Ratchet Straps?

[karoc]

Guys I know you get what you pay for, but I have search at HF,HD,NT and all straps seem to be about the same quality. I would for once like to find set that would release when you want it to release and ratchet not fall apart. Straps like for it to be about 1.5" wide give or take little and to have little strength to them. I do have couple that's several years old that do work well and the strap is thick. Wish I could find those again, but I'm sure not available any more. Any suggestions, brands, links, websites, or stores etc? I just want to strap down my mower, not have to wrestle with dang straps.

 

[HPRifleman]

I have a set of Ancras that are pretty good and a set of freebie cheap-o's that are nowhere near as good. Can you be more specific in what you don't like about the sets you have used? No offense intended but are yours assembled correctly? Putting them together properly is key.

 

[Frankenpez]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N8LMJV6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Hope this link works, I’ve used these for a few years now and they work great. Thick and flexible. Hope this helps.

 

[CJM8515]

i try and find the ones made of thicker material and 1.25 inches wide or 2 inches wide when possible. the 1 inch wide straps are usually thin junk.

im still using a set i bought at walmart like 15 years ago, god only knows who made them and they are old, beat up and fraying a bit-but they aint failed yet. my other set is goodyear branded i bought at sams club eons ago, same deal thicker webbing and powdercoated ratchets.

i also have sets from the following places, they were worth the extra money.

Ratchet Straps | Tie Down Straps | Custom Made Ratchet Straps

Ratchet Straps that can be custom made for just about any application. We stock Ratchet Straps, Endless Loop Straps, Cam Buckles, and Winch Straps.

www.ratchetstraps.com

Ratchet Straps | Ratchet Tie Down Straps | Heavy Duty Ratchet Straps

Our ratchet straps work for light- or heavy-duty tie down trucking applications. Custom cargo straps are available – made on-site with quality materials!

www.uscargocontrol.com

 

[TobeyA]

For tying down my race cars, I've relegated every crappy strap to truck bed duty and only use straps from Mac's Custom Tie Downs. A little pricey, but quality ain't cheap.

Professional Tie Down Systems for Any Vehicle

Learn why U.S. made Mac's ratchet tie downs, axle straps and wheel nets outperform the competition and are the choice when safety and security matter!

www.macscustomtiedowns.com

 

[TOM61]

macscustomtiedowns.com You get what you pay for. Awesome quality tie downs and ratchet straps

 

[Formerjeeper]

PowerTye MFG - Home of American Tie-Downs

PowerTye Manufacturing has been making our American Tie-Downs right here in Anaheim, California for almost 35 years. Ratchets, Cam Buckle Pull Straps, Lashing Straps, Soft-Tyes and more! We also sell PowerTye Cargo Nets, Sheepskin Covers, and e-track straps for truck beds and trailers.

www.powertye.com

Another higher quality/higher price option, made in USA. Great selection of ends/webbing/design options.

 

[blue-5]

Mac’s gets my vote also

 

[karoc]

I have a set of Ancras that are pretty good and a set of freebie cheap-o's that are nowhere near as good. Can you be more specific in what you don't like about the sets you have used? No offense intended but are yours assembled correctly? Putting them together properly is key.

None taken, my problem is mainly when trying to release the tension on them. I have couple that does work which kinda pop on release but all others don’t. I hold both little levers back to disengage the gears then they release. I think I may need buy from Northern Tool see if theirs works better

 

[karoc]

PowerTye MFG - Home of American Tie-Downs

PowerTye Manufacturing has been making our American Tie-Downs right here in Anaheim, California for almost 35 years. Ratchets, Cam Buckle Pull Straps, Lashing Straps, Soft-Tyes and more! We also sell PowerTye Cargo Nets, Sheepskin Covers, and e-track straps for truck beds and trailers.

www.powertye.com

Another higher quality/higher price option, made in USA. Great selection of ends/webbing/design options.

Those look nice, thanks for link. I like to get just four to tie my mower down on all sides

 

[karoc]

Thanks for all responding to my questions lots good choices I didn’t know about

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Costco Canada has a set of four 1.5" ratchet straps that are good. Also have a set of two 2".

 

[Mr.zippy]

I’ve used Powertye cam type straps on our dirt bikes for over 20 years. You can sure tell the difference from the cheaper straps.

 

[whateg01]

I have been very happy with my orange SmartStraps. They have cast bodies. So, I bought some yellow 2" straps and was very disappointed in them. They didn't release without a lot of effort. Disassembling them showed that the stamped ratchet wheels had bad burrs. Cleaning those up, then re-plating them has them working better than most of the straps I own.

