Straps on rub rail or underneath (trailer permitting)?

My wagon come with an under frame tiedown flat bar. Top pic..
I always try to use it 1st. When I can't, either grab a chain tail strap & wrap a pocket or spool. Can't do that, I'll pull out a j plate & hook on that. Last resort for me is your lower picture. Metal hook on the outside of the rail so in the event of sideswipe, I feel the metal has a better chance of survival than the fabric if I did a full wrap..

My old steel trailer had channel side rail, & I always hooked to that when I could, which looked like your top pic. I was slightly more comfortable using the steel bump rail, but this aluminum one flexes when I crank on it. Not a fan of that one bit..

I've ruined 2 straps & cut 1 completely since 2014 for lack of edge protection. The one that cut completely through was still there dragging from the winch on one side & the tiedown flat on the other..


When using the j plates (bottom pic) the flat hook gets wedged onto it as I put tension on it. Always need to smack it in the opposite direction with the winch bar to remove it, so I'm not concerned of losing a strap there if it were to come loose either..

Using the bump rail is NOT wrong. Some use it exclusively. Some trailer manufacturers even give it a WLL. Mine did not. It's not required to have a marked WLL to use it. Last resort for me, but I'll use it to get the job done..

 

When I pulled flatbed this was the method I used. All of which are acceptable

 

Thank you, Singlescrewshaker. That is precisely my order of choice. I really don't like having anything at all on the rail if at all possible. And, like you, I'll do whatever it takes to secure the load.

My last trailer was only 96" wide, so there were many times I had no option but to go over the rail. I still hooked it underneath the trailer, but hated having the strap over the rail. It rubbed the DOT tape off and looked horrible.

 

Yes fontaine but i dont use the clips. Those things are junk. It has special slots made for flat hooks.

 

I got pulled over in montana about a month ago, because the officer thought i was pulling an oversized load and wanted to see my permit, because i had about 1.5ft of overhang off the back of my 48ft trailer. I lost about half my brain cells trying to explain to the guy i have a 48ft trailer, im not over the overall length restriction. If i had a 53fter we wouldnt even be having this conversation right now.

He didnt believe me so he went and measured it out and came back and told me i wasnt oversize... no #### dum dum... then i lost the other half of my brain cells explaining to him that it wasnt even a permittable load to begin with ... i cant belive some of these people are put in charge to enforce laws they know nothing about...

This was the load

 

Even if it WAS oversized, that's just BS. His wife probably cheated on him with a flatbedder.

 

.....!!!!!

 

Montana dot messed with me all summer. The best part was i took that load to arizona, then reloaded back to montana. This time went thru that area where he pulled me over , guess who was working the scale that night at about 11pm. Yep. And guess who got a level 3 inspection that night..yep.. hahahah

 

That will teach you to put a flag on the end when you don't need to.