bungees or ratchets whats the go

tea spoon · Senior Member

bungees or ratchets whats the go

diggerop · Senior Member

www.ntc.gov.au/sites/default/files/assets/files/Load-Restraint-Guide-for-light-vehicles-2018.pdf

No mention of bungees for load restraint.

dogbox · Guru

bungees with metal hooks can be very dangerous next person to lose an eye or rip a big gash in flesh won't be the first

smwhiskey · Senior Member

Regardless of whether bungees are legal or not, I'd use ratchets whenever you can. Bungee cords can/will flex and you may find your load bouncing up and down on the rack. But you could probably get away with bungees for short, low speed trips.

Can remember many years ago a mate damaging his surf board driving to the Gold Coast because the bungee cord flexed, the board lifted in the wind and the bungee slammed it back down onto the roof rack...multiple times.

Simon

Whenarewethere · Guru

Don't use bungees they are an OH&S issue. I use the ratchet type (put half a twist in the webbing to stop noise) or I do a truckers knot, very easy.

hufnpuf · Senior Member

dogbox wrote:
bungees with metal hooks can be very dangerous next person to lose an eye or rip a big gash in flesh won't be the first

There was a fatality with a trolley boy struck in an artery in his neck when a bungee came loose. They stopped using bungees on the shopping trolleys after that awful incident. If you look at them, the elastic isn't very well secured to the hook. Easy to come adrift. The webbing on a ratchet is wound through and sewn down, much better attachment. The webbing isn't going to suddenly come apart from the ratchet.

Safety is your first priority.

Mike Harding · Guru

I agree about the dangers of bungee cords although I do use a couple for the lightweight job of keeping empty water containers in place.

The only problem with ratchet straps is that unless you can find some made in Western countries then they'll no doubt come from China and God alone knows what sort of crap they have used for the webbing. Perhaps there is something to be said for rope?

tea spoon · Senior Member

Mike Harding wrote:
I agree about the dangers of bungee cords although I do use a couple for the lightweight job of keeping empty water containers in place.
The only problem with ratchet straps is that unless you can find some made in Western countries then they'll no doubt come from China and God alone knows what sort of crap they have used for the webbing. Perhaps there is something to be said for rope?

yer never thought of rope wonder if its ok to use i have plenty .......however the stuff going on the roof rack will be the [tent its not to heavy] also a aluminium slat table.... a sleeping bag..... a stretcher...... a bag folding chair..........all the other small bit of stuff will be in the car boot

Clarky 1 · Senior Member

If the load can be moved then it is not secure and your vehicle and its load do not comply.

Most people would know that a bungee cord is not a secure method of securing a load.

If a copper or a transport officer can move the load or even at times if they dont like the look of it you may be made to re secure the load.

We used ropes for most of my career on the road but now the trend is for ratchet straps and similar. Dogs and chains are very secure provided friction factors are adhered to.
There is a lot more to a secure load than a rope being thrown over an object and tied on to the carrying vehicle. Friction and strap angles are important requirements and need to be understood and observed. The actual configuration of the vehicle with regard to load racks, sides and enclosures has a bearing on what is deemed to be safe and what is not.

I have read the regulations and I did not see any mention of bungee cords but I am a big believer of not attracting any unwanted attention to you or your vehicle.

Using a bungee cord is asking for trouble not only from the law but from the result of an unsecured load.

FFS an object falling off a moving vehicle can kill someone.

Keep the bungee cord for the shade cloth and use ratchet straps or rope if you truly have the skills to actually securely tie something onto the vehicle with that rope.

Craig1 · Guru

Big no no to bungee, got clobberd once with a loose end. Maybe consider a net over all that stuff with a couple of ratchets , or ropes over the net. Bit of a double bandaid, but the nothing can fall off.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

G'day Tea Spoon,

I would only ever use ropes or ratchets to tie loads down on anything. That's Ratchet Straps, not, Nurse Ratchet.

Keep Safe out there.

KevinJ · Senior Member

Give the bungy cord to a Kiwi backpacker.

