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Bike tiedowns and their many uses
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Posted by: Green Horn---------------------

I just got to thinking. How many of you use your bike tiedowns for a multitude of "tiedown" tasks. Before I got into bikes, I used to be a rope and bungee cord kind of guy. Ever since I got my first set of tiedowns, I go crazy with them. I use them when moving furniture, use them to hold the trunk lid on my car down when I have something sticking out the back, and even used one as a dog leash when I couldn't remember where I put the leash.

What got me thinking about the many uses was today when I was taking a doghouse out of my garage and putting out in the backyard for the dog. I loaded it on top of my wheel barrow and strapped it down so that it wouldn't flop off.

I even bought a set of tiedowns for my dad and he doesn't even ride. I told him to throw out his minimal-effect-highly-dangerous bungee cords.

Posted by: XRpredator---------------------

When we picked up the kids bike Friday, I asked the dealer to throw in a set of tie downs. The wife says "We already have a bunch of tie-downs!" I say you can't ever have enough tie-downs!

silly girl :silly:

Posted by: oldguy---------------------

once the bike is unloaded the tie downs go to hold the EZup in place. Around the house the pool cover is tied down for the winter (that cold snowy 9 months of the year in Wis for you suthuners). I think one is holding the garden shed door closed until I get around to fixing it.
And the best use Keeps kids in place and entertained for hours

Posted by: bbbom---------------------

They work great to tie the hammock to the nearest set of trees when camping!

I've also used them as a dog leash, more than once. And they definitely outperform duct tape for keeping the kids uhhhhhh out of trouble.

Posted by: ktmboy---------------------

Best stocking stuffer I ever got, and I don't know where she found it, but one year she got me a 15' long Ancra tiedown! It's held down a lot of furniture in its day!

Posted by: mx547---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by oldguy
Around the house the pool cover is tied down for the winter

you guys have pools up there?

at dirtweek, when they called out our name for the giveaways, i told kendall "get the tiedowns, get the tiedowns"-even though i probably have six pairs already.

Posted by: Pantera---------------------

Instead of leaning your bike on your truck when you forget your stand, Ive hooked a tie down from the hole on top of the bed to the handlebars and lean the bike away from the truck

Its a good idea to mark your tie downs so the end up back in your garage
How many have you lost over the years??

Posted by: 4EverOrange---------------------

We used it to tie the dog crate into the back of the truck. Poor dog was probably terrified the whole trip. The tie down was literally holding the crate in the bed of the truck. I was afraid for the poor mut.

Posted by: MTRIDER---------------------

I think I have a topper for this one....My bro and I while on a ride in Moab had to winch our bikes up a 15-20 ft rock face, at the time that was an XR400 and a KDX- that was a lot of pushing....always read trail directions first

Thanks ratchet strap tie downs

Posted by: Patman---------------------

Suspenders or a belt!

Posted by: TRAIL---------------------

i use them to hold our pool pump on a 2 wheel cart to take it outside for the summer!

Posted by: Bruce---------------------

I've got one holding a tree up in the back yard from the weight of the snow and another holding an antique bed together. (These are the ones that are fraying). I've even taken a lighter to frayed tie-downs to make them "solid" again.

Posted by: High Lord Gomer---------------------

We actually used 4 of them (and the bucket of a tractor) to pull the motor out of a bulldozer. I was nervous and didn't get anywhere that it might fall if they broke, but they worked.

Posted by: smb_racing---------------------

I've used them to pull bushes out of yards and to tow cars with, but not just with one set

Posted by: wayneg---------------------

I have about 20 or so of them in various states of disrepair, and use them to do everything from holding down the lid on my BBQ to moving furniture on the trailer. They are the next most useful thing next to duct tape and stainless steel lockwire.

I found that when they get a bit older and don't grip very well any more that I soak them in a product called 'napi-san' overnight and then rinse them off. Its used for removing 'waste products' from cotton diapers over here - very good stuff.

Posted by: Mully---------------------

Used 8 of them (can't have to many) end to end to pull a tree over. Tree fell during a nasty storm. When it fell it stuck one of it's limbs, the size of a basket ball, into the ground far enough to hold the main trunk off the ground a good twelve feet in the air. After two days on the business end of a chainsaw all that was left was twenty feet of trunk in the air and that limb. Used my 71 bronco and the tiedowns to pull it over.

Mully

Posted by: 4EverOrange---------------------

My Mom used my husbands brand new tie downs to haul a piece of wood across the gravel. Tore them all to hell. She said she didn't know they were his. You would think the MARK in big black letters would have clued her in.

