Important Tips About How To Use Ratchet Straps
Depending on what you are moving let us say on the back of a pickup truck or a roof rack, tying it down is always important. You would be thinking in the line of getting yourself a rope for tying things on the roof. Well, it might work, but not always. Sometimes you can end up with a weak rope, and it is still just not stylish. There is the need to use something different known for its durability and usability. Many people for such scenarios often recommend the use of the ratchet straps.
More...
Not everyone understands how to use the ratchet straps. We get to check out more information that you will need to handle the use of ratchet straps today.
Uses of Ratchet Straps
To understand the benefits of ratchet straps, we get to look at some of the important uses of such type of straps.
- It is possible to use them as clamps when you are working on making joints with wood. If you do not have the clamps easily accessible, you can now hold the various parts together by using the ratchet straps.
- For those who did not know, you have furniture held together with these straps. The best part is that you get to feel that it is as sturdy as when you would have used nails and screws. This has been a great phenomenon, as you would get some furniture manufacturers using these straps.
- If you have vehicles such as the Wrangler where the hardtop can easily be removed, you can always use such straps. Due to their strength, they can hold up more weight than expected.
- The most common use of all would be securing your loads on a roof. It is always great if you can end up with an easy way of keeping your stuff well secured while on a trip. It is now possible thanks to the use of the ratchet straps. Having more straps to hold the load is always better
Assembling and Using the Ratchet Straps
What you will need
- Ratchet straps with handles
Step by Step Instructions
1. Setting up the straps
You will have to open the ratchet handle and then align it to the ratchet axle. You do this by making the slot to point up. The process simply involves the user opening the handle and aligning it with the axle so that the open slot keeps being aligned too. This should be followed by closing the ratchet to make the axle assembly to be easily accessible.
2. Tightening the straps
You have to now lead the wedding from underneath the open ratchet, then through the axle and get it out from the other side. So as to tighten the straps, proceed to place the hooks in position and then pull the loose end of your strap from the ratchet in a way to remove the slack.
Raise and lower the ratchet handle to wrap the strap around the axle to tighten it even further. Once the strap is to the right tension, you can now close the handle completely so as to lock the strap in position. It is advisable not to over-tighten as it can cause irreparable damage to your ratchet straps.
3. Releasing the straps
In order to release the strap, you have to pull and hold a release handle found on the ratchet. This will completely keep the ratchet open. This should make the strap to pop loose and now you can keep on pulling the loosened strap.
Check out this video to give you more information about how to use ratchet straps.
Tips for Maintaining the Ratchet Straps
Just like any other type of product, if you do not care for it, you might end up having wrecked straps that cannot hold the weight in one position. It is just like after choosing the best wire strippers, you need now to take care of them to keep using them for longer. Below are some important tips you might need for handling the ratchet straps.
- Before you can buy the ratchet from the seller, inspect the web just to make sure it is made of strong material and comes from a top brand. Having a product from a top brand is a sure way of knowing that you have the right product.
- The next time you have to use the ratchet strap, make sure that it is inspected of any damages. Sometimes you might find people complaining that their straps did not hold the load when it was already damaged even before using.
- You need to keep the straps out of the sun during the storage time. The continued exposure of the straps to the UV light can make the fibers of the web to be brittle thus causing them to break easily.
- It is advisable to apply some lubricating oil to the moving parts of the handle assembly. The lubrication is important to keep the parts moving quite easily. That being said, it is not advisable to apply the lubricant to the strap itself. This will easily attract more dust, which is not great for the straps.
- Make sure you store the ratchet straps correctly each time. Follow the procedure as given by the manufacturer when it comes to storage. You will have to roll the straps around the handle so that the next time you have to use them, it is quite easy.
Conclusion
As you can see, the ratchet straps are important for making sure that you end up with the best way possible to tie down your load when moving around. It can be on a rooftop of the car or even on the bed of your pickup truck. Still, the uses do not stop there, as we saw earlier, you can still use it for making furniture. Use the ratchet straps correctly and you will have much to experience.
We hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to use the ratchet straps. Go ahead and comment below to share your views.
