Dirt Farmer Jay shares tips and "top secret" tie-down techniques sure to diminish the frustration you may experience when attempting to securely tie down a load AND be able to easily un-tie it when you are ready to unload.
This is exactly what I've been searching for. The majority of knot videos only teach you to tie a knot but not using it in real life situations. Thank you!!!!
Great video. My dad was a logger and trucker his entire life, and used of all these knots and more. He passed away in 2020, and due to my teenage and mid 20s naivete and apathy towards anything requiring hard work or learning these skills from my dad, I missed out on the opportunity - to my constant regret. Now at 30 years old I'm having to learn all of this stuff for myself, when I could have just learned from my dad when I had the chance. The biggest mistake and regret of my life. But I thank you for making this to teach those of us who haven't had the chance to learn.
pascalrouen - thanks for telling us your story. I, too, have regrets of not learning more from my father. I'm sorry to hear of your loss of your dad. We're glad that we can assist on conveying some of the skills that your dad had and give some comfort in some small way. Best Regards, DFJ
If you pass the working end back through same loop again, it creates a ratchet until you tie your half hitches. That will hold the tension temporarily. I have been trying to teach my daughter the truckies hitch for years. This seems like a better version for her to use. Thank you!
Using the finger twist to establish the first loop is exactly how I watched the truckers tie down huge loads of apple boxes, headed for market, when I was a youngster. Never could relate to the method of tying in that first loop. This way, the whole thing just falls apart, after releasing the locking half hitches, as you stated. Nice to see it, again. I used to use this for tying my Canadian canoe to the roof of my car. Never had any problem, even on long trips or in windy weather.
My father taught me this knot as a young man. To impress me he said you can brake a large rope with this knot and showed me how by using this knot over about three times on the same end and making a loop as a stirrup to put my foot in and standing on it it broke a pretty big rope ! Great lesson !
Man, videos like this on RU-vid have upped my knot game exponentially, now that I’m 43. So much easier to learn knots from a instructional video putting them into real life common scenarios like this. I don’t like the double hitch method but that truckers hitch is very simple, fast and useful. I’m doing it that way now except I do it with my whole hand in the loop to make the twists and then I just grab bottom end of the rope with that hand to pull a bite through the loop. Way faster and easier. One thing I would add is before cinching down, if you send the rope through the loop again then it keeps the tension without having to pinch and it is still easy to break by just putting the rope back the other way back through the lope and giving a little tug. I should have learned this stuff when I was 15. I would have impressed so many girls. Haha. Ya that was my only problem.
Thank you! This was so easy I didn't even have to practice it. I picked up my lumber immediately after watching this video and secured it exactly how you showed and it was secure as you said it would be.
People need to learn how to use a simple piece of rope effectively. Its so versatile and way cheaper than ratchets straps etc. I use the Australian Truckies Hitch a lot for tensioning my loads because it doesn't need a knot in the rope either, it blows people's minds when I show them. This method looks like a great alternative for when you have eyelets rather than the tie-down bars we tend to have on trucks in Australia. One thing I also like to do is tie all my knots on the passenger side, if possible, so that if I have to do any adjusting of the rope during the journey I'm standing away from traffic in a safer position.
Excellent, the tying off part has always been my problem, often resorting to reef knots that I can’t untie. This saves so much time, I use this for my 12ft kayak. Thanks for this 👍
I’m a skilled tradesmen with 20+ years of experiences and I love the loop trick. I have always used the inline figure 8 method and found that at times it would be stubborn to loosen. Thanks for the tip.
Great video! The name of the knot where you squeezed the loop to hold the tension while making a slipped quick release is called a becket hitch. Actually, yours is a variation of the becket hitch. The becket hitch is more reliable and doesn't need a safety wrap. Thanks
Thank you! I've seen people use that method before, however they do it so fast I could never catch how it was done. Thanks for explaining how to do it. Very helpful!
Good video . A piece of advice after you do the twisty and your loop through and put the loose end through and tighten instead of pinching it take your loose end through the loop one more time and you won't have to pinch it . It holds the tightness and you can put in your half hitches
Excellent video, thank you very much. You're a great teacher I love that you clearly explained and demonstrated every part even the untie. just awesome.
Very useful. I like the way you do the loop for the trucker's hitch. I've been using an alpine loop for that, but I think yours is better and leaves you with nothing to untie. Thanks a bunch.
Very helpful video, and I like your "twist" method for creating the loop.. one thing worth mentioning: when tying down gas cans if you are using Nylon rope you want to go slow- when you quickly pull the length of rope through each loop (against itself) there is the risk of creating a static charge.
These are key skills that could be lost if it wasn’t for people like you thank you. I’ve used a similar method but I tend to short change myself with the twisting loop and run out of cinching room. Lol
Thanks for watching and commenting happykal11. I agree that some basic knowledge relating to self reliance has faded away. Thanks for your kind comment. Best to you, DFJ
Thanks for a great video! Even though I've always taken my gas cans out of the truck bed before filling them I never knew how important it was to do so!
Thank you very much for the time you invested; I been looking for a vid like this for a while and by far, this is the best one I have seen. I Finally get the to see and learn the entire process of this Knot. Well Explained..Thanks, again !!!!!
Right on, learned the trucker's hitch years ago tying down loads at a lumber yard. This took it to the next level, being able to easily undo the tie down. Thanks for watching!
Wow thanks so much for this video, I'm gonna start working as a lot attendant at the Home Depot and this for sure will help. The only knot I know how to do is the one I use to tie my shoes
Thanks! This will help. The only suggestion I can think of is with your first connection point. That could be a loop end, which would make it quicker to get on and off.
at 3:02, I learned that as a "duck knot" and it works great on everything especially w/ a nylon rope that has some elasticity in it. never ever lost a load, a boat or anything else.
I like that modified truckers hitch...much nicer than the traditional trucker's hitch I learned. but yeah the beginning knot should be some sort of bow knot, no?
+James Rice - Secure, indeed! Thanks for watching. If you haven't already, take a look at our "How to Use a Ratchet Strap" video as well. You'll find it to be helpful. Also, I you haven't subscribed yet, we invite you to. Best to you and yours - DFJ
Instead of looping round you tie a scaffold hitch around the planks...much safer and zero movement of your load...that's the way I was taught when I started trucking.
I use that same method with a ratchet strap. Also that’s a neat way of tying the truckers hitch. Also most of my propane tanks I’ve gotten for free because they’ve been thrown from a truck (I assume accidentally) cause they were not secured properly
I really like all of the knots you showed after the first one, but I felt like the first one was just a normal double-knot, and those are a little challenging to untie. Otherwise though, awesome video!
Made everything easy to untie except for the attachment point. Instead of two half hitches, add a loop on the second hitch so you can just pull it and undo the knot.
Jeff, thanks for the kind words. We appreciate you watching the video, and better yet, for subscribing and becoming a member of the DFJ viewer family! Watch for more great content coming your way. Best, DFJ
D Graf - I love it! 73, and still learning. No more saggy tie downs for you! We use this ongoing and a variation can be used for tying down camping and party tents to stakes or other substantial tie down points. Best to you and yours! DFJ
if you go through your eyelet twice with your loose end. It will hold the tention for you you won't have to pinch it with your fingers. To untie you just pull the opposite way and it releases.
I would call the first knot a dolly.... An old driver I knew 40 odd years ago taught it to me.... Mind you pretty much all loads need to be strapped here now .. ropes for tarps only.