 

[BlueSteel]

I use MACs as well.

 

[RTM]

Based on recommendations from another thread here, I bought some 1” from strapworks.com, and some 1-1/2” and 2” from Power-tye, as noted above. Keep them all together in a bag in the garage, ready for when I am making a known heavy pickup. I’ve got my run of the mill HD stuff in the bed of the truck, for normal stuff like bikes and push lawnmowers.

And somewhere in the garage I have an HD Xmas special 3” x 25’, just in case, never know what I might need to tie down.

 

[mikedodge]

I've never had a ratchet part break like that or not release easily. I do have a couple sets that the hooks are bent in some strange way that they unhook as pressure is applied to them.

 

[finn]

Best narrow straps I’ve got are a few 1” wide straps from a Waste Management refuse truck driver i got a parts truck from.

His route included the air cargo area of American Airlines at O’hare. Story he told is the ground crews scrapped dozens of new looking straps almost daily. If they looked funny at all, they were tossed.

They have thicker webbing than any I have seen commercially available, and very robust metal components.

 

[bwringer]

Don't bother with Northern Tool -- they just sell the same dogshit found everywhere else. Many powersports dealers and online stores sell pretty respectable stuff under some different names. Some of the BikeMaster stuff is quite nice.

I have a couple of sets of these "Rider Cargo" brand straps for motorcycles that are fantastic:

Rider%20Cargo%20Ratchet%20Soft%20Loop%20Wide%20Tie%20Downs%20W%2FCarabiner

Rider Cargo Tie Downs have a reputation for quality and strength. These fray and fade resistant straps are made from a robust 2 inch (50mm) nylon webbing that are 72 inches in length making them perfect for motorcycles, ATV’s, and UTV’s. This tiedown set features a soft loop—perfect for...

www.rockymountainatvmc.com

And hey, has anyone mentioned Mac's or Power-Tye yet?


Also, don't wrap the strap around the frame directly and hook back to the strap as in your photo. That will come off easily, and it'll chew through the strap quickly if the edges inside are not 100% smooth. Use soft-ties for this, monitor their condition, and toss them as the frame starts to chew through them. There are also various ways to weld or bolt tie-down points to a machine.

 

[Andy8430]

Here’s another option. I’ve purchased two sets and been happy with the quality.

Badass Moto Ultimate Ratchet Straps Tie Downs - 1.5 in X 15 Foot 3300 Break Str Motorcycle Tie Down Straps 4 Pk - Heavy Duty Padded Grips, Duffle Bag, Ratchet Strap Keepers. for Trailer, Cargo, Truck https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016QR3C8M/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[tarbellb]

For light duty work - Costco 4pk of 1.5" x 12' ratchet straps cant be beat (1100lbs working limit) = $20

often rebranded as Snap-On, CAT, etc... they have lasted me a decade of constant use

Anything beyond light duty, buck up and go pro with MAC or other USA made stuff

 

[Madjik Man]

Interestingly enough I bought these this morning, then cancelled to order based on this thread popping up.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089DP5KC3/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Does anyone have experience with those? Or do they fall under the "cheap 1" ****" category?


My intention is to strap down a canoe on a roof rack... that's the extent of my "heavy duty" use. I guess I should be okay with the Costco straps?

 

[larry_g]

Living on the farm I have a lot of ratchet straps. I find that a bit of cleaning and oiling or greasing the ratchet mechanism does wonders to keep them working freely.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[whateg01]

I think a lot of y'all put too much thought into this. Aside from ease of use and stated vs actual capacity, there's not much required of a ratchet strap. Mine get replaced every so often from wear. If they work like they should and don't cost a fortune, I have no problem tossing a strap because it's nearly cut in two. Or if I don't want to throw it away, it'll become the strap that keeps the plywood from falling over when I'm digging for a specific sheet.

 

[AA/FC]

The best straps I have ever found are from this place:

https://strapman.com/

Strapman.com

Specialty Truck Equipment aka Strapman.com was established in 1985. We manufacture nylon tie downs,... Saint Paul, MN 55107

www.facebook.com

They hand make all their own straps assemblies right in their shop in St. Paul. The strap material is USA made. The ratchets are from overseas but they are the smoothest operating ratchets I have ever used. (Nothing like cheap box store ratchets) I usually buy from them in person but I know they ship orders all over the world. I was in there one day and they were sewing up some huge equipment lifting slings (straps) that were probably 2 feet wide. They were the largest "straps" I have ever seen. This place can make anything you want when it comes to quality ratchet straps, tie-down straps, recover straps, lifting straps, etc, etc... Their stuff is very high quality.

