Parts of a Ratchet Strap – Labeled Tie-Down Diagram

All 11 parts on the diagram

Show the list

The strap 6

Webbing The strap material, woven from synthetic fiber such as polyester or nylon. Both pieces of the tie-down are made of it.
End hooks One is sewn into the end of each piece. They hook onto anchor points on the truck or trailer. S-hooks, flat hooks and wire hooks are common kinds.
Stitching Rows of thread that sew the webbing round each hook. Worn or cut stitching is one of the things to look for before using a strap.
Working load limit tag A tag sewn to the webbing. It gives the working load limit, the most load the strap is rated to hold in use.
Fixed end The short piece of the tie-down. The ratchet is attached to one end of it and a hook to the other.
Adjustable end The long piece of the tie-down. Its plain end, the one with no hook, is threaded through the ratchet and pulled to take up the slack.

The ratchet 5

Handle Cranking it up and down turns the spool. That winds in the webbing and tightens the strap. Closing it flat locks the ratchet.
Release tab Pulling and holding it lets the handle open all the way. The ratchet then lies flat, and the webbing can be pulled back out.
Gear teeth A gear that turns with the spool. Its teeth let the spool turn one way and click at each step, so the strap cannot unwind by itself.
Spool (mandrel) The webbing is fed through the slot in its center. The spool winds it up as the handle is cranked. Also called the mandrel.
Pawl A spring-loaded catch that falls into each gear tooth in turn. It stops the gear turning backward, which is what holds the strap tight.

How this list was compiled: Part names checked on 2026-09-30, a name kept only when two independent sources use it. (1) A tie-down maker's guide to using ratchet straps, https://www.rhinousainc.com/blogs/news/how-to-use-ratchet-straps (ratchet buckle, webbing, center slot of the ratchet mandrel, spindle, handle, release button or tab, S-hooks, stitching, the non-fixed side). (2) A second strap maker's guides, read in Internet Archive copies and live: http://web.archive.org/web/20190822041058/https://www.ratchetstraps.com/the-complete-beginners-guide-on-how-to-use-a-ratchet-strap , https://www.ratchetstraps.com/the-complete-guide-on-how-to-use-a-ratchet-strap and https://www.ratchetstraps.com/how-to-inspect-your-ratchet-straps (webbing, slot in the center of the spool, ratchet handle, release tab, teeth of the ratchet, flat hooks and wire hooks, stitching, working load limit tag sewn onto the strap, the nonfixed side). (3) A cargo control maker's article on threading a strap, Internet Archive copy http://web.archive.org/web/20240805084145/https://kinedyne.com/blog/how-to-thread-a-strap-through-ratchet-and-cam-buckles (a ratchet buckle as a rotating gear, a pawl and a lever; ratchet handle and slot; the adjustable end as the one without an end fitting; fixed end; flat hook and wire hook; working load limit). (4) 49 CFR 393.5, definitions of tiedown, anchor point and working load limit, https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/393.5 . (5) Wikipedia, Web lashing assembly and Ratchet (device) (webbing of man-made fiber, end fittings and S and J hooks, a ratchet as the tensioning mechanism; a ratchet as a gear and a spring-loaded pawl that lets it turn one way only). Licence: own work

The drawing: Drawn for this site on 2026-09-30 from plain geometry; no maker's strap, nothing traced. Licence: own work

How it works

The parts of a ratchet strap come in two pieces: a short fixed end that carries the ratchet, and a long adjustable end that threads through it. The second drawing shows the ratchet up close.

Read the full guide

Two pieces, one ratchet

On the strap laid flat, find the fixed end and the adjustable end, each with a hook sewn into it, then the stitching and the load limit tag. On the ratchet, the plain end of the adjustable piece goes up through the slot in the spool. Cranking the handle winds it on, the pawl drops into the gear teeth to hold what you gain, and the release tab lets it all go.

To thread it, the webbing comes up from underneath through the slot in the spool, with the ratchet closed.
Go by the working load limit on the tag, not by the breaking strength.

Questions and answers

What are the parts of a ratchet strap called?

Two lengths of webbing, the fixed end and the adjustable end, each with a hook. The ratchet on the fixed end has a handle, a slotted spool or mandrel, gear teeth, a pawl and a release tab. A tag gives the working load limit.

What is the mandrel on a ratchet strap?

The slotted bar at the center of the ratchet, also called the spool. The loose end of the webbing is fed through its slot, and each stroke of the handle winds a little more webbing round it.

How do you release a ratchet strap?

Pull and hold the release tab, open the handle until the ratchet lies flat, and pull the webbing back out from the side that is not fixed. Pull the tab again to close the ratchet.

What is the tag on a ratchet strap for?

It gives the working load limit, the most load the strap is rated to hold in use. A tie-down whose tag is missing or cannot be read should not be used.