Ratchet straps for tie down?

[Jeff D.]

I purchased 4 ratchet straps(3" polyester web w/ratchet mech. & hooks both ends)to secure my skid steer to the trailer.They've 3300lbs working capacity & 10K breaking strength each,and they're DOT approved.

They're quick too hook up,and don't come loose like chains with lever load binders do,but I haven't seen,nor heard of anyone else using them for this purpose.

My Bobcat doesn't weigh 6,600 lbs,so using one on each corner should be more than adequate,but because I don't see others using them I get the feeling I may be overlooking something.

Should I switch back too the chains and binders,and leave these for something else?

Thanks,

[Ford LT-9000]

We usually use the 4" truck straps with regular strap winches. The ratchet straps should work its pretty much all I use on my 1.5 ton truck they are fast and easy to use.

[digger242j]

There was a topic some time ago on the board about racheting vs snap binders. One post in particular:http://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/Forum/showpost.php?p=3796&postcount=21 mentions that chains of a specific rating are required in most states.

The whole thread is here:http://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=14&highlight=binders

I'd bet chain is required due to the chance of a sharp edge cutting the strap material.

Disclaimer: I don't know this information to be an actual law though...

[Jeff D.]

Thanks Digger,

I'd read that one,but it didn't make any mention of the webbing straps.I know they use them on flatbeds legally.But they're straping down pallets,etc.

Fraying wouldn't be an issue in my case.They're a straight pull from hook to hook,without any interferance.And it's under 10k load weight so that wouldn't apply.

Thanks for the heads up anyway!!:thumbsup

LT,I'm incline to agree with you.Although there may be a law here I'm not familiar with??

[CascadeScaper]

We use those on our buckets and other attachments, much faster/easier than chains, but the skid and excavator gets 3/8" chain with ratchet binders.

[rino1494]

For a skid steer, I would see no problem with the straps.

[denick]

Check the Federal Motor Carrier site for the cargo securement rules. Every kind of load on most every truck and trailer has a specific rule.
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regul...vehicle/cs.htm



Nick

[Squizzy246B]

Old sailors rule of thumb for securing equipment on steel deck:

From best to worst:
1. Weld it down
2. Chain it down
3. Steel wire
4. If all else fails and its not your own equipment, use a ratchet strap.

That works for me.

[itsgottobegreen]

From best to worst:
1. Weld it down

That works for me.
NOT A BAD IDEA!!!!!!!:yup Then its not considered a load, its part of the trailer. Then when you get to the job just take the torch and cut it back off. :thumbsup

[Squizzy246B]

NOT A BAD IDEA!!!!!!!:yup Then its not considered a load, its part of the trailer. Then when you get to the job just take the torch and cut it back off. :thumbsup

Yep, bit drastic but I learnt that researching a rather infamous insurance claim whereby a D11 was lost over the side of a ship. From photos the engineers all did heaps of calcs on wether the lashings where adequate and what "should" have been done etc (lots of engineers and lawyers getting rich). They ropes, wires and chains going all over the place.

Whilst the coefficient of friction of steel tracks on a wet steel deck deck is slicker than a bucket of snot on an ice slating rink: an experienced sea captain showed that the Bull dozer could have been more than edequatley held by placing the tracks on rubber belting and welding 4 small steel chocks to the deck either side of the dozer.

[littledenny]

Just thought of an old trick we used to use.....

Many years back, when I was the young Company Commander of the U.S. Army's only surviving diesel-electric locomotive repair company, we used to jack the locomotive body up off the whell sets for maintenance. We used four rather large electric screw jacks, one under each corner of the body. to do this. Since jacking some hundred tons (or more) with stell on steel was quite dangerous, we'd place a single layer of corrugated cardboard on each jackpad. Nothing ever slipped, but you'd be amazed at how thin the cardboard was afterwards.

[Orchard Ex]

Jeff,
I have and use a couple of those strap chain binders myself. Like you say they are super fast and I haven't had any problems with the chain slacking up. The only down side to them is that they don't have as fine of an adjustment range as my regular ratcheting binders. Hard to explain - sometimes I'd like a half a tooth more tension in the chain - the regular screw in ratchet type have finer teeth... Other than that they work great and don't take up a third of the space of the regular binders behind the seat between loads.

