Understanding cargo securement

Bouncing on the winch bar can backfire on you. If you do it on something like a large piece that isn't prone to settling or shifting, or on a short haul, the straps can be just as hard to get loosened. Then you have to bounce on the bar with one hand trying to pop the lever up. Getting a longer bar is going to be a better and safer option.

 

Find somebody in your shop that can weld and weld an extension on a winch bar. Keep your standard bar for close quarters and other chores.

 

I would probably get a slightly larger diameter pipe that slips over the top of your current winch bar. If your winch bar is like 3', then you could weld a flange or something around halfway up the winch bar to prevent the other pipe from slipping all the way down. Then you have two 3' bars that can be stored apart, but when you slip the pipe over the bar it will be around 4'6". The only downside I see is that the winch bar would have another surface to get snagged on if you slip it in next to other items when stored. If you make the bar permanently longer, it could be a bit more awkward to start winching due to the extra weight and size. If you use the short bar first to snug them up, then you can use the pipe to get an extra 3 more clicks or whatever. If you don't have anyone to weld stuff, you can just grab a 5' pipe and slip it over the whole bar. There are a ton of different ways to do it, you just have to figure out if you will run into problems with how you store it.

I would probably opt for strength training as the best solution. There are a lot of other aspects of the job where it really helps to have the muscle for it, like handling tarps and throwing straps over a tall load. Just make sure not to wear yourself out at first so that it makes your job harder to perform due to soreness or fatigue. Resistance bands store in a truck pretty easy, and you can attach it wherever to get a workout. Equally important is going to be proper diet.

 

When I started flatbed, I had yet to bulk up (I was a late bloomer.) I was only around 150 lbs, and would constantly find my feet of the ground pulling on the cheater for the boomers. I learned real quickly to grab the underside of the trailer with one hand while pulling with the other to snap the binder over.

The geometry is different for the strap winches though, and that's not really practical. Easiest way is to get it as tight as you can with the normal bar, then make one last pass with the extra leverage after you've tightened everything with your normal bar. Quicker and easier than using a longer bar for everything, or carrying your bar and the cheater to each winch as you're working.

In carhaul we have quick-release ratchets, so I use a shorter bar when unloading than I use to crank them down.

 

@GeminiTrucker93

 

In addition to what Kyle G. shows above (thanks for the visual for her Kyle) this pic shows two standard type/size winch bars. One has the heavier duty end for dealing with snap binders, and the one with just the hollow end, can be used for snap binders, but tends to damage the tube so not recommeded to use it for it, it's mostly just used for tighting winches in close quarters where you don' t need that extra length. There are more out there and to find them, all you have to do is a search on "winch bar" and viola...so many choices it will make you dizzy.
One more thing. If you use the bars like Kyle G shows, remember to not over tighten it, because you're using more torque, but you don't want to use so much you damage the cargo, or start breaking your equipment, like bending those winch bars because of the increased torque being applied.

 

Oh... I didn't know there was such a thing as the bar with the open tube end. I thought they all had the squared end like mine. Ya learn something new every day lol.