Can Erickson Ratcheted Tie-Down Ropes be Used to Secure Lumber on Roof of a 2006 Chevy Malibu Maxx

Updated 04/19/2017 | Published 04/18/2017

Products Featured in This Question

Erickson Tie-Down Rope w/ Ratchet - 3/8" x 8' - 250 lbs

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$19.80

Erickson Re-Tractable Ratchet Straps w/ Push-Button Releases - 1" x 10' - 400 lbs - Qty 4

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$61.84

Thule Load Stops for Square Load Bars - Qty 4

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Question:

I want to transport a few up to three 6- or 7-foot pieces of 5/4 mahogany lumber, 12-14 inches in width, on my Sportrack rooftop rack, from the lumberyard to my workshop at home. Will these tie-down ropes safely secure the pieces of lumber to the roof rack for short trips of 50 or so miles? Any recommendations on how many to use and how to use them? I anticipate ordering four of them if I can be assured that they are a good solution for occasionally transporting such pieces of lumber.

asked by: David F

Expert Reply:

I would not recommend a rope tie down such as # 01801 for transporting lumber on the roof of your 2006 Chevy Malibu Maxx. Using ratchet straps such as # EM04418 provides more surface area contact with the wood and you can get them tighter than # 01801.

If you were to use # 01801 or something similar I would recommend putting eye bolts in the ends of each piece of wood on each side, running the rope through those, and securing the rope at the front and rear of the vehicle. Then you could use load stops # TH503 to prevent side to side movement (or ratchet straps).

expert reply by: Michael H