When you really want to be sure that your cargo is secure, you won’t want to trust anything other than a ratchet strap. Ratchet straps use self-contained tension to lock things in place, and they come in a variety of weight capacities so that you can easily identify which ones you need. We’re going to take you through a brief guide on how to use ratchet straps so that you’ll know for sure that you’re using them to the fullest extent possible.

Step One

First, you’ll want to locate the ratchet handle and use it to ratchet the axle until the slot points upwards. The open slot is where you feed the webbing through. Make sure you close the ratchet afterward so that you have easy access to the axle.

Step Two

Next, take the end of the webbing that’s free and lead it through the axle slot, starting from underneath the ratchet. Once it is through the axle slot, continue leading the free end out through the same way it entered.

Step Three

Once the webbing is through, attach the hooks at either end of it to your anchor points. It’s okay if there is still a lot of slack at this point; you’ll take care of that in the next step.

Step Four

Pull the free end of the webbing taut, removing as much of the slack between the hooks as you can. You won’t be able to completely tighten it, as that is what you’ll use the ratchet for.

Step Five

You can remove the last of the slack between anchor points by raising and lowering the ratchet handle, working it slowly in a pumping motion. As you pump the handle, you should see the webbing start to wrap around the axle.

Step Six

When the webbing is completely taut—though you don’t want to overtighten it, as this can cause damage to goods or the ratchet assembly—you can then close the handle completely to lock the strap in place.

Releasing the Strap

When it’s time to release the strap, simply pull on the ratchet handle until it opens completely. This will pop the strap loose and allow you to pull the webbing back through the axle slot.

We hope this brief guide on how to use ratchet straps has been helpful in showing you how simple the process is. When it comes to load-securing systems, you won’t find more-qualified experts than those here at Logistick; contact us today! We’re here to serve you, no matter what your cargo securing needs may be.