Tips and Tricks of flatbedding

If i use the words "i believe its a ticket" is just that. No different then when people tried saying that a half twist was a ticket. Its not, but it doesn't stop people from believing it. And conversely, i said, and maintain, legal or not i won't do that.

(Short strap,) i do like a half twist...

 

Points

 

If you put just the slightest amount of effort into short strapping you can get the fold through both sides of the winch. Just pinch the strap down before you put it through the winch. Even works with hand ratchets. On this load I had 8 hand ratchets and really only needed about 10’ straps but I had mostly 30’ straps. Short strapping the had ratchets made loading and unloading much faster.

 

After taking a break from driving, I can't get my straps to go through both sides...what's the trick?

 

You just have to hold your mouth right, no trick. lol

 

Some cobbles shifted and i strapped 2 screens in front just to be sure it didnt bust the basket. This is my goofy 2" tail job.












The rubber band is just inner tube and you dont need to do anything to tighten the strap. Never had one untuck from the rail.

 

When I used a lot of 2” straps I would do this. Worked well. Now I put them through the open part of the ratchet strap.

 

Fold the strap and pinch it between your fingers working it back and forth. Or take your winch bar and tap the fold flat against the rub rail. If it doesn’t go through both sides right away I’m fine with just one. Never had a strap come out of a winch either way.

 

What he said. A lot of times my winch slots are full of ice and it barely takes any to hang it up on the off side, and if you get a couple of wraps on it, it is impossible for it to come out of just one anyway.

 

Yeah, when people fold the strap and only stick it in halfway through the winch slot. That's not going to hold...

When the strap doesn't go completely though the winch slot, it's bad.

I think we are talking about the same thing here. The winch manufacturer wants 6" of strap through the winch and 2-1/2 turns of strap on the winch to be considered "secure". What does it matter if the 6" of strap is from the end of a strap or a fold in the strap? How many people that feed the whole strap through the winch end up with 2-1/2 turns of strap on the winch anyway? They pull it tight and winch it down. They might make it on most loads, but not always. I don't see how that is better.