Talking about trucking accessories , they probably are talking about totally different things depends on the context, for instance, ratchet straps for truck are definitely 2” and ten thousand lbs tie down while ratchets for pick up will be 1” and 500 lbs tie down, we’re only going to discuss about truck tie downs here, more precisely, we will talk about flat beds only, probably you’ve already seen them on the highway or truck stop.
When the jobs come your way, chances are you won’t be able to decide what kind of stuff will be put on your truck, the only thing you can do is to prepare for all the possibilities , it’s almost always not for you to decide what stuff will be on your trailer . We will introduce truck tie down straps only, since the are popular tie down devices on flatbeds, and it should be the most popular tie downs on all trucks as well. .
New flatbeds usually will have truck winches installed, this is a big plus for hauling stuff can be secured by winch strap . When you work with truck winches and winch straps, there is one thing you can’t live without: winch bars, these steel bars are definitely needed for your job, so get one if you don’t already have one.
Usually most flatbeds will be sold with winches installed, there are still some of them come without winches though, in this case the drivers may use ratchet straps or binder chains as alternative. When the trailer have the winches installed, we can use winch tie down straps to tie down articles on the trailer , usually we tie down steel coils, concrete pipes, skids, anything that not too heavy for the the straps’ working load limit. Winch straps usually come with flat hooks, since we usually hook the straps on the edge of the flat bed , of course the wire hook can be used too. For most flatbeds there are 2” wide and 4” wide truck winches , but winch straps have width of 2”, 3” and 4”, it’s obvious you can put 3” winch straps in 4” winches, even the width availability of winch straps is limited, the length is not, though there are usually no winch straps shorter than 20′, these straps can be more than 60 feet long! And the best selling length is 27′ and 30′, the width is 4”
Of course there are most popular tie downs: ratcheting straps . Actually the ratchet straps are just the assembly of ratchet buckles and tie down webbing, which can be nylon or polyester, the combination of different ratchet buckles and different straps gives us many choices.
The ratchet tie down earned it’s popularity by being the most flexible, adaptable and capable tie down devices , from sedans to commercial trucks , you can see ratchet straps anywhere cargo needs to be secured. With flat hooks, wire hooks, cloth loops, chain anchors, even endless, ratchets just can’t have enough variety, how can we don’t love these ratchets? And it’s width can be 1” to 4”, length can be a few feet to more than 50 feet . Even for flatbeds which use winch straps primarily the ratchets may be essential, just think about this scenario, you lose a winch while you’re on a tight schedule, and it’s midnight and it’s impossible to find a new or used winch, the only thing you probably can use will be ratchet tie downs.
To purchase these tie down straps, you have the choice between local stores and online. Depends on your needs , sometimes get them in local store is more appropriate , sometimes online deals are much better. To help you make decision you need accurate and non altered information on the vendors, you can check out online forums, blogs and opinion sites to figure all of these out before you go all in.