How To Inspect A Ratchet Strap For Damage
Published on 05/05/25
Imagine you’re loading up a trailer, everything’s in place, and your ratchet straps look fine from a distance. But halfway down the road, one fails. Not because of a mistake, but because of small damage that no one noticed until it was too late. That’s the kind of problem we can avoid with just a few extra minutes of attention.
Today, we will discuss something simple yet extremely important: taking care of your ratchet straps. We will examine how to identify wear, what causes it, and the small steps you can take that can significantly impact how long your ratchet straps last and how they perform when it matters most. Let’s begin.
Table of Contents
What Are Ratchet Straps?
Ratchet straps are the most commonly used fastener for cargo control applications in the United States due to their heavy-duty strength and reliable load security. They are made from polyester tie-down webbing, which provides great strength, durability, and minimal stretching.
Ratchet straps use ratchet hardware to tighten the excess webbing in place. This hardware utilizes a ratchet mechanism that flows in one direction and removes excess slack with every click of the ratchet handle. Most commonly, ratchet straps are made with hook hardware at each end of the webbing on the ratchet strap to latch into anchor points to secure your cargo.
Ratchet straps are available in four widths of webbing: 1 inch, 2 inch, 3 inch, and 4 inch. The size of the ratchet strap you need to use will depend on the weight of the cargo you are securing.
Once you know the weight of your cargo you can use a working load limit (WLL) to determine which strap is the best fit for your securement application. For further information on how working load limit ratings are used check out our blog post on What is a Working Load Limit?
Why You Should Inspect Ratchet Straps?
Ratchet straps securely hold cargo during transport from one destination to another and help prevent shifting or damage. Over time, regular use can cause damage from wear and tear, such as frayed webbing, cuts along the webbing, burn marks, discoloration, or even damage from mold. This is why it is crucial to inspect ratchet straps for any signs of damage to ensure they are still safe to use during your next cargo securement application.
Damaged tie-down straps are unsafe and can cause cargo to shift, break, or fall off flatbed trailers during transport. This can result in cargo loss, equipment damage, fines for unsecured loads, and accidents that endanger other drivers. For professionals, it can also cause delays, upset customers, and negative reviews.
A quick visual check of the ratchet straps, hardware, and webbing can help prevent cargo damage and reduce the risk of injury. Always inspect your straps before and after each use to ensure they are safe for securing cargo. If you spot any indicators that the ratchet strap has become damaged you should immediately stop using it as it is unsafe and potentially even dangerous.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) mandates that straps meet specific safety standards, such as a readable working load limit (WLL) tag. Since inspections are a legal requirement for road use, failure to inspect your ratchet straps can result in fines, penalties, or accidents that can cause injuries to others.
How To Inspect Ratchet Straps For Damage
Always inspect ratchet straps before and after each use to ensure safe cargo securement. Damaged straps can fail during transport and create hazards for other drivers, especially on open-air trailers like flatbeds. Below, we’ve created a step-by-step guide to help identify any signs of damage to prevent you from using something potentially unsafe.
If you find any damage, it’s best to replace the strap immediately with a replacement ratchet strap or an entirely new ratchet strap to ensure safety.
Damage to Look For
• Check the Tag: Make sure the working load limit (WLL) identification tag is present and readable. Per the Department of Transportation (DOT), a missing or damaged tag means the strap isn’t road legal.
• Inspect the Webbing: Inspect the webbing for holes, tears, cuts, frays, burns, melting, mold, mildew, crushed areas, or UV degradation (discoloration) along the webbing. If you spot any of these issues along the webbing, the ratchet strap is unsafe and needs to be replaced.
• Examine the Stitching: Inspect the stitching along the webbing for any signs of fraying, broken stitches, loose threads, abrasion, or thinning in the stitched areas that indicate wear damage.
