How to loosen a ratchet strap? A ratchet strap generally has three critical positions- including ratcheting, loosening, and locked.
Well, a ratchet strap is useful to secure your event tent. It’s heavy-duty, easy to use, and affordable. But, what if you want to loosen it? For this post, we will discuss the steps on loosening a ratchet strap.
The typical ratchet strap has a tab positioned near the handle or a thumb hole in its ratchet plate. This strap will serve as the mechanism of the ratchet.
Here, you have to clutch the handle and then disengage the ratchet’s lock by pulling out the plate of the ratchet.
Keep holding the ratchet plate out as you rotate the handle until it opens completely.
You might as well turn it towards a flat position. Do this until you release the bottom of the plate against the spring-loaded pawl.
Push the handle of the ratchet so that it will be open a bit further. Then, you can already release the pawl as you are pulling the strap at the same time you are unwinding it.
After doing this, remember to close the handle to ready the assembly for the next use.
There are more things that you should know, just read further!
What Is Ratchet?
Ratchets are utilized to loosen or tighten bolts and nuts, particularly in sockets conjunction.
They generally come in four different sizes- ¼, ½, ¾, and 3/8 inches drive.
How can you determine the right size to use?
Take note that these sizes pertain to the width of the metal square peg that is rotating and is typically positioned at the end of the ratchet.
This is fitted into its corresponding square hole that you can find at one end of a socket.
Such a square peg on a racket commonly has a small metal ball from the side of the peg. This is also fitted into the socket’s detent.
Stuck Ratchet
When a ratchet is challenging to release, then it is most likely stuck.
Why do you think it’s stuck?
Usually, this occurrence is caused by corrosion; it can obstruct the movements of the different components.
In such a case, here’s what you should do:
You have to lubricate the surfaces of those parts lightly.
You can use an anti-seize for this.
But you might as well spray a lubricant thinly by using an applicator straw so that you will be able to reach other friction areas.
As you do this, you have to operate the ratchet assembly to distribute the lubrication on the entire parts.
Eventually, the ratchet will work in its proper order again.
The overly tight straps might need more effort before you could release it.
You have to ensure that the ratchet plate is aligned on the pawl release.
Remember, it should not stay just before the pawl release.
5 Steps In Loosening The Ratchet Strap
The question is:
How to loosen a ratchet strap?
Before you loosen the ratchet strap, I suggest that you first examine its position.
If you have a hard time loosening it, it might be because its position does not support loosening it.
You can look up here the position of a ratchet strap that cannot be loosened.
Step #1. Make sure the ratchet is locked
In loosening the ratchet, it should be in a locked position.
If not, you cannot loosen it. Remember that!
In this step, you have to prepare by squeezing the manual pawl.
You might as well check whether or not your ratchet is a quick-release model.
In case it has a button at the top where the socket is attached, then it is a quick-release.
With this, all you have to do to release the socket is just to depress the button and pull it off afterward.
But if your ratchet is not a quick-release model, you have to follow the following steps.
Step #2. Squeeze the pawl
At this point, you now have to squeeze the manual pawl.
Why should you do that?
Doing so will unlock the ratchet strap.
But then, you should not forget to disengage the auto pawl first.
Step #3. Continue pressing the pawl
You have to continue pressing the manual pawl and then thump the bar upwards as far as you can.
Remember that it will not work if you are not clutching the manual pawl simultaneously as you swing it up.
Step #4. The ratchet should be flat
Always make sure that the position of the ratchet is entirely flat.
You will know that you are doing it accurately if the ratchet strap pops a little.
If ever the strap does not pop, it would simply mean that you have not to disengage the automatic pawl.
What I am trying to tell you is that you have to disengage the two pawls.
You have to ensure that both pawls are almost flat.
If you could position it properly, you could not pull the ratchet handle back down anymore. Why so?
It’s because it will already be locked in its flat position.
Step #5. Tug it towards you
Now, you have to tug the ratchet towards you to loosen it completely.
And it’s all done. Finally, you can pull off the ratchet strap.
Conclusion
How to loosen a ratchet strap?
Remember that when you are tightening a ratchet’s strap, at least one of the two pawls should be engaged using gear teeth.
But when you are to loosen the strap of a ratchet, both pawls should be disengaged.
When you are having trouble as you are loosening the ratchet strap, it is most likely stuck.
In such a case, you commonly forgot to disengage the manual and the auto pawls.