Sorry, but the DOT are the ones being obtuse. In their eyes, no number of bungees is acceptable. A milk crate on the catwalk secured with 100 brand new bungees is still a violation.

Once again, this goes back to consistent enforcement across all states and applicable to all kinds of trucks. I don’t mind whatever rules they want to implement as long as they write every truck (whether reefer, van, open deck or any other configuration) a ticket for non-compliance. As long as we’re on an even playing field, I don’t mind playing the game. I’ve seen some extremely dangerous things on trucks, including large items sitting completely unsecured on catwalks and even dunage and spare tires laying unsecured on a flatbed. I wouldn’t mind using straps instead of bungees to secure a tarp to my headache rack, but there is nothing in the regs or load securement handbook listing anything smaller than 1 ¾” straps as a securement device and the smallest commonly available size of 2” seems a bit like overkill for the job. This would be a great opportunity for some enterprising manufacturer to make 1/2” wide and 4’ to 6’ long straps with a stamped WLL so they would be considered a proper load securement device by the DOT. I’m thinking about buying some small straps and getting a stamping set and marking them with a WLL myself. Problem solved.

I thought I wrote "tarp" and not "milk crate". My bad!

The regs have a whole list of rope sizes and WLLs. What the heck is rope legally used to secure beside (unrolled) tarps?

Why isn't my 1" straps with 400 lb. WLL legal for dunnage? I figure if it has the WLL marking it is legal right?

The regs would seem to indicate that anything with a stamped WLL is a legal load securement device. I’ve looked on-line and can’t seem to find any one inchers with a WLL stamped on them. I think I’d stick with my standard 4” straps for securing dunage. The sliding winches are more convenient, at least for me than using a ratchet strap, but I’d have no problem using them for my tarps.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]995[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]994[/ATTACH]this could amuse you blokes ,in N.Z logs or timber is only allowed to be restrained by chains each chain to be more than maximin of half the wieght of the load,in the case of logs if they are not more than 1foot in your measurement over the staunchen you must have a belly strop also chain ,look at this.hope it worked other 1 is our railways log cartage ,over roads across roads and alongside roads,and 1 load binder only 2.5 ton rated. police paid by same goverment that owns railways.lol try another railway pic[ATTACH=CONFIG]996[/ATTACH]

From what I read, and the way I understand it, I would use a couple of 2-inch straps to secure the tarps to the headache rack. Probably use a couple of old ones that are frayed in the middle and shorten them just for the tarps. Might take a few minutes longer to secure them, but less chance of spending more time behind a weigh station. I've had tarps that covered an entire oversized load, and they weigh in at several hundred pounds. Takes two good men to lift them. Sure did not want to be putting them back myself.

Not the point. Rolled up tarp or milk crate or a bag of salt is all the same diff. It's all "cargo" and it doesn't matter how little it weighs or many bungees you put on it.