Guess we learned not to store stuff in her barn!

Posted by: Camstyn---------------------

I've used them to straighten the front end of a smashed up car.. Engine bay area was folded in, two tie downs and my front tow hooks of my truck dragged the car on the pavement.. Blocked the wheels and got the job done!

Posted by: jabroni1m---------------------

Could someone give a link to some tiedowns. Not sure if I have ever used them. I just called those dangerous bungy cords which break every 5 minutes tiedowns.

Posted by: Kawidude---------------------

I once performed open-heart surgery with a set of two tie-downs. The odd thing is, I am not a heart surgeon and am not particularly smart either. The tie-downs worked great though!

Posted by: Danman---------------------

Quote:

once performed open-heart surgery with a set of two tie-downs. The odd thing is, I am not a heart surgeon and am not particularly smart either. The tie-downs worked great though!

Did you stay in a Holiday Inn Express the night before?

Posted by: zio---------------------

I've used them to lift a 20 year old palm tree with a front-end loader.

Here's a great idea for repairing/modifying tie downs. Rock climbing shops sell nylon webbing by the foot. It comes in different widths/thicknesses/colors, too. So if you need to repair a frayed tie down, or make a really long one, you're in luck. And it'll cost much less than buying a new pair. Plus, there's a ton of other uses for it, too.

Some of it's actually tubular, and therefore much stronger. Here's a great knot to use with the tubular stuff: First, cut to length. Then burn both ends clean. Make sure one end is still open, and the other is burned closed. The closed end should be cut at an angle, too. Take the open end and tie a simple, overhand knot (see below). Make sure to leave it open (loose), and right at the end of the webbing as below. Then, take the closed end & thread it inside the open end, all the way through the knot. This takes time & patience. Don't make the initial overhand knot too big, you'll just waste webbing & give yourself a longer length to thread. Once you've gotten past the knot, you can go ahead & tighten it up as hard as you can. There's so much friction there, it'll never come out. Ever. I've hung from the face of cliffs 150' up in the air without any concern that the sling will fail. I was more afraid that the bolt would pull out of the granite.

Posted by: MrLuckey---------------------

I don't know why but that picture sure looks like you just touched up the "Cat Carrier" and reposted it

Posted by: jon_deer250---------------------

well obvisouly you guys aren't broke ass collge students. While being financially handicapped I have come up with some pretty wild uses for the old, ever so fatihful tiedown. While here at collge the dirtbike has been sitting in the garage, but the tie downs had to come with me. After my roommate got shipped off to kick Sadam's ass I got the room to myself so i took his bed and mattress and pushed it over to mine to make a nice queen size bed. The only problem was when the ladies came over i couldn't keep the mattress's from sliding apart. The answer to that was to wrap a tiedown around the two mattress's to pull them together. Now I can have the ladies over and not have to worry about falling through the mattress. And that ain't no **** neither!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: ExoSphere---------------------

Tie downs = Dog food........ Stupid dog....

Posted by: Sawblade---------------------

My Dad still uses the first pair of Ancra tie downs he bought when he bought me a new 1979 PE 175. They are faded and worn looking but still have a lot of life left in them. Its funny, they still hang in the shed (my folks farm) on the same nail Dad put up when we got home with the new bike all those years ago. He use's them for all kinds of things:

To hold the portable torch in the back of the truck.
To host a hog carcass up to be butchered.

Bet Ancra never thought they would be used butcher a hog!
To hold the center portion of the large grain wagon box from spreading when filled with grain.
I think he also use then to hold his old jon boat on the trailer since the winch gave out.

Posted by: zio---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by jon_deer250
The only problem was when the ladies came over i couldn't keep the mattress's from sliding apart. The answer to that was to wrap a tiedown around the two mattress's to pull them together. Now I can have the ladies over and not have to worry about falling through the mattress.

What were they doing? Looking for change? Or was it your mother changing your bed sheets? Either way, sounds like you need to get a new mattress (hint- to keep the penny pinchers from nabbing change from the couch, go to Target & get a slip cover). :thumb:

Posted by: rickyd---------------------

I broke down out on a trail today so i used one as a tow strap.. Also, in the past, have used them as a tail gate.......

Posted by: MRRMX---------------------

I have a set at work. I have used them to hold tranny's on the tranny jack, lift air foils off trators, hold drive lines up while pulling yokes off. Hold air lines and fuel lines up out of my way. To hold fuel tanks in place when the straps break. Hold fan hubs up and allows the hub to swing forward to get fan belts off. Hoild doors shut on TK units when they rip the door latch off. many many other uses.

