Straps

ishipforexcellence · Nov 4, 2014

I'm new to the game. I have a new Ford Transit 350 extended length high roof. This can accommodate 3 standard pallet lengths. Could you please offer advise/best practices on types of strapping to buy to best secure loads? Thanks!

Pro3500 · Nov 4, 2014

Etrack straps they will hook into your etrack. Get the ratchet type I would would get at least 4 cause you just never know. Get yourself a load bar that goes in the etrack as well you'll have to cut it down easy enough to do and one or two ratcheting type load bars I have one of each never needed more than that. Put etrack on the floor as well as the wall. They make a clip you put on the end of a 2x4 that you put in the etrack on floor. With the load bar above that it gives you a good load stop. Push your freight against them then load bar behind it your good to go. Hope that helps. If your near a farm supply store they have good deals on straps from time to time.

ishipforexcellence · Nov 4, 2014

Pro3500 thanks so much for taking time to reply! The van came with many tie down loops...so I shouldn't use those? Sounds like you really recommend the etrac. Thanks again! Where do you recommend purchasing the load bars?

Pro3500 · Nov 4, 2014

Etrack is most definitely a must. I put two 8' on the floor 4' apart. One on each wall 18-36" off the floor. You'll be able to tie down anything. Most any trailer repair/sales will have everything you need. Some big truck dealerships will have them as well like Kenworth, international ect. Truck stops with truck repair may have them as well.

ishipforexcellence · Nov 4, 2014

Thanks again Pro3500 great info.

LDB · Nov 4, 2014

I would suggest putting your floor etrack closer together as you will at times have items too narrow if it's widely spaced. I put mine down so there was 24" between the tracks. That put them about one foot from the wheelwell.

In addition to etrack and straps get a couple of the brackets made to go on the side walls of a truck to drop a 2x4 into to make a cheap load bar. Get a piece of 2x12 that will fit and you can put the brackets into the floor etrack and create a foot tall mini wall in front of the front skid.

For straps contact Lodi Metals. They will custom make straps any length you want and they will be exponentially better than what you find at the truckstop. Get them made with the ratchet only about six inches from the fastener. That will work with anything you need to strap and with certain things, like barrels or very small items, it's the only way to be able to snug it down properly.

If it were me I would measure the largest possible length of freight I could fit and have two straps 24 inches longer than that. Then I'd have a couple of straps 8 feet long for when I had small items. Then a couple of straps whatever the length in the middle would be.

Good luck.

ishipforexcellence · Nov 4, 2014

Thanks LDB that sounds like real good advice!

LDB · Nov 4, 2014

Oh, and Lodi Metals has about 6 colors to choose from so I'd have a different color for each length to make it that much easier to tell them at a glance. (That's what I did actually).

Daffyduck528 · Nov 5, 2014

LDB said:
I would suggest putting your floor etrack closer together as you will at times have items too narrow if it's widely spaced. I put mine down so there was 24" between the tracks. That put them about one foot from the wheelwell.

In addition to etrack and straps get a couple of the brackets made to go on the side walls of a truck to drop a 2x4 into to make a cheap load bar. Get a piece of 2x12 that will fit and you can put the brackets into the floor etrack and create a foot tall mini wall in front of the front skid.

For straps contact Lodi Metals. They will custom make straps any length you want and they will be exponentially better than what you find at the truckstop. Get them made with the ratchet only about six inches from the fastener. That will work with anything you need to strap and with certain things, like barrels or very small items, it's the only way to be able to snug it down properly.

If it were me I would measure the largest possible length of freight I could fit and have two straps 24 inches longer than that. Then I'd have a couple of straps 8 feet long for when I had small items. Then a couple of straps whatever the length in the middle would be.

Good luck.

I'll second the trip to lodi metals. I went to see if they had a certain strap I wanted. They didn't, but they offered to design and make it for me while I went to eat lunch. I came back and it was exactly what I wanted. And the craftsmanship was flawless. Oh, and like $12 for a custom design. Look at what a basic 16' strap cost most places. They are now my main vendor for load securement and I highly recommend them.

Oh and if you buy in a bulk quantity they'll knock some off the price too.

Moot · Nov 5, 2014

Get galvanized E-track instead of the painted kind.

ishipforexcellence · Nov 5, 2014

This is awesome stuff. So appreciated! What lengths of strap do you recommend? My van from behind drivers seat to back door is 164". Just got my first load in my own truck!

Pro3500 · Nov 5, 2014

Depends I guess on how you run your etrack. Mine is 4' apart I strap from side to side with a shoring beam or load bar as a bulk head. If you run etrack 2' apart you would have to strap front to rear I suppose. I'm to old and fat to crawl over a 5 high pallet to get my strap and pull it over the top. I have all long straps it's not a real problem to coil up the extra. If you've ever run flat bed you'll understand. The old saying better to have to much than not enough. Aluminum shoring beam is strong and cheap. If you hit something or get hit head on you really really want that freight to stay in the back. That aluminum shoring bar hooked in the etrack will take a hard hit well worth $50 imo last forever. With your home made shoring bar in the floor track you have a very good bulk head. I also have a plywood bulk head I want that freight in the back not in front with me. Put it this way you put 4 drums in the back 2500 lbs. it's braced with 2x4 and a strap. Your going 30 mph someone pulls out in front of you the question you hope you answered correctly is will they stay put? Started with my first trailer a 48' dry van. Back then it was illegal on some roads 45' was the legal length. Bought my first 53' trailer in 1980 had the same problem all over wasn't legal on most roads. Dating myself. Point is I guess there's no such thing as to much or over kill when it's you're well being. Never lost a single box for damage in many years of owning and driving big truck I don't take any less caution in this van I'm less protected from that freight.

fastman_1 · Nov 5, 2014

And as for straps, you will always need 1 than you have, I have 4 Etracks welded to my floor, 2 are wide against the wheelwells and 2 at 12 inches in from the wheelwells, the tie down points are there as a just in case. I have ratchet straps with hooks on them for those. And only used them once.

danthewolf00 · Nov 6, 2014

Northern tool also carries e track stuff as well as L track.

Moot · Nov 6, 2014

I just checked Northern's website. The longest E-track they sell is only 5'. That is an improvement over the 2' lengths they sold. I'd go with 10 footers.

mjmsprt40 · Nov 6, 2014

I have a couple of load bars that are sectional, so they fit anything from a pick-up truck to a 102" trailer. Three sections comprise the bar, with the middle section making up the part that allows such great expandability. With E-track clips on the ends fitted into your track, this would be a can't miss. They cost about 40 dollars at the Flying J.

tknight · Nov 6, 2014

Mill supply sells etrack they are on miles rd Cleveland ohio.
I have 14 102" load bars brand new in boxes at my shop if anyone needs some
Canton Ohio if your near, just tossed this out while we were on the subject, also have some shorter used ones that can be shortened for use in a van