• Examine the Hardware: Check ratchets, buckles, and hooks for cracks, pits, corrosion, or distortion. Ensure they function smoothly.
| Category | Inspection Points | Details and Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Identification Tag | Presence and readability of the WLL tag | Must be intact per DOT guidelines; missing or damaged tags render the strap non-compliant. |
| Webbing Condition | Holes, tears, cuts, snags, embedded materials, burns, melting | Look for signs of UV degradation (discoloration, fading), mold, mildew, especially after moisture exposure. |
| Abrasive Wear | Excessive wear, crushed areas, and friction burns | Check for friction burns (blackened marks) or dragging damage from road contact. |
| Stitching Integrity | Broken or worn stitches in load-bearing splices | Ensure stitches are intact, as they are critical for load distribution. |
| Hardware Inspection | Cracks, pits, corrosion, distortion in ratchets, buckles, hooks | Ensure hardware functions smoothly; check for unusual wear patterns at contact points. |
| Functional Check | Smooth operation of the ratcheting mechanism | Test tightening and releasing to ensure no malfunction. |
How To Prevent Damage To Ratchet Straps
To prevent ratchet straps from becoming damaged, you can take several steps to extend their lifespan. The first tip is to properly store ratchet straps when not in use in a location that is out of direct sunlight, moisture, and away from sharp edges. Moisture can damage tie down webbing in the form of mold or mildew that can weaken the fibers over time.
Corner protectors provide a barrier between the ratchet straps’ polyester webbing and sharp metal edges that cause cuts or tears. Strap protectors can be a great investment for those transporting cargo often or those purchasing new ratchet straps frequently. We also have heavy-duty webbing blends and Cordura sleeves, which help to reduce areas of high friction or stain along the webbing.
If you see any visible damage act quickly to fix the issue and find the cause. Addressing it early may allow you to keep using the strap or replace the broken or damaged part of the ratchet strap using our replacement tie downs to fix the short end or long end instead of buying an entirely new ratchet strap. This can save you money and give you a strap that works like new with the same features as before.
If you are purchasing a replacement ratchet strap make sure the replacement strap has the same working load limit rating as the original to ensure you are not putting your cargo at risk by using a weaker replacement. You can compare the strength of the ratchet strap by referencing the working load limit rating tag found along the webbing.
Another way to prevent damage to the ratchet straps is to only place straps into storage that are entirely dry. This prevents moisture from forming mold and mildew which can damage the webbing by weakening the fibers and decreasing the working load limit. If you spot mold or mildew you should immediately stop using the ratchet strap and replace the damaged end with a replacement strap or an entirely new strap if the damage is on both the short and long ends of the ratchet strap.
Lastly, one of the best ways to prevent damage from occurring to your ratchet strap is by not overtightening the strap. Overtightening ratchet straps occurs when too much tension is applied during the tightening process, which can cause the strap to become damaged, the hardware to become bent, or even the ratchet strap to become jammed. Remember to follow the best practices when tightening and releasing your strap to keep it in good condition. You can reference our blog post on How To Use A Ratchet Strap With Step By Step Instructions*
How To Perform Ratchet Strap Preventative Maintenance
Inspecting your ratchet straps often and performing preventative maintenance as needed can go a long way in extending the product’s lifespan. Some of the best ways to perform maintenance on your ratchet straps include lubricating all the metal moving parts using WD40 to help clean and prevent rust from forming.
If lubrication gets on your polyester tie-down webbing, ensure you remove any residue quickly. Lubrication sprays can attract dirt, which might cause the strap to bind over time. If you notice your webbing has become dirty or covered in road grime, you can use a damp cloth to clean and wipe away any excess dirt off the webbing.
If you see fraying on the long end of the ratchet strap without hardware, use a lighter to melt and seal the webbing to stop it from fraying further. These are some of our best ratchet strap preventative maintenance tips that we recommend using to help get the most out of your tie down straps.
If you have any questions, you can contact our experts by calling us at 800-444-0956 or by using our Contact Us page at the top of the website. We look forward to helping you find the ideal ratchet straps that work best for your application needs.