Posted by: zio---------------------

Speaking of the cat carrier...

If you accidentally bend one of the eye-hooks on a tie-down, don't toss it! In a pinch you can use a tie down instead. I call it the "Soft Cat Carrier"

Posted by: a454elk---------------------

ANOTHER screen, damn! Zio

Posted by: ktmboy---------------------

Zio, I'm a cat person and I still think that was hilarious!

Posted by: Bricks88---------------------

Zio, that cat carrier gives me an idea for my ex-wife

Posted by: zio---------------------

At the risk of a hand slap from the mods, I think I should post a pic of the original (and for sure, most effective) cat carrier... in the interest of modern pet transportation technology, of course:

Posted by: Can Can Kev---------------------

many a time have me and my friends used tie downs as tow straps for broken down bikes.... or to tow a bike that needed bump starting , used one to keep my muffler on my old xr because i didnt have any bailing wire lol the list goes on and on....

Posted by: jabroni1m---------------------

Is there anywhere to get them cheap online. I don't think I have ever used any.

Posted by: Green Horn---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by jabroni1m
Is there anywhere to get them cheap online. I don't think I have ever used any.

Your best bet is to go to Wal-Mart. You can get them for around 10-15 bucks a pair.

Posted by: MrLuckey---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by jabroni1m
Is there anywhere to get them cheap online. I don't think I have ever used any.

I don't think Wal-Mart carries them. I have heard that Zio has a patent on the cat carriers and you have to order them directly from him.

Posted by: Fark---------------------

Walmart has them, back in automotive. Near the trailer stuff. Well, that's the 'super' wal mart down the street from here.

Posted by: Misscr80---------------------

We have used them to tow bikes, secure the tailgate when it won't close, hold the canopy down at our campsite in bad weather, hauling wood on the trailer, holding the dog kennel together. Tie-downs, never leave home without them.

Posted by: CO Dan---------------------

Walmart tie-downs - I'd think twice about most of those, the ones I saw at the local WM were junk, and I mean junk. Look at the stitching...what I saw was very, very poor.

Posted by: Can Can Kev---------------------

what kind are you talking about, i got some nice ones at wallmart about a year ago the ratchet kind (i dont trust the pull ones) havent failed me yet....

Posted by: zio---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by TTRGuy
I have heard that Zio has a patent on the cat carriers and you have to order them directly from him.

Yeah, I market them under the brand names Kitty Carry All and Andy's Autoerotic Arse Arrestor

The latter has yet to be released. BigLou has the prototype for stress testing as we speak. Come to think of it, he's had it for quite a while.

Posted by: jeffd---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by Kawidude
I once performed open-heart surgery with a set of two tie-downs. The odd thing is, I am not a heart surgeon and am not particularly smart either. The tie-downs worked great though!

Now that was good! Way better than the time I gave a cat an apendectomy using a set of tiedowns and a plastic knife. Do cats even have an apendix?

-jeffd

Posted by: Kawidude---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by jeffd
Now that was good! Way better than the time I gave a cat an apendectomy using a set of tiedowns and a plastic knife. Do cats even have an apendix?

You know, using the plastic knife is like cheating!

Posted by: jeffd---------------------

Man - do I get any credit seeing as how I used the handle-end of the plastic knife?

Tough crowd...

-jeffd

Posted by: Kawidude---------------------

Oh, okay. You should have mentioned that in your other post. I would have also given you bonus points if you had used a spork and/or a broken spatula.

Posted by: gxdragon---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by Can Can Kev
what kind are you talking about, i got some nice ones at wallmart about a year ago the ratchet kind (i dont trust the pull ones) havent failed me yet....

I bought racheted tie downs at Home Depot they hold really well. Until I got caught in the rain :scream: if they didn't slip they stretched. Luckily for me they weren't the only set I had the bike tied down with. I also bought some at WM to hold down the back of my daughters' XR50, they always slip

.

The only set I have that I trust are the ones I got from the bike shop they haven't slipped or stretched :thumb:.

Posted by: stormer94---------------------

I've got a juiced (hopping hydraulic setup) 84 Cadillac. One night I blew a right front tire, it was late, I was several miles from home and had no spare tire... I couldn't very well ride home on the rim. So I powered up the whole car so it was totally lifted. I dumped the fluid in the left rear cylinder to take the weight off the right front which lifted that tire off the ground. I then used a tie-down to hold the rear suspension locked down and drove home 10 miles with the right front tire dangling 2 feet off the ground.

just like having a built in jack.

Tie-downs rank right up there with duct tape and wd40.

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Bike tiedowns and their many uses

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