How to Secure Cargo in a Pickup Truck
There are certain situations where you will need to know how to secure cargo in a pickup truck. Here are some of them:
- That new leather couch you bought for your living room needs to get home somehow.
- Your new DIY home renovation project may require transporting large tools or other large materials.
- It may be time to upgrade and move out of that tiny studio apartment, but you don’t have enough belongings to need a moving truck.
Why it is Important to Secure Cargo in a Pickup Truck
When transporting cargo in the back of a pickup truck, you run the risk of damaging or losing the contents during the drive. To protect your items and keep other drivers safe, secure all cargo using a ratchet tie down. If you are filling the whole bed of your truck, use more than one tie-down.
How to Use a Ratchet Tie Down
Most trucks are made with tie-down points. Some come in the form of post holes built into the truck bed and some come as D-rings (pictured below). However the tie-down point comes, this particular tie-down will fit into most of them. The ratchet tie-down is tightened to secure your cargo.
After loading the bed of your truck, take the end of the tie-down and put into the anchor points found in your truck. Then loop the tie-down across the top of your cargo, insert the tip of the nylon strap into the slot of the cylindrical metal center piece, and pull all the slack through the slot before tightening the ratchet.
To tighten, open and close the alligator-like metal piece until your belongings are tightened securely. To release the ratchet, open the ratchet handle as far as it will go while holding the ratchet catch fully retracted – refer to the instructions on the ratchet packaging to fully understand how it works. Refer to the pictures below.
Keep in mind that there are other methods of securing cargo in a pickup truck. Try using some other tie-down and retention systems such as tarps, cargo nets, bungee cords, cam straps and rope. These materials can be found here.