 

[Kenstone1]

I switched to retractable ratchet straps to hold my MC down on my trailer(s).
These for the front:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005C2ACBI/?tag=atomicindus08-20

These for the rear:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078MWGD3F/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Read the reviews.
Strap material is very similar to seat belt material.
I remove the S Hook from the short strap and use a carabiner to mount the straps to an eye in the floor of my trailer.
Whatever you decide to buy, get RETRACTABLE Straps!!
Thank me later.
jmo,
.

 

[landrover bodger]

i just use the ones that follow me home from work . free good strong 5 ton ones .

 

[benny27]

Living on the farm I have a lot of ratchet straps. I find that a bit of cleaning and oiling or greasing the ratchet mechanism does wonders to keep them working freely.

lg
no neat sig line

That is my vote
A little oiling is probably all they need

 

[bas157]

This is a pretty local company to me that makes their straps in the USA:

Tie Down Straps - Page 1 - SecureMyCargo.com

securemycargo.com

No relation to them other then owning a set of their anchor point extenders

 

[bwringer]

Interestingly enough I bought these this morning, then cancelled to order based on this thread popping up.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089DP5KC3/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Does anyone have experience with those? Or do they fall under the "cheap 1" ****" category?


My intention is to strap down a canoe on a roof rack... that's the extent of my "heavy duty" use. I guess I should be okay with the Costco straps?

Those Rhino USA straps are fine.

Different ratchet straps pop up at Costco from time to time, and the only consistent thing is that they're always excellent quality for not a lot of money. If they fit your needs, sure, go for it. I think the last set I saw were branded "CAT".

 

[278horn]

Ancra is the aircraft and trucking industry standard for 2" and 3".

Erickson 01330 1-1/2" straps are nice for lighter loads

 

[AC-WC]

I would suggest tying down at the axles. You're getting more bounce from the tires than you think. I used to tie down my car at the frame with lightweight 2" on car/trailer and it would never hold and some broke. Went to chains and binders at the axles which was much better. I get them as tight as I can, drive about 1 mile and recheck/tighten. You can't go wrong with the 2" 3300 lb rating and would still have the convenience of the ratchet.

 

[nadogail]

Low price is often an indicator of Low Quality.

 

[FigN⋅m]

Low price is often an indicator of Low Quality.

"Good is Never Cheap, and Cheap is Never Good."

 

[liliysdad]

The 2" 3333lb straps from HF are fine for cars. They are cheap enough to use until they give an issue, then toss them, or cut to fit specific needs. I have a set that are the exact length I need to haul my jeep with very little tail. A little oil on the ratchets, and the slick right up.

The cheap 1" or 1.5" straps from anywhere are more than adequate, as long as they used within their intent.

 

[Robinson1]

Harbor Freight, Tractor Supply and Wal Mart all have serviceable 1-1/2” straps. The really good stuff usually can be found at a true farm store/feed store or an equipment dealership.

I’ve never had an 1-1/2” strap break. I’ve removed many from service because they were frayed or partially cut but I’ve never had one fail during use and I tow and haul more than the average person.

 

[niget2002]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N8LMJV6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Hope this link works, I’ve used these for a few years now and they work great. Thick and flexible. Hope this helps.

I use these as well. Very sturdy.

 

[finn]

The best straps I have are from the American Airlines dumpster at Ohare field, which I got from the Waste Management guy.

He grabs them from the dumpster during a pickup. He said the freight guys find it easier to throw perfectly good ratchet straps away rather then roll them up for reuse, so he has an unlimited supply.

Wish I still had contact with him….

 

[Drunkonunleaded]

Another vote for PowerTye. I’m a big fan of using the soft loops to tie things down where applicable.

 

[honcho]

Interestingly enough I bought these this morning, then cancelled to order based on this thread popping up.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089DP5KC3/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Does anyone have experience with those? Or do they fall under the "cheap 1" ****" category?


My intention is to strap down a canoe on a roof rack... that's the extent of my "heavy duty" use. I guess I should be okay with the Costco straps?

For a canoe, 1 inch straps with Ancra cam buckles are the way to go. NRS, Yakima, Thule all offer good quality straps for that purpose. Yakima and Thule both have rubber covers for the buckle heads to protect the finish of your canoe and car. Years ago, working on a test of anti-aircraft missiles built in Europe, we received shipments from Europe with the missile coffins strapped down to the pallets using the same style 1 inch/25mm straps with ancra buckles.