We all have pulled over to check our tie downs only to find them loose or missing. Most tie down manufacturers state on their packaging that the load should be checked every 20 to 50 miles.
Under the movement of your load the webbing can stretch and become loose or pop off. Because your tie downs are always under tension, when you drive over a speed bump or a pothole on a road several things can contribute to your tie down becoming loose or flying off.
The springs on your equipment, trailer and vehicle all flex when you hit a bump and with a tight tie down something has to give and that often is your tie down. What happens is your webbing will flex causing slack and when your load shifts, it stretches the strap further. Or worse, the hooks pop off and your strap is left on the side of the road. (this is why you see straps in the street).
Even when you tie below your shocks or springs on your UTV or ATV you are still dealing with the air pressure of your tires which are typically under 5lbs of pressure and act like a giant marshmallow, compressing and flexing over every bump. This can cause the strap to start to stretch or pop off.
ShockStraps are different. Our tie downs use high quality polyester webbing and have a built in ShockStrap in the tie down. We do not need to tell you to pull over every 20 to 50 miles or at any time to check your load. All we ask is that you stretch the ShockStrap to over ½ inch or more to engage them. Your load is now secure for the duration of your trip.
As I stated in the blog about strap material differences, while this is useful to keep the strap snug as possible, you want to make sure you DO NOT Over-tighten the strap as it can reduce the straps useful life and put under premature full load. To add to this fact one must not use this for more than recommended load rating as you can run into other unforeseen issues, doubly not recommended from my point of view as an experienced transport logistic driver. these while useful for more than 1500 pounds max stated, they are most useful for light loads and seeing the new tightening system is made from urethane, it still can be used commercially for loads of that max weight with commercial grade straps of web width it is made for.
Still and to keep this comment short as possible, Do Not use if noticeable damage (cuts, abrasions, stretching of webs) to any component (ratchet is not working properly be it not tightening or loosening or twisted, DO Toss in Recycling, Do Not Toss in the Trash) of the strap. If whenever possible, go by the method of strapping a vehicle with three or more wheels like done now a days via the tires themselves to minimize undue strain on vehicle shocks, struts, or other drive train components and always keep an eye on your load if visible and if not otherwise visible DO inspect straps every few hundred or less miles per manufacturer recommendations, whether using the shockstrap or not.
This is all for here, for now, check my opinion on the other blog for more if still interested in what I have to offer.