I got mine from Weaver Distributing out of PA. Great folks to work with on light trailer stuff. No web site, but a call will get you a catalog. 1-800-WEAVERD

Korey

[Ford LT-9000]

I wouldn't be worried about the ratchet straps breaking here is some to look at.

www.kinedyne.com/flatbed/flatbed-detail.asp?FamilyName=RhinoWebStandardHandle&Cat=RhinoWeb

Like a lowbedder told me chains just make the trailer roll over and he is right he deals with the heavy stuff aka 120,000lb plus machines.

For most of your guys equipment 3/8s chain is sufficient even you may get away with 5/16s. Ratchet binders are safer over regular chin smashers I have been smacked with regular binders and it hurts like a SOB.

The thing with rubber tired equipment its hard to chain them down as they bounce. Rubber tired backhoes are terrible they bounce up and down side to side.

[Jeff D.]

Thanks everyone for the replies!!I think I will keep using them,but for the skid steer only.For the backhoe I'll continue using the chains & binders.

My theory is that I've a greater potential of losing my skid steer due to the chains slacking up and coming undone,than with the straps breaking.On short trips ie,transporting the skid steer around for snow removal,I'm in a hurry and the quickness of the straps and their ability too stay tight is awfully appealling.

The link that DeNick provided showed they were legal for transporting equipment under 10k,so the legal aspect won't be a concern atleast.

Thanks again to everyone for the replies!!:thumbsup

[CascadeScaper]

That's why we use ONLY ratcheting binders due to the rubber tires on the skid steer. You'll never be able to get a skid bound down with chains to the point that it will not slack the chain, can't be done. If you did, your tires will show a considerable amount of damage over time. With this in mind, if you use a convential "face smasher" binder, your potential of that sucker coming off in transit is enormous. With a ratcheting binder, the most it could do is become looser than it was when you tightened it down, they usually won't make it to the point where they release from the chain all together rendering it useless. They take more time but are worth every second.

I'll share a quick story about chaining equipment down that you'd probably find interesting. A couple summers back, an excavation company doing a job just down the road from where a friend of mine had his Deere 200LC loaded up their Cat 315BL onto a tiltbed tag trailer behind their dump truck. The area is sloped pretty well, I'd say 3-1 all up and down a 60 acre radius. The truck driver got one side of the trailer off the pavement just a little too far, trailer started to tip, all the chains broke and the 315 rolled off the trailer 15 feet over the bank and into someone's driveway cab down. Luckily those chains broke because if the truck would have went it would have wiped out the garage. My friend had to bring the 200LC down to get that 315 on the trailer. It looked like hell, cab was completely gone, pretty much a scrap pile minus the boom and undercarriage.

[digger242j]

The thing with rubber tired equipment its hard to chain them down as they bounce. Rubber tired backhoes are terrible they bounce up and down side to side.

I figured out that if I keep the hoe off the deck until I finish tightening the chains, it'll keep the tires compressed a little bit. Then, when I let it down, the weight comes off the tires and they'll push up, helping to keep the chains tight.

[Jeff D.]

I am going to invest in a set of ratchet binders for the chains,for the times I do use them(chains).

I don't know if this is only a problem with my model skid steer(543)but heres the problem I have with it when I use chains.

On the mainframe,at the lower front & rear corners,Bobcat has cut holes through especially for securing it down.Also on the bucket there are similair holes in the top edge.I place it on the trailer,all 4 wheels touching the deck,and drop the bucket down flat on the deck.In this position I cannot reach the holes on the lower front of the frame,as the bucket is in the way now.I won't leave the bucket raised,and crawl under it too use the front holes on the mainframe,I'm not comfortable when I'm under a raised bucket,and if I did use them the bucket would set atop the chains when dropped fully.So,I use the buckets holes for the front chains.But,by using a point that can vary in relationship to the mainframe,any slight change in the booms position greatly affects the binders/chains tension.In order to have the chains tightened at a point that doesn't have a "any looser frame/bucket position"combination,I must chain it down,crawl into the cab,move the controls through their cycle(while shut off)and recheck chain tension.Almost invariably they'll need to be adjusted.This proceedure may happen more than once.When everthing is in the tightest position possible,the front tires are barely,if at all,touching the deck.This is because the rear chains are pulling down on the rear of the frame,and the bucket can drop slightly below ground level,on the flat.

