Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott in Michigan
In the Straptek system, how do you control the rate of release? The ratcheting system makes it incremental when you're tensioning, but what about when releasing tension on the straps? Scott
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It is extremely easy and simple. I will preface this with what I used when I still had mine; a long handle, 1/2" drive ratchet wrench with the proper size socket (I have forgotten the size of the socket, since I no longer have that setup). So you are getting ready to release the tension on one of the StrapTek winches. Set the ratchet wrench to the position as if you were going to tighten or apply more tension to the spring bars. You also want the have the handle positioned so that as you start releasing the tension, you can easily control the tension. Push down on the wrench handle just enough to release the locking mechanism on the StrapTek winch. Slowly start easing the tension off and continue until the wrench handle gets to a position that it might be hard to control. At that point, release the spring loaded latch lock and let it lock into place again (it is still hold tension of the spring bar at this point). Once it's locked again, simply ratchet the wrench handle around to the same position as when you started (so you can control it), push down just enough to release the StrapTek locking mechanism and then slowly release more of the spring bar tension. Repeat until there is no more spring tension on the spring bars. Go to the other side and follow the exact same procedure. If you are using a ratchet wrench, you will have to reverse the direction of it via the little know or whatever your ratchet wrench uses to change from tightening to loosening. Once you get used to the procedure and how it works, you can safely and easily disconnect from the trailer in less than a minute......AND.......no fear of the wrench getting away from you and causing injury.........like the original B.O. can do when the "cam" rolls over Top Dead Center and the tension is released all at once, in about 3 milliseconds.
And I might add, using the StrapTek system no longer required that you use the Tongue Jack to raise the hitch and trailer in order to get the proper number of chains hooked up, since there is no longer any chains to deal with. You simply back the truck up to the trailer, lower the trailer onto the ball and lock the trailer hitch, hook up the StrapTek "J" hooks to the spring bars and winch them up to the proper tension on both sides.
One of the things I did when I had mine was BEFORE removing the B.O. system, I hooked up to the trailer, tensioned the springbars, then took a measurement to determine the distance from the end of the springbar to the "A" arm of the trailer tongue. Write it down on a piece of paper. Once you change them out and have the StrapTeks on the trailer, simply winch the springbars up so that you get that same measurement that you wrote down. That, takes all the guess work out of it and you are ready to go...........that is, if you had the proper tension settings originally.