Tie your sleds down properly

[Cat401]

cruising into a riding area in late spring, doing maybe 20kms an hour (Maybe, probably less) when we fell through an ice bridge and came to a stop. Not even going fast, no impact, no damage to truck or anything else and BOTH super clamps snapped like half inch twigs.... I was so disgusted in the strength of both clamps that I refuse to use them again. 4 ratchet tie downs per sled is BARE MINIMUM....
Thats the hole that stopped us, and what both clamps looked like.

Did you ever contact Superclamp about this? Curious as to their response & or solution. I recall having heard stories where a truck has rolled (I could be wrong) and the sleds where still in place with only superclamps holding them in place. Why would yours break like sticks when others hold the sleds in tact in a collision? Is there a quality control issue? A lot of people depend on Superclamps and I for one am concerned to see this.

It would be great if Randall or someone from Superclamp chimed in on this......

 

[Ushkie]

front superclamp is not 2 points of tiedown, It locks into one bolt that is in your deck.

 

[meierjn]

Think I might use the old metal superclamps I have. I always assumed if you didn't tie the back of the sled down, it would swing around and smack in the wall of the trailer, hit the sled next to it or worse.

I have a set of the metal ones as well. Cleaned them up and painted them this fall and their still going strong. Its too bad they still don't make these.

 

[TylerG]

front superclamp is not 2 points of tiedown, It locks into one bolt that is in your deck.

BC DOT nazi's don't have an issue with them, they have to be within the rules & regs.

 

[ferniesnow]

front superclamp is not 2 points of tiedown, It locks into one bolt that is in your deck.

If you have one hook in the floor (like a D-hook and two straps to the skis, is that one point of tie down?

As Tyler says, "DOT in BC does not have a problem with the front SuperClamp being two points of tie down."

 

[Himark]

two things that may have happened in your case. 1) superclamp d ring or the mount in the deck is too far back having the spindles either touching or close to touching. they should be mounted in the middle between ski loop and spindle. even if the back was tied down and you came to an unexpected stop the sled could move forward a bit. i broke a new superclamp just like that and i had them mounted tight to the spindle thinking it was best. hit a washout bigger than i thought and came to a stop in a hurry, same slow speed, maybe 30km/r. i have since been running them with space and no issues. 2) rear not secured or at least not well. again, i said MAY.

i beat the living **** out of my decks. i advertise my sleds on my truck. have been for two years. (dealer) one sled or another is on my deck all winter long. no joke. i use a cable lock for the rear. i live in an area where theft is almost a certainty. sad.

in an accident, i don't think any tie down is gonna hold a sled down.

to those giving the OP a hard time. its more about having your ducks in a row IN CASE of an incident. 3 points is legal, less is not. no need to give dot a bone.

 

[08summit]

Its great everyone is concerned how well the sleds are secured to the deck but how many people secure the deck to the truck properly?
I see lots of decks secured to the "D rings" in the box with turnsbuckles....In a head on collision what's the odds these are going to hold?

 

[~Rowdy~]

Its great everyone is concerned how well the sleds are secured to the deck but how many people secure the deck to the truck properly?
I see lots of decks secured to the "D rings" in the box with turnsbuckles....In a head on collision what's the odds these are going to hold?

hmm good point. Also...depending on your insurance carrier the sled deck is NOT covered under the trucks insurance. I learned mine wasn't anyways and am switching providers to have the sled deck covered under my snowmobile's insurance.

 

[TylerG]

hmm good point. Also...depending on your insurance carrier the sled deck is NOT covered under the trucks insurance. I learned mine wasn't anyways and am switching providers to have the sled deck covered under my snowmobile's insurance.

I made a call to my broker, she added the deck onto the truck insurance policy, they just needed to know about it.

 

[~Rowdy~]

I made a call to my broker, she added the deck onto the truck insurance policy, they just needed to know about it.

That's good! Mine will not cover it regardless unfortunately.

 

[LBZ]

front superclamp is not 2 points of tiedown, It locks into one bolt that is in your deck.

3 points of contact on the machine is how the law is interpreted and enforced. You could use one strap for all 3 if you wanted as long as it is tied down not just across.

Its great everyone is concerned how well the sleds are secured to the deck but how many people secure the deck to the truck properly?
I see lots of decks secured to the "D rings" in the box with turnsbuckles....In a head on collision what's the odds these are going to hold?

The factory tie downs in the box are surprisingly quite strong and re-enforced. The ones people screw or bolt into the box not so much. I would guess the turnbuckles would tear or break out of the aluminum before the box would let go.

There was a guy a few years ago that rolled his Dodge a couple times with a loaded kit box in the back on the way to a job and they used the hoe to flip it over and unload the box and it was still secure surprisingly. Kit box loaded weighs what close to 1300lbs?

Another guy I worked with 15 years ago had two rock crusher cones in his one ton Ford and had a head-on accident and the chains securing them broke and smashed the front of the box/back of the cab to hell but the tie down hooks were only a little tweaked-they never broke either.

That said in a light duty Japanese truck like my Titan, I'm not so sure how well they would fair as they are the factory bolt in style.

 

[Highfly]

front superclamp is not 2 points of tiedown, It locks into one bolt that is in your deck.

I asked Randall this question specifically when I got them. They are considered two places. He has done his homework and knows the laws.

 

[Puba]

I asked Randall this question specifically when I got them. They are considered two places. He has done his homework and knows the laws.

They classify as two points.

 

[Bogger]

If in the box of a truck or in a trailer with sides no tie down is required.

 

[adamg]

If in the box of a truck or in a trailer with sides no tie down is required.

Why do people keep telling us to tie down sleds in an enclosed trailer then??

 

[maxwell]

Why do people keep telling us to tie down sleds in an enclosed trailer then??

Yea I would love to know the answer to this

 

[Adren-junkie]

why do people keep telling us to tie down sleds in an enclosed trailer then??

yea i would love to know the answer to this

really!!

 

[tex78]

Why do people keep telling us to tie down sleds in an enclosed trailer then??

Ummmmmm daaaaaaaaaa hello mic fly









Same reason u wear seat belts, to keep from being flung around

 

[TROLLCAT]

Why do people keep telling us to tie down sleds in an enclosed trailer then??

Yea I would love to know the answer to this

Ummmmmm daaaaaaaaaa hello mic fly









Same reason u wear seat belts, to keep from being flung around

Load Shifting or moving

or what Tex said

 

[NosRX1]

I once did a doughnut in the renshaw parking lot with my dually dodge. Had my sled deck on and sled strapped down with superclamps front and back... Actually broke both clamps and almost dumped my sled in the parking lot. Yes I've grown up a lot since those days but learned a valuable lesson about what it takes to have a near miss. I still use superclamps but also use 2" backup straps.

All I got out of this was the Dodge doing doughnuts in the snow!!...you must of had it chipped!!...lol...JK, I have a dodge as well.