That proceedure obviously has flaws,and is very time consuming.But if I don't follow it perfectly,the chain will be loose enough that they could fall off within a very short distance.I would prefer chaining to the mainframe,on the front,but other than using the leading edge of the cab(which isn't a good idea either)I can't see another way to do it.

If I use the exact same routine with the ratchet straps,after cycling the controls,they may take a click or two on the ratchet,and then it stays tight.Even when I recheck them down the road,they're still tight.They've just enough springiness to them to maintain tension.And it cuts the loading time in about half.

Has anyone else had a similiar type problem securing their skid-steer?This problem seems to be unique to a skid steer,and possibly only certain models,due to their different securing points.I can't believe there's not a better,or safer way too do it,that wouldn't require me to crawl under a raised bucket every time I load it up.

[Jeff D.]

Here's a picture of the skid steer.The rear hole for the hook can be seen(lower right of frame)That particular bucket I rarely use.The other buckets have a deeper drop at the rear of the bucket,so they sit flat on the ground when lowered,and can be slightly below surface level when lowered fully and flat to the ground,which cause the front tires to unload when it's chained down.

[Ford LT-9000]

That is a smaller Bobcat so you shouldn't have any problems strapping that down with ratchet straps. When we hauled the 763 on the flatdeck we put 3 4" straps on it one across the back one through the handles on the cab and one over the bucket.

If you are going to use chain cross chain the back using the two holes in the back and chain the bucket down using a chain on either side.

[puredieselpower]

I use 4 2" straps on my t 180, only because if i used chains from the 4 corners with binders the chains would only have a few links. the staps are rated at 3333 lbs working load the t 180 wieghs 7300 lbs. i do worry about the cloth cutting but they do stay tighter than chains so which is worse slack chains or 1 of 4 straps fraying?

[chtucker]

Nope, I won't. I used to. We went on a wreck with a skid tied down with straps (I works a firefighter) broke three straps and went into the rear of the truck. Those 10k straps are breaking strength, not rated as working load. We have found out here in the west that UV damage from the sun makes them much weaker.

[Countryboy]

I completely agree chtucker. Theres nothing like solid steel to keep something where you put it.

Firefighter here too.:usa

[itsgottobegreen]

I loaned my buddy my 773 Once (he blew the a hydro line on his in the middle of a project) I damn near flipped out when I saw him strapping it down to bring it back to my shop with these worn out and frayed ratchet straps. He was like what? They are rated for that kind of load. :Banghead I took him back to my shop and got the chains off my trailer to chain it down. Lets stay that was the 1st and last time he ever got to borrow it. :mad: I do not trust them. Yea I will strap down our 3500lb kubota if I am just going down the street. Other wise that gets chains and binders too.

[Bob Horrell]

I was wondering if anyone here carried a skidsteer in the bed of a dump truck or roll off? I am planning to sometimes carry my bobcat in the bed of my dump truck. I am making ramps that go from the front of my equipment trailer into the back of the dump truck. My question is how you would secure it inside the dump bed? I was thinking of welding d-rings in the bed and securing with heavy duty straps instead of chains. The bed sides are almost 4 feet tall, so it isn't like it is going to go anywhere very easily.

[jmac]

When I had a dump trailer it had the "d" rings welded to floor and thats what I would chain machine to. I think you "d" ring idea is good. One thing I found out about chaining my rubber tire stuff to trailer is that they move around alot mostly up and down because of the tires. My single drum roller is the worst and was very hard to get bound down good. What I do know is chain the back of the machine first, then move machine forward to take all the slack out of chains and then chain front down. This works great and makes the process alot faster.

[lamarbur]

I was thinking of welding d-rings in the bed and securing with heavy duty straps instead of chains. The bed sides are almost 4 feet tall, so it isn't like it is going to go anywhere very easily.

If you read DOT laws, any live load, this is to include equipment with tires, must be chained and ratcheted down... A minimum of grade 70 chains are required. I also understand that under most instances, the local police or state police for that matter, overlook these things. Here at the Union CT, weigh station, one is super crucified if caught using straps. Of course the scale is DOT and they go by the letter of law and then some... Do yourself a favor, weld in the "D" rings as you want, go to Lowes, where grade 70 at 20ft lengths, with hooks on each end sell for around $27.00 a piece, You can get wratchet or lever binders at the same tiime for about the same 27.00

[digger242j]

I was wondering if anyone here carried a skidsteer in the bed of a dump truck or roll off?

