Tie down boomers

Iron Horse Racing

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Can an individual ( as opposed to a commercial ) still use the over center style boomers...... I was hauling a buddies car and he pointed out that he thought the over center boomers were no longer legal?????
 

barleyfarmer

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Far as I know they're still legal as long as they are tied or pinned shut as to not open.Buddy owns a truck shop and he said they quit forcing the ratcheting style because the road salt makes them damn unusable.
 

Polarblu

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Same here, good to go with a bit of wire to tie shut. Its a very common company policy to use the POS ratcheting crappy stupid waste of time screwball boomers, supposed to be idiot proof, but stupid does as stupid thinks........
 

teeroy

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Far as I know they're still legal as long as they are tied or pinned shut as to not open.Buddy owns a truck shop and he said they quit forcing the ratcheting style because the road salt makes them damn unusable.
it's not so much the road salt, but sand and debris jam up the ratchet system. most of the oil companies I work for do not allow the use of the old lebus loadbinders....has to be ratchets. the reason most hate them because they are too lazy to thread them back in and they seize, or never lubricate or clean the ratchet lever ball and spring. when they work they are a wonderful thing, I know a few guys that I respect in the industry for their experience and knowledge that have had broken arms and broken jaws from an over center boomer popping open. I owe it to my family to use the safest binding method available, and ratchets are exactly that.

over center boomers are still legal, and definitely have their advantage over ratchets in certain tie down situations.
 

Dragin

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Was chaining down pipe on my deck a few years back with a lebus over center style and a 1m pipe for a snipe. Was snowing and my gloves were wet. As I was trying to get it tight the pipe slipped and the dam thing launched my snipe clear across to the other side of the yard! I never put my face or body in the swing path but they still make me nervous if I have to use them. There's a lot of force there. But sometimes there's not enough room to ratchet the other style.
 

S.W.A.T.

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My dad still uses some one his trucks but yes most compaines have gone away from them due to injuries. Just about lost my head once too when the snipe slipped out.
 

RMK Junky

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The ban on over center boomers was brought in by the major oil companies (Shell, Conoco, Encana, etc) because of flying snipes and broken jaws. Safety thrives on stupidity. No different that banning hoodies. I still use then when I can but usually non oilfield related. For ones own personel use you can use what ever you want...just keep it tight :)
 

Cyle

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The ban on over center boomers was brought in by the major oil companies (Shell, Conoco, Encana, etc) because of flying snipes and broken jaws. Safety thrives on stupidity. No different that banning hoodies. I still use then when I can but usually non oilfield related. For ones own personel use you can use what ever you want...just keep it tight :)

I have seen people who can't even figure out either style. Stand there and are perplexed on how to work it. Same people could also not use a ratchet strap.....Hooked the ratchet end, then pulled it backwards and tied a knot on the other end(left the hook hanging unused), and wondering why he couldn't get it tight.....mmmmm.

I use either style. Not a fan of snipes, no reason to use them in most cases.

It's about as stupid as banning utility knifes that don't self retract......
 

Iron Horse Racing

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Thanks for info, ours are all old enough they dont have a locking pin, but we always have a roll of hay wire in the trailer, we tie the boomer and any extra chain....

Have never lost a load or had a boomer come off.....were always hauling out of fields so always stop and check when I get to the road. I have had my share of slips trying to close them, you learn you always lean with one leg in front to brace if you slip.....

Darn kids took the snip out of the trailer once and wound up using a racket srarp to help pull the boomer closed, that must have looked pretty stupid, but it got the job done...
 

teeroy

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I don't miss the over center boomers. got bone chips in both my elbows from not ensuring the chains were slack free when closing the boomers and my elbows smashing against the frame rail of the trailer when the chain popped loose. my own fault, but it still sucks.
 

Beels

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it's not so much the road salt, but sand and debris jam up the ratchet system. most of the oil companies I work for do not allow the use of the old lebus loadbinders....has to be ratchets. the reason most hate them because they are too lazy to thread them back in and they seize, or never lubricate or clean the ratchet lever ball and spring. when they work they are a wonderful thing, I know a few guys that I respect in the industry for their experience and knowledge that have had broken arms and broken jaws from an over center boomer popping open. I owe it to my family to use the safest binding method available, and ratchets are exactly that.

over center boomers are still legal, and definitely have their advantage over ratchets in certain tie down situations.

My old man ko'ed himself one day with an over center boomer. When I started hauling equipment he stressed over and over how dangerous they could be and that probably saved me from the same thing.
 

cjay

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they re still legal as long as you use a boomer lock they re like 5 bucks
also must use at least 4 points of securement
this can be done with two chains but tipically 4 and cross chaining is always a addded benifit

cheers
 

polaris011

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i have a two inch scare over my right eye from a snipe snapping off of a over center boomer when i used to drive truck ...came about a half inch from losing an eye over the deal
 
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