Thread: One for the Truckies - rolling-up Ratchet Tie-down Straps

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

Hello All,

I heard someone say recently that it is now illegal to use ropes to tie down loads onto a truck or trailer - is this correct?

....

Not illegal to use ropes, but would be illegal to use ONLY ropes for most loads.

It depends on the weight of the load.

From memory ropes(synthetic are rated for up to about 300-500kg or whatever).

But the load binding used needs to adhere to load weight specs for it to be legal.

eg. if your load was sheets of styrene foam sheets, you could legally use rope. You'd obviously have to use angles to protect the styrene, but it weights nothing.

The reason ropes are frowned upon is that once in use there is no way to know the rating of the rope.
Ratings, when new can vary widely dependent on material and diameter. Rule of thumb, for natural fibre rope, is diameter squared (millimetres) to get SWL in kg.
e.g. 12mm hemp rope has a SWL of 144kg.. Once the rope has been removed from its coil as manufactured, it is deemed second hand and the SWL is reduced by 50%, so 12mm rope now has a SWL of 72kg. Further reduction of SWL have to be calculated for each time the rope changes direction and for every knot or hitch.
It doesn't take much to reduce the SWL of a perfectly good rope to below 5kg.

I’m not sure how widely this bit is across Aus, if at all, but you shouldn’t have a twist in your strap either. Yes it takes out wind vibration/noise, (which is why I have done it, especially with small straps), but it also brings out the pencil pushers apparently. I haven’t seen it, but have heard about it.
I’ve been warned by drivers for this, so I’m guessing someone’s been hit for it. Personally I don’t see why or how it could be an issue, but anyway.

Originally Posted by Chops

I’m not sure how widely this bit is across Aus, if at all, but you shouldn’t have a twist in your strap either. Yes it takes out wind vibration/noise, (which is why I have done it, especially with small straps), but it also brings out the pencil pushers apparently. I haven’t seen it, but have heard about it.
I’ve been warned by drivers for this, so I’m guessing someone’s been hit for it. Personally I don’t see why or how it could be an issue, but anyway.

I've heard the same Marcus. I can undestand if the strap is folded by the twist, but a gentle 180, over 2-3 metres will not affect the SWL, whereas I've seen straps catastrophically fail due to wind vibrations chaffing the strap against something solid that it is supposed to be securing.

Originally Posted by Chops

I’m not sure how widely this bit is across Aus, if at all, but you shouldn’t have a twist in your strap either. Yes it takes out wind vibration/noise, (which is why I have done it, especially with small straps), but it also brings out the pencil pushers apparently. I haven’t seen it, but have heard about it.
I’ve been warned by drivers for this, so I’m guessing someone’s been hit for it. Personally I don’t see why or how it could be an issue, but anyway.

Originally Posted by V8Ian

I've heard the same Marcus. I can undestand if the strap is folded by the twist, but a gentle 180, over 2-3 metres will not affect the SWL, whereas I've seen straps catastrophically fail due to wind vibrations chaffing the strap against something solid that it is supposed to be securing.

I put a half twist in small straps but keep the large one's flat although I have heard that story but don't actually know anyone that has been done (or warned) for it.

The good ratchets self secure when closed... the cheaper nasty ones... not so.

for the cheap ones.

after tightening the load I pass the loose end into the handle, behind the strap of the handle go all the way around the handle and then back behind the section of the strap that comes off of the drum and passes through the handle effectively forming a round turn and half hitch using the straps loose end securing the handle of the ratchet to the ratchets strap.

tying off the loose part is simply done by rolling up whats left making a bight in the strap and passing it through the center of the roll lifting it up and over the top of the roll and then pulling it down. The bundle is then stuffed under or half hitched around the strap to secure it.

rolling the straps. I go both ways depending on which side of the truck the strap is tied on. Straps on the right side of the truck are wound up hook out, straps on the left hook in. All ratchets are stored on the left side of the truck. that way all the ratchet work is on the left side of the truck so If I have to work the straps on the load then the ratchets are all on the safer side of the truck.

getting them over, stand with your back to the truck grab the loose end or hook of the strap from the roll and swing the roll upwards over and behind your head with a long arm sweeping throw. Make sure you hold the roll so that the free end is down and the roll as it travels is unspooling.

Main roads in Queensland frown on twists in load bearing straps on trucks and ropes do there heads in had this disapproving talk by a mains roads inspector about a week ago.

GEEEEEZUZ! My old dad would turn in his grave with all this malarkey. Gone are the days of chuck the Trailer on & toss a rope over, a Truckies Hitch to tighten your load & away you went.


He used to deliver 44 gall. petrol drums all over the state for HC Sleigh (Golden Fleece)

Full drums were sat on their ends & those above were stacked up as a Pyramid. Returning empties were on top on their sides together with new tyres for Olympic & Goodyear clients.

Fred's Petrol Delivery Truck Enlarged..jpg No Semi -Trailer brakes were in use, just those on the Ford V8 engined truck. Never had a problem that I heard of.. But then the Suits weren't out on the roads behind the bushes back then..

Of course this was all before Sleighs got Fuel Tankers.


Just sayin'.