Old timer told me to stop chaining my load like a christmas tree

Guy who's been hauling flatbed since the 80s watched me strap down a steel beam and said I was using way too many chains. He showed me how to use just 4 with proper tension instead of 8 loose ones, and my last 3 loads from Texas to Ohio haven't shifted an inch. Anyone else get schooled on chain math by a veteran?

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brianm662mo ago

8 chains down to 4 sounds like a sketchy math trick to me honestly. I've seen guys try to cut corners on chains and end up chasing a load down the highway. Maybe your tension game is just way better now, doesn't mean the old way was wrong for everyone.

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sagecooper2mo ago

Used to be in your camp honestly, thought anyone dropping down to four chains was asking for trouble. Then I spent a whole season watching my buddy run his big flatbed with just four and he never had a single issue, even on those nasty mountain passes we haul through. Saw him do a few tie-downs with my own eyes and it clicked - it's all about the angle and tension, not just the number of chains. Still keep six on my truck for peace of mind but I don't judge the four-chain guys anymore.

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