Moving goods or items from one point to another can be a headache. With the bumpy roads, high-speed wind blowing and several other factors, getting the load where you want it and in one piece can prove challenging. You need something to firmly secure your luggage or items until you reach your destination. In this article, we are going to look at how to use lashing straps to secure items on the roof rack of your vehicle for transport.
What Are Lashing Straps?
They are fasteners that are used to hold down cargo, equipment or items during transport. Sometimes, they may be referred to as tie down straps or ratchet straps. There are two common types of lashing straps:
- Loop straps
- Two-piece straps
Loop lashing straps are a single piece of webbing that is looped around the luggage or item to be secured, and the two endpoints are brought together for fastening and providing tension at the lashing strap fastener.
A two-piece lashing strap is one assembly that is made out of two separate pieces of webbing, each with their hardware that is fastened at one end to the area around the item to be secured and connected to each other, usually at the fastener.
What is the Correct Way to Thread a Ratchet Strap?
- Use the release lever to open the ratchet. Pull the release lever up and flip the ratchet fully open.
- Set the open ratchet on the table so that the spiked wheels are facing up.
- Thread the strap, starting from underneath the ratchet and push it up through the slot (mandrel).
- The threaded strap should lay straight, its length overlapping with the second strap on the other side of the ratchet.
- Continue feeding the strap through the slot until it feels taut.
How Do You Release a Lashing Strap?
- Pull and hold the release tab, usually located at the top of the ratchet, to override the ratcheting function and release the lock.
- Flip the ratchet completely open and then pull on the side of the strap that isn’t fixed.
- Pull and hold down the release tab again while you flip the ratchet closed. This will keep the ratchet closed until when you are ready to use it again.
Lashing straps can be very effective for tying-down your items or luggage during transportation. Make sure you choose the right length for your load and also the end fitting. With this guide, they shouldn’t be hard to use.