Load Question

If something has a load capacity of 300 pounds, can you over tighten a ratchet strap and exceed that amount of force? If something weighed 250, would you need to factor the pressure and tightness of your tie down into that capacity? Just curious, don't want to overtighten and bust a bed cleat.

 

The my factory cleats tie into the frame. Ive put real pressure on the cleat and not close to pulling one out. If you are worried add more cleats, there is a “Mod” for this.

 

The weight of what you are tying down as it relates to the ratchet strap would only factor in if you were suspending it. Otherwise you are talking about separate forces.

 

Cleats is the term typically used for the movable ones that are in the bed rails.

D Rings are what the ones that are in the bed floor are called.

I suspect you are speaking of D rings?

You can also put a fairly reasonable load on the bed rails and handle lots of every day stuff. Just no where near what the D rings will hold.

 

This thread has some good info on weight capacity of the factory bed rails:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ed-rail-weight-capacity.557693/#post-18211767

I personally wouldn't trust it that much, which is why I installed bed D-rings. Info found in this thread. Follow the link in the post by @tonered

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bed-tie-down-on-2018.530449/#post-16977065

 

Basically just wondering if overtightening straps can damage the rail cleats, I guess.

 

I doubt you would be able to damage the cleats within the limits of the straps / buckles themselves. I would spread the load across 4 cleats instead of just 2, if you are really strapping something in there that tight........

 

OK, fair enough. I have put mucho pressure on the bed d-rings. I really don’t use the cleats for anything more than to bungee a gas can in the bed.

 

You can easily put enough pressure on a cleat to collapse a bicycle front suspension with no issue.

Just have to give a bit of thought to what you are using them for.

 

Basically I was moving a queen mattress & box spring and my ratchets were too short to reach D rings so I used front cleats and the metal hooks the tailgate connects to. I wasn't sure how tight I needed to strap them down and didn't want to force it and break something. New to truck world.

 

Here ya go man. If you need help just ask! https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/levers-d_1304.html

 

If it were me, and to feel at ease on highway.
I'd bring whatever load you are attaching to this device to 50-60% of the capacity it can handle. Then the remaining 50-40% can be for external forces, such as wind or items moving around.
Remember even if a rack has a capacity of 300 lb carrying capicity, its only as "secure" and safe as the capacity of the attachment points, d-rings, bolts, or rivots, etc.

 

I don't know. You can crank on those ratcheting straps pretty hard.