Those who are in the trailer business know what a trailer ratchet strap is and what it’s used for without giving it a second thought. The rest of the population would usually think that everyone else would have to guess as to what it is and what it’s used for. The truth as to how many people actually know what they are and how to use them might come as a surprise, though. Here, this nifty little gadget’s definition and use will be explored.
A trailer ratchet strap is used to secure large loads to the back of trucks, and more often than what people think. Most usually don’t really pay attention to what is keeping a crane, a car, or a mobile home in place, but always assume that it must be kept in place somehow. These are the straps that are used to keep those large loads in place and we depend on them more often than we care to admit!
The term used to describe them is defined that way because the straps are “ratcheted” in place. It’s that approach that allows the strap to be tightly secured, restricting the movement of a large load on a flatbed truck, pickup truck, or even a trailer.
The straps themselves, when they are coiled up look almost like a pair of large socks hanging from a hook! This might sound like a jovial description, but that belies the importance of the job they do. A trailer ratchet strap has one of the most important jobs to do in modern-day transportation, yet many people don’t even know what they are!
Even finding one in a store can be a difficult job because they aren’t something that’s commonly carried by most businesses. Luckily, for those who know where to find them, there’s no problem. The truth is that they do have to be manufactured to be able to handle great weights and a great amount of stress without breaking. So, that does mean that they’re manufactured by just anybody.
What’s amazing is just how many different things that they are used for. Surprisingly, anyone who routinely has to transport heavy things will probably use one or more ratchet straps. People with pickup trucks who are transporting heavy furniture, skidoos, or large equipment are likely to rely on ratchet straps to get the job done.
Even people with small trailers who might be transporting a motorbike, or some other form or equipment are probably using ratchet straps to secure them. They might even be peeked in use in some people’s garages to secure heavy objects in place!
So, at first it seems that ratchet straps would be something that only truckers would be familiar with, but the truth is that they have seen so many uses that anyone who knows someone who owns a garage, works in their own garage at home, or owns a skidoo, is probably familiar with what a ratchet strap is and what they’re used for!
