How to use ratchet tie down?

January 25, 2009 2:47 PM

I'm using 2 ratchet tie downs to move a queen boxspring and mattress on the roof of my 4 door car. I think I understand how to thread and tighten the ratchet, but what do I attach the hooks to?

Wanted to tie the ratchet to itself but the hooks make it too hard. What am I supposed to attach them to?

posted by secretsecret to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

Attach the hooks together (to each other) in the middle of your car. You CAN attach them to something else, but if so, make sure that thing is REALLY secure.
posted by Aquaman at 2:53 PM on January 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

+1 on Aquaman. Tie it around the top and through the car with the hooks linking into each other inside the car. I would not go through the window only because being able to close the door onto the straps will make them that much more secure. Others will say to go through the window. They are not wrong, just a different point of view. Use one for the front window and one for the rear seat windows.

Consider using an additional tie down to go from the front bumper to the rear bumper. While driving, wind will try to get under the mattress. This will help fight the sail effect.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 3:01 PM on January 25, 2009

I agree with Johnny gun except I would change his "consider a front tie down" to "absolutely 1005 use a front tie down, no exceptions, and consider a back one as well". There will be a hook somewhere under the front of your car to attach it to (don't tie ti to the bumper or the plastic fairing).
posted by fshgrl at 7:54 PM on January 25, 2009

How long is this journey, what kind of car do you have, and how many and of what variety of strap do you have? We need to know this.

You could attach the straps to the underside of the car -- a frame or support element. Don't hook them to brake or gas lines, although given your level of understanding it may be tempting.

Inside the trunk, inside the engine bay, there are often areas to hook things.
posted by luckypozzo at 10:40 PM on January 25, 2009

I've done it, just tied down with straps held in place by front & back doors. The front straps were very far forward; I prob tied them to the door hinge (using cord, not bungee), but have since carried similarly sized furniture (bookcase, etc) just looping the tie-downs around each other at the interior ceiling of the passenger compartment.

If the mattress doesn't stick forward of the roof (which it shouldn't, because it could obscure driver's vision), no danger of flying upwards.
posted by IAmBroom at 9:41 AM on January 26, 2009