How To Release A Jammed Ratchet Strap?
Due to improper operation, your ratchet strap will get jammed sometimes. Today, we are here to analyze the possible reasons that cause this problem and find the solution for it.
There are three obvious reasons to cause the ratchet strap to get jammed:
- Not open the ratchet completely, there is still some part of the gear locked.
- Too much strap wrapped on the spool
- The ratchet strap is old and rusty
The ratchet strap isn’t open completely
During transportation, the mechanism of the load strap is fully closed and when you unload the cargo, you need to open the ratchet completely and make it as a “flat” status, see below photo. then you can freely pull the strap out of the ratchet.
First, press the “button” on the mechanism and start to open the ratchet
Then, swing the handlebar up and down until it is in a flat status
Now, the webbing can be released
Too much Strap wrapped on the spool of ratchet strap
Look at these two pictures, one has too many straps on it, another one has appropriate straps on it. why it has too much, that may because you do not pull the slack out of the ratchet before tightening.
Overloaded ratchet strap will cause
- Couldn’t fix the ratchet strap tightly and the cargo you secured isn’t safe.
- Even it seems to be locked, but it may release during transportation.
- The extra strap may push the “button”, there is a risk of loosening the ratchet.
The ratchet strap is old and rusty and can move smoothly
If you are using an old ratchet strap and it is very dirty and rusty, the mechanism may not work. You can not tighten or loosen the strap.
Now you need to inject some lubricating oil on the surface of the “button” and gear and try to move it up and down to lose the ratchet.
If the tie-down cargo straps still don’t work, you can consider ratchet straps in Webslingness, click here to see more types.
