[jk999]

Can anyone recommend a decent set of heavy duty ratchet straps to hold  down a 600 litre ibc

[Splash & dash]

Can anyone recommend a decent set of heavy duty ratchet straps to hold  down a 600 litre ibc

It’s no good using heavy duty ratchet straps and connecting them to the tie down points on a van they arnt designed to hold weight like that and stop it moving .

[mike1986]

Saw these in costco the other day. They looked very strong

https://www.costco.co.uk/Tyres-Automotive/Automotive-Accessories/Car-Accessories/CAT-Ratchet-Tie-Downs-38-x-4876-cm-4-Pack/p/997973

[KS Cleaning]

Aldi sell decent ones from time to time. I take it it’s just to transport an IBC tank and not to use on a daily basis?

[Splash & dash]

All decent ratchet straps are rated by weight , ,1,1:5 3,5,10,15,20,25 ton rating cheapies in the supermarkets arnt rated at all . Theses are ok to hold a surf board on the roof rack but not suitable for water tanks holding hundreds of ltr of water .

[JandS]

Ratchet strap might not be weak link the tie down points might be......mine's rated 7.5 ton holding a 500 litre tank, one to stop it sliding forward and one to stop it sliding backward.....not sure what the tie off points are rated but would imagine at least 5 ton.....some days I only need about 350/400 litres so not too bothered and had no problem so far.
When not in use I always try and make sure tank is nearly empty.

[jk999]

Jands what straps do you use

[AuRavelling79]

I use a pair of 5 tonne straps for my 650L tank.

[KS Cleaning]

Your braking, cornering and steering will all be compromised if you are using an IBC tank in your van for window cleaning. They are only meant to be transported when full or empty.

[Ched]

While the straps are important they are only as strong as the weakest link - the tie downs.
Most standard tie downs are only rated at something like 50kg!!!! They are not designed to hold hundreds of kg - in the event of an accident the weight could be multiplied by 10 if not more!!

[dazmond]

Can anyone recommend a decent set of heavy duty ratchet straps to hold  down a 600 litre ibc

It’s no good using heavy duty ratchet straps and connecting them to the tie down points on a van they arnt designed to hold weight like that and stop it moving .

An IBC tank is more likely to explode in a crash due to the soft nature of the plastic which just might be safer...

I've seen loads of  valeting guys over the years with IBCs on wooden pallets in their vans with little orange straps holding them down!

[jk999]

I had a vivaro for ten years with a 1000 ltr ibc in it never had a problem,

[Splash & dash]

While the straps are important they are only as strong as the weakest link - the tie downs.
Most standard tie downs are only rated at something like 50kg!!!! They are not designed to hold hundreds of kg - in the event of an accident the weight could be multiplied by 10 if not more!!

At last a poster with some sense  well done that man , but as usual the majority will poo poo it and disagree with it , just hope they arnt involved in an accident .

[colin bird]

This is my view for what it's worth,get the tank fitted in a good quality metal cage and get it bolted properly to the chassis,that will be stronger and safer than ratchet straps connected to those metal loops fitted in the van floor
I feel if you have a 500l tank held by ratchet straps and your doing 50 on a dual carriage way and do an emergency stop,the half ton of water that is now trying to move forward and get in the cab with you will pop the metal loops and then you may be dead
Having said that lots of guys have used straps for years without issue,I just feel more confident with it bolted to chassis

[Jonny 87]

I broke my last anchor point that I tried to ratchet to. I must have overtightened the ratchet and it popped the weld on the metal loop. Was a bit of an eye opener to me how weak the anchor points are.

That being said though, many do this without issue,  I’ve even heard of crashes happening and the tank not moving an inch. Halfords sell good quality ratchet straps usually.

[Smudger]

Your braking, cornering and steering will all be compromised if you are using an IBC tank in your van for window cleaning. They are only meant to be transported when full or empty.

not if you baffle it.

These are always lively debates - a lot has to be said for what payload the van is and where you place the tank - if you have a bulk head and place the tank against it then straps will be more than good enough  - if mid van then I would always have a physical barrier as well as straps to stop the inertia

a steel frame suffers the same issues as straps - its the point of contact thats the issue a bolt through a floor panel is no safer than  the loading eye as the steel is weak and the contact area to small - plates are required for better spread of the pressure

Darran

[Stoots]

If you put a tank in a cage and didnt secure it then its just the same as a tank on its own but heavier, therefore the cage in itself doesnt do anything.

Its how its secured to the floor that counts, therefore i believe if you have strong enough straps and secure them with the same bolts and spreader plates you would do a cage then they could in theory be safer than a cage, its going to come down to what is stronger the straps or the welds on the frame....

[Splash & dash]

If you put a tank in a cage and didnt secure it then its just the same as a tank on its own but heavier, therefore the cage in itself doesnt do anything.

Its how its secured to the floor that counts, therefore i believe if you have strong enough straps and secure them with the same bolts and spreader plates you would do a cage then they could in theory be safer than a cage, its going to come down to what is stronger the straps or the welds on the frame....

This is interesting, ionics systems frames are designed to deform and go diamond shaped  in the event of a serious accident then the tank ruptures releasing the water taking the shock loading out of the tank and frame preventing ingress into the cab area if a bulk head is fitted , if no bulk head you will get very wet , have a look on YouTube the thatcham test videos are very good .

[windowswashed]

The welds are the strongest part, the weakest part is right at the edge of the weld, that is the weakest point of any joint.

Baffled tanks reduce the mass of water from sloshing around thus prevent weight being thrown around which changes the way the vehicle handles during transit. Baffles are just as important as securing a tank as  it's not just the weight we need to consider when driving but the way the water moves around.

Baffled tank secure in a full cage to take the maximum strength is better than just a base frame for any tank, it's obvious!

The more anchor points securing a cage the better as it's taking less strain on each anchor point. Anchor points are only as strong as the anchor, the bolt or ratchet strap and base plate below.  Every different part combined has different tensile strengths so it's only as strong as it's weakest point.

Bulk cargo plate behind the driver and passenger is a good preventative measure should a cage break free in transit during an accident as it may be the closest thing preventing you being squashed beyond recognition.

I use to be a welder and many times my welds were tested to Non destructive testing so I have one hundred percent confidence in my welds as they are scattered across the country holding up several steel erections.

[robert mitchell]

Ratchet strap might not be weak link the tie down points might be......mine's rated 7.5 ton holding a 500 litre tank, one to stop it sliding forward and one to stop it sliding backward.....not sure what the tie off points are rated but would imagine at least 5 ton.....some days I only need about 350/400 litres so not too bothered and had no problem so far.
When not in use I always try and make sure tank is nearly empty.

They wont be rated anywhere near 5 ton.