| By :
Mark Etinger
Although the purpose of rules is to make things less complicated, they can sometimes do the opposite-- especially if technical government jargon is involved. If you're a truck driver, the last thing you need is some Town Car driving bureaucrat to tell you how to do your job. Everyone knows that load securement is important; no one wants to be the poor guy standing on the side of the highway with his load scattered across the road for miles. The official rules are complicated and get more complicated everyday; and to many experienced drivers they have little to do with reality. But unfortunately, it's the law to follow them, no matter how much we may disagree. There are many intricacies to direct and indirect truck tie downs. The old standards of working load limits, tensile strength, and "the weakest link" that have worked for decades, even centuries, no longer meet government standards. First off, the rule according to the DOT handbook states that you must have half of the weight of your load in tie down strength. This refers to the holding power of your winch straps, rachet straps, load binders, truck tie downs and other important items used for cargo securement. Here's how to make sure your next load is secured according to the law: 1) First off, the bigger chains the better off you are as they are much more capable of holding larger loads. Your best bet is half inch chains. Anything smaller just wouldn't do the job and anything bigger would be really heavy and hard to work with. 2) In the rear of the load, try 2 half inch chains and load binders crossed. This is so the load doesn't move sideways in either direction. You do it at an angle so the load doesn't shift and go forward when you hit the brakes. 3) The chains should have grab hooks on the trailer side and should be attached through a D-Ring that's attached to the trailer. D rings are great because they're rated at 10,000 lbs. 4) On the load side, having slip hooks on the chains to connect to the D-rings really come in handy. 5/8 Slip hooks fit nicely with a half-inch chain. 5) Chain positioning is really important. Many drivers prefer to have chain going through the rub rail, around the chain spool, and back under the stake pocket, finally hooking it. (Make sure you're cross-chaining again to keep your load from moving sideways or backwards.) You should also do it this way, because the chain is stronger than the standard trailer connect spots. It may take more time to do it this way, but if you get in a wreck you don't have to worry about the trailer connects and stake pockets becoming loose. This is also done because if there's slack in your chain for any reason, the hook won't come out. All in all, your best bet is to read the DOT handbook or get someone to translate the jargon for you. One key thing to remember is that half of your load weight must be in tie-downs. Invest in some quality truck tie downs and use them properly to ensure you're following proper regulations.
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