When you’re hauling an exposed load down busy highways, and hundreds of miles of winding roads, you want to know that what you are hauling won’t move an inch. Let’s say you loaded it yourself, or have complete confidence in the guys who loaded it onto your trailer. So you can rest assured that load won’t move an inch when you are taking that sharp turn, right? Anyone who straps their load down themselves knows that you have to take into account much more than who loaded it onto your trailer, and how it was loaded on. You also have to look at what is holding your load down, whether that is a winch strap, ratchet straps, webbing, or slings. How confident are you that every single piece of tie-down equipment back there is in the best shape it could be? How many times has that strap been tightly strung across a sharp corner and how many more times will it take to fray the strap enough to snap in the middle of the road?
By taking a few extra steps, and a few extra minutes to check over what is actually holding your load down you can be assured you will have no equipment problems. Take a look at those straps, from end to end, and make sure there are no tears, rips, and fraying that could lead to a huge problem. Maybe your straps are all brand new, and they are in perfect condition, but how old is that winch, and is it still fastened extra tight to your trailer? Without knowing these things, you could be in for a mid-drive surprise. One way to ensure your straps stay in good condition is making sure to use corner protectors when you tie your load down. You can buy any shape and size protector to ensure those straps last you a long time. It’s not worth replacing those straps every month when you can spend a few dollars on strap protectors and double or triple the life of them.
Another way to ensure the long life of your equipment is to store each piece properly. Whether that means boxing up your unused chains to keep them from rusting or freezing, or rolling up your straps to keep them from getting snagged, proper storage of your equipment is a huge piece of the puzzle. It is easy to make trip after trip without checking these important factors every time, but it only takes one mistake to lose a job, injure another driver, or injure yourself.
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