Corndoggy · Senior Member

Had used bungee straps for a long time in the past, never had one break or let go. Any sign of wear or fatigue they got put in the bin. Forward to today. Though I have some on the rear drawers they stay there waiting for an emergency but that's only after I've used all the straps in there as well. I doubt that the quality of bungee straps made today is anywhere like they were 30 years ago. I carry some rope in the draws as well but for emergency. The laws around straps changed a while ago and anything used was to be in good condition and have a load rating tag on it. Better spending the money buying straps than then money going on a fine, if you ever get picked up on it. Next to no chance of coping a hook the the head from a webbing strap like you could from a bungee strap.

TimTim · Guru

tea spoon wrote:
goodaye all ...is it legal to bungee strap camping things of not heavy weight but a bit bulky to the roof rack on the car or do i need ratchet straps......i have both items of strapping for when the weather warms to go away ....but would like to be legal in SA.where im from .......

Without searching into the relevant legislation it will only tell you that any load you carry has to be secured. It will not tell you how to sercure it but in the end it is your responsibility to ensure it is secure. So technically you could legally use bungee straps and not fall foul of the law but the question is why take the chance.

The forces on your load, whether it be a heavy or light load, are multiplied numerous times when you are moving. Bungee straps are elasticated and no matter how tight you pull them they are liable to stretch further under the forces when you are moving. Ropes and ratchet straps have very give when tightend so are much more suitable.

Just remember once you have secured your load it doesnt hurt to add a another strap or two just to be sure.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Wheel, fuel tanks & sand tracks are bolted down. I have used a bungee on the 2 wingnuts which bolt the sand tracks down. Only with a very light tension to stop by wingnuts coming undone. It is overkill but another line of defence to stop things coming loose.

The bolt for the wheel has a spring pin through the end so there is no chance the bolt works loose.

Fuel tanks have over centre clips, then a rod locking the 4 clips, then the rod has a spring pin locking it. To date nothing has worked lose.

Ivan 01 · Guru

I trust you have complied with the load rating on that roof rack and that it is securely affixed to the car.

4 Jerry Cans, a road wheel and tyre an aerial and the traction plates plus the weight of the extra frame and the rack would be getting close I would imagine.

The stainless bolts and overlocks would add up to a kilo or two.

Whenarewethere · Guru

It's why I swapped a roof platform for 4 crossbars reducing mass by 16kg. Fuel tanks are 10L & when full with petrol weigh 9kg (petrol specific gravity is about 0.74). The tank holders are half the weight of steel holders. The bar to attach the wheel is aluminium 5083 alloy drilled to reduce its weight. The roof rails I have strengthened with some 5083 alloy. The over centre clips are 48grams +/- 2grams (just this week calibrated with professional scales).

smwhiskey · Senior Member

tea spoon wrote:
yer never thought of rope wonder if its ok to use i have plenty .......however the stuff going on the roof rack will be the [tent its not to heavy] also a aluminium slat table.... a sleeping bag..... a stretcher...... a bag folding chair..........all the other small bit of stuff will be in the car boot

Gees I'd be tempted to use a rooftop bag. Chunk all the little stuff in and strap it down once. Provide a bit of protection from the weather too.

Simon

Whenarewethere · Guru

Ivan 01 wrote:
... an aerial ...

It's a 2.4 metre sand flag which normally lives in the car.

hufnpuf · Senior Member

Corndoggy wrote:
I doubt that the quality of bungee straps made today is anywhere like they were 30 years ago.

I don't know what they were like years ago, but the ones you can buy now are not very robust. I had a little one I used on my towbar just to hold the "stuff" (plugs and chains) off the ground in the driveway. It basically "dissolved" over less than 6 months.

Whenarewethere · Guru

The aluminium 5083 alloy I used was ancient material I had which was made in Australia, not the rubbish imported from China.

Clarky 1 · Senior Member

Some people should just get a ute with lockable boxes in the back.

The best grade of alloy in the world wont prevent the disaster if the rack and its load does not comply. disbelief

Whenarewethere · Guru

A ute will not fit in our inner city garage so I will look to buy another property with a larger garage. Already bought one Unit to get a garage.