Moving a load on the back of a flatbed, pickup, or even in the trunk of your personal car can be tricky. If the load shifts or tips during transport, it could spill or even fall out of your vehicle. And if you can’t see it because your vision is obstructed, you may not even realize it’s gone until you stop … or another driver honks wildly at you!
It’s always a good idea to secure loads whenever you transport them, regardless of their size. Even small loads, such as packages or bicycles, can create hazards to other drivers if they fall out of your car or truck while you are transporting them.
Benefits of Bungee Cords
Bungee cords are stretchable elastic that is typically wrapped in a protective nylon sleeve and capped on either end with metal hooks. They are helpful for securing small, lighter weight loads in the back or tops of cars, SUVs, or pickup trucks.
Bungee cords are convenient and inexpensive. They also come in a variety of lengths and widths, so you can choose the best bungee cords for your particular job.
But bungee cords don’t prove as secure a bond as other types of vehicular restraints. Plus, if you buy cheaply bungees or try to use them beyond their limits, they can snap or the metal hooks at the ends can fall off. If that happens, it not only can threaten the integrity of your load but also given the rubber band nature of bungees, the bungees or metal hooks themselves can present a hazard.
Ratchet Straps
For larger, heavier loads, ratchet straps are usually a better bet. Ratchet straps feature bands made from canvas or sometimes nylon. These bands are typically wider than and stronger than most bungee cords and are secured by buckles that usually are made from strong, reinforced steel.
As the name implies, ratchet straps also feature a ratchet that can be tightened either by hand — or, in some cases, mechanically — to better hold your payload in place.
Ratchet straps generally are used on flatbeds to secure such things as heavy machinery, lumber, pipes or rods, rolled steel, and other industrial materials.
But ratchet straps also can be used with cars and trucks to increase the safety and security of transported loads. For example, if you are going on vacation and want to strap your luggage to the rack on top of your car or SUV, a ratchet strap is generally safer and more reliable than bungee cords.