Types of Ratchet Straps Choose the Best Suitable Tie Down Straps for You

Types of Ratchet Straps: Choose the Best Suitable Tie-Down Straps for You!

Ratchet straps are known as cargo tie-down straps and are made of polyester webbing. There are various types of ratchet straps as they are run through a buckle that lets you loosen and tighten the strap, so you can lengthen the strap until you can pull it across your entire load, then tighten the strap again until there’s enough tension to secure the load.

By attaching it to the floor of a flatbed truck, ratchet straps can tie down a load and can also be used to hold a piece of cargo on the inside sides of an enclosed vehicle. Ratchet straps can attach on the side of a flatbed truck to anchor points, such as D-rings, and can also clip onto anchor points on the truck bed floor.

Types of Ratchet Straps

Ratchet straps come in different sizes, a variety of colors, and they have different end-fitting options. Here’s a breakdown to help you figure out which ratchet straps are right for you. Find the best suitable tie-down strap from the following types of ratchet straps.

1. From the View Point of Sizes in Inch

If everything else is equal, wider ratchet straps are stronger than thinner straps.

Size of Ratchet Straps
Inches of Ratchet Straps

4” Wide Ratchet Straps: Four-inch ratchet straps have a Working Load Limit of 5400 lbs.

3” Wide Ratchet Straps: Three-inch ratchet straps have a Working Load Limit of 5,000 lbs.

2” Wide Ratchet Straps: Two-inch ratchet straps have a Working Load Limit of 3,333 lbs.

1” Wide Ratchet Straps: One-inch ratchet straps have a Working Load Limit of 1,100 lbs.

Remember, if the weight of your load exceeds the working load limit, you will have to use multiple straps in short length-wise intervals to disperse the tension enough to secure the load safely.

Another way to improve the potential working load limit of your straps is to pay attention to the end fittings. Some end-fittings are stronger than others. Chain hook end-fittings can increase the overall WLL of a strap.

2. From the View Point of Colors

A variety of colors can help you reinforce your brand’s color palette on your truck. Having straps that coordinate with the rest of your truck’s color scheme makes it look even more professional.

Beyond that, some colors are high-visibility, which makes them incredibly useful in low-light conditions.

Colors of Ratchet Straps
  • Red: High-visibility color, but it is associated with a lot of powerful trucking iconography.
  • Orange: High-visibility color. Traffic cones and dafety vest are bright orange for a reason. Orange ratchet straps will empower you to see what you’re working with more clearly, even in low-light conditions.
  • Yellow: Most traditional ratchet strap color.
  • Green: High-visibility color. Electric green gives you extra efficiency if you have to use your straps in low light conditions.
  • Blue: Not a high-visibility color. But, Blue is compatible with the branding for many hauling companies.

3. From the View Point of Ratchet Straps End-Fitting Options

Different end fittings are compatible with different anchor points. They also have different attributes that make them useful in different conditions. The end fittings that a ratchet strap comes with are typically the same strength as the strap itself.

Ratchet-straps-with-various-hooks

As a safety precaution, check and make sure the end-fitting is not corroded, dented, or damaged in any way before use.

Flat Hooks

The Flat hooks are typically made of steel, and they’re black powder-coated or gold-chromate plated to prevent the steel from rusting and corroding. Flat hooks are compatible with flat anchor points, like stake pockets, a rub rail, or the underside of a trailer.

These hooks can also be compatible with L-tracks if you have an adapter. This adapter is also known as Double L-track Plate Flat-Hook Receiver. Flat hooks are easy to anchor firmly and securely.

J Hooks

J Hooks (also called wire hooks) are compatible with D-rings, O-rings, and trailer sides. There are floor plates available to set on the bottom of the truck bed that can give you a lot of anchor-point options that are compatible with j-hooks. You can also bolt individual D-ring and O-ring anchor points to your flatbed.

Chain Hooks

Our Chain Hooks (also called grab hooks) are connected to a chain end-fitting that increases the ratchet strap’s WLL. Chain hooks are compatible with most anchor points. They’re incredibly sturdy. Typical chain hooks are forged from steel alloy, and they’re gold-chromed plated for rust resistance.

How to Use Ratchet Straps?

Below are the 8 steps in the infographics image to know how you can use ratchet straps.

If you’re at all confused about how to use ratchet straps, don’t stress! Check out our ultimate step-by-step guide for How To Use Ratchet Straps and practice the steps precisely.

Benefits of Using Ratchet Straps

There are several benefits of using Ratchet straps have 3 key benefits.

1. Independent Securement

Unlike winch straps, ratchet straps do not require your truck to have winches installed along the sides. Winches wind and unwind your polyester webbed straps automatically, so they can be useful for some projects.

Instead, ratchet straps can be secured independently to any kind of anchor point on the floor or side of your truck. You can use ratchet straps whenever you need to secure a piece of cargo for transport.

2. Strong and Durable

Ratchet straps are strong and durable. They are designed to resist damage from water and other natural elements, and they have a seriously high abrasion resistance. Ratchet straps can last for a long time as long as they’re taken care of.

3. Lightweight and Flexible

Ratchet straps are heavy-duty, much like G70 chains. However, unlike G70 chains, ratchet straps are lightweight and flexible. It’s much easier to roll and store ratchet straps than it is to store chains.

Also Read: Ratchet Straps Care and Maintenance Tips

Safety Tips!

Make sure your load doesn’t exceed the ratchet straps’ working load limit. If it does, you might have to use multiple straps in short length-wise intervals to disperse the tension enough to secure the load safely. Or, it may be more appropriate to use a winch strap or a G70 chain to secure your cargo, rather than a ratchet strap.

Also Read: How Many Tie-Down Straps Required to Secure Cargo?

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