good quality and competitive price.
ChunkyChunk:
…like you say the office don’t know ■■■■ about loading, securingSeeing what’s been written in the past about the DVSA checking loads… as a newbie I just don’t wanna get caught out and fined
So my plan is, if in doubt strap the crap out…
Mate you can’t go wrong with over strapping. However if you are using lots, but have the right attachments on your load, go onto chains bud. You can’t go wrong with them bud for holding heavy loads, way better and quicker and safer to secure things.
My Dad is in his 37th year in haulage says to people, no point that strap sitting in the storage cupboard, ain’t doing ■■■■ all bar holding the dust down in there!
Find a good respected experienced driver in the yard get his shout on securing methods for your gear.
However if you think you want more securing equipment or need more by personally doing the basic maths, don’t be afraid to do it your way either, have the confidence.
I have done and people have disagreed with me but i’ve proved to myself by the maths that I need it and stick to my plan and sometimes when you explain it differently and not arrogantly, you’ll be suprised people might swap to how you do it, especially if it is quicker or easier.
Won’t lecture others how they should do it though as that’s their load and not my responsibility to help unless they ask me personally to help them. Usually though I’d follow how they’d want to secure it.
Always remember this 90% of the time, it won’t be you ■■■■■■■ up on the road, it’ll be someone else, they’ll speed off afterwards, you’ll be left with a shed load or worse the ■■■■■■■ load joining you in the cab and that ain’t ever gonna end good for you bud.
Loads of us can help you on here (Ps I know ■■■■ all about ■■■■ all in a very small sector of haulage) but if you’ve ever got a question, hopefully you’ll get the correct advice on here first time (we’ve got some many helpful experienced guys and gals on this forum its amazing), however I can’t always promise it though!
Stay safe out there.
C
martinviking:
Blimey Dan, you’ve come on a bit since I taught you how to tie a Dolly Knot. Lol.
Dude don’t knock your dolly training!!! Used it twice before the redundancy last week proper lifesaver on one job got me out of some right schtuck
Still owe you for that to this day!!! Big Kudos to you!!!
Still being moulded by 8 wheels and the rest of the stuff is self taught and researching properly making sure I’m doing it properly, as usually noone in the game or in the yard nearby if you need to bounce ideas off!
I’ll let you know how i know about straps so intimately and something close to my heart because of some of my stupidity/lack of experience at beginning of this game.
In my early years on the rigid nearly lost a roller on the slip road to a major roundabout because I didn’t use strap covers, the strongest strap or put it even in the right place according to the experienced driver. Brand new roller, none of us had loaded yet and we’d forgot the foot plate was like an upstand and the strap went directly over that…yep you guesses by the time I got to roundabout it cut through.
Also nearly lost a tractor with no handbrake recently, didn’t use chocks, didn’t appreciate the weight, used an old strap that was way too weak to begin with too…classy I know 
Long story that day, major rushing, cut short approaching a mini roundabout and noticed about 500m out it moved, way more than it should of done to my eye in the mirror!
Like a couple of inches but movement way more than a usual load would just bounce, major awareness of who what is around/coming towards me 
So slowed down really slowly with the gears and gentle braking. Stopped at the mini roundabout jumped out, 2 straps loose baby, so pulled up after the roundabout and resecured.
Again disrespected my own rules working with straps and combining them with plant.
Still learning every hour and experimenting with my securing styles on plant, so don’t know ■■■■ all and ■■■■ all give me another 30 years and I’ll be an amateur at it!
C
… and there be the sermon for today my flock…
May your sins find you and you find them before yea shall sin…
.
Thats 2 hell Mary`s for you my son
trux:
… and there be the sermon for today my flock…
May your sins find you and you find them before yea shall sin…
.
Thats 2 hell Mary`s for you my son
And a whiskey and coke to follow
Oh and a nice info post Dan
ChunkyChunk:
Thanks for the comeback Constantine… like you say the office don’t know ■■■■ about loading, securingSeeing what’s been written in the past about the DVSA checking loads… as a newbie I just don’t wanna get caught out and fined
So my plan is, if in doubt strap the crap out…
Am I reading the right you are spending your own money to buy straps to do your firms work, if you need straps they provide them or the load stays where it is.