Post flatbed load photos here V2.0

Almost looks like a old picture with all the smoke yellowing

 

Hope that you are wearing a mask or some other form of protection for your health.

Longtime friend and coworker was out in heavy smoke out west. Ended up getting really bad bronchitis/pneumonia/lung infection thing from it. Ended up in hospital for a week.

 

Chains are much more abrasion resistant and have next to no stretch.
Straps have a bit of stretch woven in and need more protection from fatigue due to vibration and rubbing.
Chains can damage many things such as concrete, steel, lumber, etc while those same things can damage and therefore weaken straps. Both need protection.
Chains are heavier but can be stronger (5/16g7 chain 4700wll, 3/8g7 chain 6600wll most 4"straps 5000 wll)

 

These are the handrails that belong to the girders I delivered the other day. About 70’ long back into South Boston. There were 4 loads of girders and this load of handrails to make up a railroad bridge

 

@beastr123 beat me to it. Pretty much what he said. I’ve personally seen fabricated steel loads shift forward and straps slice like butter, softners scattered. That’s always on my mind when I’m securing a steel load and thinking about throwing straps instead, but I come back to reality and just throw chains. I still have enough in me to throw chains at 62 and when the time comes like @booley says, I’ll be throwing a rope over to pull them chains over. And while we are talking about chains, I carry a few rachet binders, but there a pain to handle for me(more work) I prefer the snap binders, but I use a 4 foot cheater bar for that extra leverage to secure.

 

Funny enough I looked at the plaque riveted to my trailer and see straps at 5k WLL and chains 6000-7900 WLL depending pocket, spool, or J plate. I carry 13 chains 3/8 so I can see how it’s more secure. I also carry 12 ratchet and 6 snap binders but I’m always afraid of over tightening with the snap. I use a 3 foot bar and sometimes I worry I’ll break the chain or my trailer.

 

@Ruthless that swan reminds me when I first taught my wife to drive. She sits in the drivers seat and say's " the trucks to big, the hood takes up the whole road" I said "baby, just look at the swan and put it right on the white line and glance in your mirror to see where your trailer tires are" She got it figured out in short order. Every time I see a swan, It reminds me of that conversation

 

That is a memory worth cherishing

 

You'll overtighten with ratchet binders, a lot sooner than you will with snap binders. The proper way and the secret to using snap binders, is to pull the handle when it's 90 degrees from the chain, and not use a cheater bar. If you need a cheater bar, other than the winch bar, it's too tight and needs to be readjusted. Yeah, you might have to readjust them, but I've had to do it minimally when doing it the way I've just described. The biggest reason you'll need to readjust, is that the load buckled under (weak dunnage or spacers) the load or it moved from not being secured properly and it's in a loose area now.

With a rachet, there is no limiting other than your ability to know when it's tight enough. I usually tell folks my old nickname was TorqueMaster, because there wasn't anything I couldn't break loose, or break from being to tight. The technique I described for the snap binders guarantees, I'll never over tighten them, whilst they will remain tight. You have to readjust ratchet binders, too from time to time, it's just easier because you don't wrap the chain around the binder like I usually do for the snap.

 

View attachment 470521 My kinda steel load. No tarp, when I’m sick of hauling it around, roll it in the ditch and head for the house.