Truth about lasso straps

Haven't heard any negatives about them, used to use them when I drove a rollback wrecker. But for transport I think I prefer over-the-tire straps myself.

 

Over the tire with cleats obviously the preferred choice.
Lasso straps can be OK as long as you are not going through the rim.
If you are concerned & your trailer does not accommodate over the tire, look into basket straps.

 

Lasso straps, unless done exactly right, can allow vehicles to rock back and forth. When packing multiple vehicles tightly on a trailer this can lead to rubbing between the vehicles and damage.

In a crash involving tip over or roll over lasso straps frequently allow the vehicle to separate from the trailer.

Axle straps applied with the proper forward/rearward opposing pull is a much more secure way to prevent rubbing between vehicles and maintain control in a crash. However, laso straps are much quicker and easier so most people opt for what looks like it is going to work rather than take the extra time and effort to use something that actually does work.

Over the tire 3 point straps are a great solution providing very good crash retention and good limiting of rocking if your trailer is of a design to accommodate them. (But you said yours is not) I have seen a couple guys run 2 or 3 rows of "E" track all the way down their trailer so they can use the 3 point over the tire straps with the "E" track hooks. You just drive right up on it, hook in and strap. Looked like it worked very well.

 

Out of all of the Lasso straps I see being used on the highway, I would guess 90% are incorrectly fastened.

 

LOL... Exactly!

99% of the time I use 3 point over the tire but I do carry a set of lasso straps for the very odd occasion that I can't correctly use the 3 point. Just by coincidence, today, (now) for the first time in several months is 1 of those times.

Later, when I have time I'll set up the straps correctly and incorrectly take some pics and explain why each is what it is and get it all posted.

 

Is this the correct use of lasso straps?

 

I don't have any pics to post but most of what I see wrong centers around these issues, strapping though the wheel, strapping around the tire with the "ring" in the center of wheel with a "gap" , pulling straps in the same direction.

Most of this is just logical, but I see far to many people with the ring in the center pulling straight down to side of trailer, problem with that is it allows to the vehicle to roll back and forth on braking acc. Also allows strap to walk down the tire.

What I have always done is to move the slip ring to the edge of the tire tread and then double the strap back over itself, pulling back (on the front wheel) at about a 45 degree angle, which does a couple of things, first it keeps the "lasso" TIGHT around the tire, enough so that you will get a slight bulge where it bites into the tire, secondly it keeps the metal ring off the rim or hubcap, thirdly it gives you a down angle to strap but not straight down, so it pulls two ways, It also keeps the strap from walking off the tire.

Lasso straps were never really designed to be used on a flatbed setup, there were originally used to go around the top of the tire and just hold the tire into the "recess" or between the rollers on a wheel lift.

With all of that said, keep something in mind, you CAN damage suspension parts on some lighter vehicles with lasso straps, suspensions are not really designed to be held in full forward or rearward tension, they are designed to move up and down, not sideways, baskets are better, but NOTHING beats over the tread straps!!!! JMHO.