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Thread: Fit For Purpose - Well Sort Of?

  1. #1
    Lionelgee is offline YarnMaster Silver Subscriber
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    Fit For Purpose - Well Sort Of?

    Hello All,

    I bought four 2.5 tonne ratchet straps from a large hardware store. These are the same brand of 2.5 tonne straps that I have bought multiple units of previously; and the older ones have worked well.

    When I went to use some of the new ratchet straps yesterday I noticed that I had to hook them up to the tie rail differently to their peers. At the time I thought I might have twisted the strap somewhere. It was just odd.

    Today, when I went to roll a couple of the new ratchet straps for storage I worked out what the issue was.

    There is a standard where the larger ratchet straps have their labels printed on one face of the strap. If the label is up it means the hook on the end is facing down. The handle for the ratchet to the top for use also has the hook facing down. This is the case with all my other older large 2.5 tonne from the same brand; and other brands that I have seen and used.

    However, with the new ratchet straps, when the handle is up then the hook is also is up. A similar story occurs with the strap end: when the strap label is up the hook is also facing up.

    Yes - with some forethought the ratchet straps can be used to secure a load.

    However, I cannot roll the straps up for storage the way I usually do, because for the method I use to work the handle must be up and both hooks must be pointing down.

    Because the straps are effectively upside down would these straps be considered not fit for purpose? Or will they just be an on-going PITA?

    I am taking them back to the hardware store along with my some of my other ratchet strap stash. I will try to get the new ones exchanged - because to me with the hooks being upside down they are not really fit for purpose. They are not per standard.

    I thinks the straps are faulty because they were not made with the hooks facing the right way. They are seconds and there was nothing faulty with the full price I paid for them with my money.

    Yes, I could just undo the retaining bolt on the handle and turn the strap and the hook over so they hook is facing down. I could also just remember that for these four new ratchet straps - while they are nice and bright the label on the strap should not be visible to have the hook down.

    However, the thought keeps crossing my mind is that I did pay full price for a item that I should not have to adjust for it to work properly; and they should be up to standard.

    What do you think about the new straps: are they fit for purpose? Or am I being too picky?

    Kind regards
    Lionel

  2. #2
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    Is there really a standard?
    Maybe you bought a left handed set?
    Ron

    2013 D4 SDV6 SE

  3. #3
    Lionelgee is offline YarnMaster Silver Subscriber
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    Quote Originally Posted by RHS58 View Post
    Is there really a standard?
    Maybe you bought a left handed set?
    Hello RHS58,

    I am ambidextrous anyway...

    There is even a couple of You Tube clips where the commentator mentions about label up on the strap the hook is down.

    Plus with the hook being upside down it means they have to be positioned differently into the tie rail and face a different direction - harder to access than their correctly fitted peers.

    Kind regards
    Lionel

  4. #4
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    Lionel, I noticed that your ratchets were a PITA, the hook and keeper being 180⁰ out. This wouldn't be a major issue on a truck/semi trailer, in fact it could be beneficial. As domestic, light trailers have less clearance between the tie rail and bottom of the coaming, it can be quite fiddly hooking and engaging the keeper with one hand, whilst holding the ratchet with the other. I tried letting the ratchet hang, while using two hands to attach the hook, but there is not enough clearance to spin the hook to the correct position. The straps aren't really an issue, they can used in either orientation.
    If you don't like trucks, stop buying stuff.
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  5. #5
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    If this setup results in a twist in the strap, it may be beneficial as I believe truckies put a twist in them to stop them buzzing IIRC.
    2005 D3 TDV6 Present
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  6. #6
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    I have had straps where the keeper was stitched up so that you couldn't feed the hook through it and also some where I have undone the bolt and turned the strap around so that the hook faced the right way so there isn't much of a standard out there on the smaller straps. In NSW you will get pinged for an incorrectly retrained load if your straps have a twist in them.

    Regards,
    Tote
    Go home, your igloo is on fire....
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    In Tassie, every twist in the strap incurred $100 fine

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tote View Post
    ............ In NSW you will get pinged for an incorrectly retrained load if your straps have a twist in them.

    Regards,
    Tote
    Is that actually in the regs???

    DL

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by 350RRC View Post
    Is that actually in the regs???

    DL
    Same in Victoria. Yes, ask how I know.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by theelms66 View Post
    Same in Victoria. Yes, ask how I know.
    Actually in the regs? Or you got pinged on say so?

    DL

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