The 310 highlift in this picture, http://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/Forum/showpost.php?p=18896&postcount=29 made a few trips in the bed of a single axle dump truck. It would just fit, with the ripper almost snug against the inside of the tailgate, and the bucket up on the cab protector. It didn't have room to move more than a few inches even if it wasn't chained down, which it never was. Of course, that was quite a while ago. I'd think long and hard before doing the same thing these days....

[Jeff D.]

The FMCSA rules regarding load securement are confusing and hard to read, but I've read them over many times and can't find anything that says straps cannot be used except when it comes to hauling crushed cars.

Here is my understanding of the laws:

They say that straps must be free from defects, and not contact anything that could cut the strap.

If the straps are DOT rated @ X lbs WLL., and that rating meets or exceeds what is required for the equipment being transported, the straps do not have damage, or come in contact with anything that can cut it, then it is legal.

Any chain can be used to secure a load, but without grade markings on the chain the chain will be figured at the lowest rating for a chain of its size.

I'm not trying to say that straps are better or worse than chain, but as far as I can tell they are not illegal if used properly.

Here are the rules: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/truck/vehicle/cs-policy.htm


Here's the section for Equipment: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrruletext.asp?section=393.130

If someone has read something official that is contrary, please let me know. I'm using straps for my skid steer and don't want to get a ticket.

[Steve Frazier]

I am planning to sometimes carry my bobcat in the bed of my dump truck. I am making ramps that go from the front of my equipment trailer into the back of the dump truck. My question is how you would secure it inside the dump bed? I was thinking of welding d-rings in the bed and securing with heavy duty straps instead of chains.
Make sure the floor of your body is heavy enough gauge to resist tearing in the event of tightening your straps or a panic stop. A better idea might be to bolt your D rings in place passing the bolts through the crossmembers of the floor.

[Nac]

I have a couple hooklift boxs with 1/2" D rings welded in the corners. the trick is to weld the D rings to a steel plate about 10" x 10" x 3/8" and weld that to the deck over a crossmember that is welded to the deck. I move my Dohn Deere 250II skid steer, PC 45 mini excavator, John Deere 350C track loader and once in a while a rented 450 Dozer and never had a problem.

[mflah87]

well one way to look at it, the DOT will get you for something no matter what you do.

[jhill]

Jeff D. I tie my skid steer down with ratchet straps by the cab handholds in the front. Easy to get to and really holds it tight. The front factory tie down is in the front behind the bucket and basically impossible to use.

[Grader4me]

The FMCSA rules regarding load securement are confusing and hard to read, but I've read them over many times and can't find anything that says straps cannot be used except when it comes to hauling crushed cars.

Here is my understanding of the laws:

They say that straps must be free from defects, and not contact anything that could cut the strap.

If the straps are DOT rated @ X lbs WLL., and that rating meets or exceeds what is required for the equipment being transported, the straps do not have damage, or come in contact with anything that can cut it, then it is legal.

Any chain can be used to secure a load, but without grade markings on the chain the chain will be figured at the lowest rating for a chain of its size.

I'm not trying to say that straps are better or worse than chain, but as far as I can tell they are not illegal if used properly.

If someone has read something official that is contrary, please let me know. I'm using straps for my skid steer and don't want to get a ticket.

Look at this link http://www.ccmta.ca/ENGLISH/pdf/Standard%2010.pdf#search=%22cargo%20securement%20s tandard%2010%22

Scroll down to heavy equipment as cargo. It has to do with the default WLL of tie downs. Each securement strap must have a default WLL limit of 2,268 kgs (5012 lbs) A 4 inch strap only has 1,810 kgs(4000lbs)
So in order to meet the default WLL of tie downs for securing heavy equipment, you have to use chains.

[jhill]

Graderforme.

I agree with your interpretation for a heavy vehicle but I think skid steers and mini excavators are classified as light vehicles because they weight under 9926 lbs. In that case the 5012 lb limit does not apply.

[Grader4me]

Graderforme.

I agree with your interpretation for a heavy vehicle but I think skid steers and mini excavators are classified as light vehicles because they weight under 9926 lbs. In that case the 5012 lb limit does not apply.

:yup Straps would be okay for light vehicles