Winch Straps – Useful for Flatbeds
Are you in face of a tie-down problem for your important cargo? Kindly don’t worry. Winch straps are always there to help you out.
All manufacturers, retailers, and customers like to transport their cargo in the safest possible way. They always like to keep its intactness unharmed at all. Winch straps are the ideal solution when it comes to transporting cargo through flatbed trucks. With these straps, you can make the securement process a smooth and effortless job.
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What are the Winch Straps?
These are tie-down straps meant to secure loads, particularly on flatbed trucks. These straps are typically of polyester webbing and the most widely used method of securing a load to a flatbed truck. Your flatbed trailer must be equipped with winches to attach the straps to. Also, no winch straps can do for overhead lifting purposes. Moreover, winch straps are of various types depending upon the kinds of their end fittings, load limit, and width. Last but not the least, they are always secure, fast and versatile.
How to Use the Winch Straps?
Normally, a flatbed truck or trailer has equally and properly spaced winches fixed lengthwise along one of its sides. However, if you are devoid of the already fixed winches, you may also use the portable winches available in the market.
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Once attached to a winch, these straps can be pulled over the load and tied to the other end. You are free to pull these straps taut enough to hold the load using tension produced inside these straps. To spread out the tension across the load uniformly, you should apply one tie-down every ten feet. This is quite under the rules and regulations from the Federal Motor Safety Association as well.
What to Do if You Come Across an Edgy Cargo?
At times, you may have to pack or tie some edgy load or a sharp-edged metal. These may harm your straps. Likewise, the tension under your straps may also damage a particular item inside by pressing it too hard. It will be advisory to use corner protectors under your straps if you are going to pack something like that. These protectors will not only save your straps from damage but will also help distribute the load over a large surface area. Both the services will enhance the lifespan of your straps as well as ensure more safety to your cargo.
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Benefits of Winch Straps
Winch straps of good quality bring about the following key benefits and always keep you tension free in these regards.
Safety from Weather Effects
Being made of polyester webbing, winch straps are fairly resistant to bad weather effects like rain in torrents, snow, sweltering heat and even ultraviolet radiation.
Protection to the Valuable Cargo
Your ultimate goal is to transfer your cargo in its original form. Winch straps of polyester webbing ensure your target with their softer material as compared to chains or other harder securement methods. These straps are ideal for fragile goods like glass wares, decorative, etc.
Strength of the Straps
The strength of the winch straps is another key benefit as they can handle a load limit of 6670 pounds which makes them stronger than 3/8 G70 iron chains. These can get equally tightened no matter what the height of the load is. Nowadays, straps with customizable tensions as per load requirements are also available on the market.
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Durability of the Straps
Fraying or tensions against sharp-edged loads cause worst wear and tear to the straps which then often need to be replaced. Quality straps with reinforced sides always prove durable and even more long-lasting than many a chain.
Cost-effectiveness
The price of these straps is quite economical and their use is also very much cost-effective. The use of equally comparable chains or some other strings always cause more financial damage.
Light-weight of the Straps
All the winch straps are always light weighted as compared to other tie-down solutions. This makes them quite portable and manageable as per the need of time.
Quite easy to use and time-saving
Your straps never cause you complications and troubles when you use them properly. So, the user always saves a lot of his time while binding the cargo with the winch straps.
Availability in various models, sizes, and types
These straps are easily available from various brands in several models, sizes, shapes, and types. So, they never cause you any worries whatsoever regarding searching for them on the market. You can even order your requirements online.
Types of the Winch Straps
Countless variations are available on the market concerning the types of straps. These can be easily categorized into three types.
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Winch straps with respect to their end fittings
The way you attach your strap, pulled over your load, to your flatbed has several options. These options depend on the kind of end fitting you have with your strap. The most common and popular end fittings are as follows.
- Flat hooks
- Flat container hooks
- Grab hooks
- Wire hooks
- Chain anchors
- Twisted loop
- Sewn eye
- Delta rings or D rings
Winch Straps Concerning Working Load Limit (WLL)
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The WLL of a strap depends upon how thick and heavy it is, though it must be costlier. Usually, the following options are there in this regard.
- 3335 lbs.
- 5000 lbs.
- 5400 lbs.
- 6670 lbs.
Winch straps regarding their width
Most of the manufacturers make such straps with the following widths.
- 2’
- 3’
- 4’
Thus we can say that the winch straps are a very helpful tool for tying down solutions.
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