How to Release Ratchet Straps Without Damaging Your Cargo

Published on 09/04/13

It’s a scenario that all too many business owners have worried about: You arrive with your inventory at your customer’s door and now it’s time to release ratchet straps in order to unload your cargo. But how do you do it without damaging the cargo that you worked so hard to transport? This is not the time to learn how to work ratchet straps, however, many individuals forget to learn how to release ratchet straps safely. By following these easy steps, you’ll be a pro in no time.

If you are strapping items down on a flatbed trailer, inside of a moving van or even onto the rack of a car, there are some important steps to follow to ensure that nothing will be damaged during the unloaded process.

When releasing the latch located in the center assembly of the ratchet, be sure that you pull the other side of the strap all the way out of the drum. The easiest way to do this is to hold the ratchet assembly in one hand while pulling the whole piece toward you. This motion will make the drum spin, helping the strap unroll along the way.

If you have correctly set up the ratchet straps and avoided over tightening them during the fastening process, then you shouldn’t have any trouble releasing the straps from the ratchet hold. For those who regularly experience problems with this, make sure that you aren’t twisting up the strap when initially rolling it up into the assembly, and make sure that you are using the right size strap as well. When you start out with a ratchet that is set up the right way, it will be much faster and much easier to unload your items safely at your customer’s location.