Equipment
Load securement equipment: the flatbed gear checklist
Updated October 2026By FlatbedDispatch Dispatch Desk3 min read
Quick answer
A working flatbed kit is 16 to 20 four-inch winch straps, 6 to 8 grade 70 chains with matching binders, 20 or more corner protectors, coil racks, dunnage, chocks and two sets of tarps, plus spares and PPE. Every tiedown needs a known working load limit, because unmarked gear drops to the lowest default in 49 CFR 393.108.
General information, not compliance advice. Working load limits come from 49 CFR 393.108; your gear's own markings take priority. Prices are dated listings, not quotes.
Key finding: the cheapest way to lose working load limit is unmarked gear. An unmarked 3/8 in chain counts as grade 30, 2,650 lb, while the same size in marked grade 70 counts 6,600 lb (49 CFR 393.108). That is two and a half times the rating from the same size chain.
This is the load securement equipment list we would hand a new flatbed owner-operator: what to carry, how many, how each piece counts toward the rules, and what one retailer listed it for in October 2026. Print it, check off what you have, and buy the rest before your first load. We update the prices once a year.
Download CSVSpreadsheet version of the full checklist, with sources.
The checklist
Tiedowns
| Check | Item | Suggested qty | Working load limit | Listed price (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 in x 30 ft winch straps, flat hook Your everyday tiedown. Retire any strap with cuts, burns or a missing tag. | 16 to 20 | 4,000 lb default for unmarked 4 in webbing (393.108); use the tag value if marked | $9.95 each; $128.95 box of 10 | |
| 4 in winch straps, wire hook or chain anchor For trailers or anchor points a flat hook will not fit. | 4 to 6 | Lowest rated part of the assembly (393.108(b)) | $14.95 (wire hook), $29.00 (chain and hook), custom length | |
| 3/8 in grade 70 transport chain Machinery, steel and coils. Unmarked chain counts as grade 30 (2,650 lb at 3/8 in). | 6 to 8 | 6,600 lb default for 3/8 in grade 70 (393.108) | $39.00 for 16 ft |
Tensioners
| Check | Item | Suggested qty | Working load limit | Listed price (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ratchet binders sized for 3/8 in chain Ratchet binders are easier to control than lever binders. | One per chain | Must be at least the chain's WLL or the assembly drops to the binder's rating | $30.00 (9,200 lb rated); $46.95 folding handle | |
| Winch bar A cheater bar on a winch bar is how winches get damaged. Use the right tool. | 1 or 2 | Not a tiedown | Buy locally |
Protection
| Check | Item | Suggested qty | Working load limit | Listed price (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corner protectors and v-boards Plastic for most freight; long v-boards for lumber bundles and boxed freight. | 20 or more | Required wherever a tiedown would be cut or abraded (393.104(f)(4)) | $1.25 to $16.00 depending on size and material | |
| Strap sleeves (Cordura or nylon) Slide over the strap at sharp edges and pipe ends. | 6 to 10 | Wear protection, not a tiedown | $1.95 to $15.95 |
Blocking and coils
| Check | Item | Suggested qty | Working load limit | Listed price (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coil racks Keeps eye-crosswise coils from rolling (393.120). Many coil shippers have their own rules. | 2 to 4 | Blocking, not a tiedown | $14.00 each (39 in steel) | |
| Hardwood dunnage, 4 x 4 in Prices change with lumber markets; buy locally. Lets forks and crane straps get under the load. | 10 to 20 pieces | Blocking, not a tiedown | Buy locally | |
| Wheel chocks or wedges Pipe, round stock and wheeled equipment. | 4 | Required for anything likely to roll (393.106(c)) | Buy locally |
Tarps
| Check | Item | Suggested qty | Working load limit | Listed price (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lumber tarps, 24 x 27 ft with 8 ft drop The 18 oz version is listed at about 121 lb. Two cover a 48 ft deck of lumber. | 2 | Not a tiedown | $399.00 (18 oz) or $325.00 (14 oz) | |
| Steel tarps, 16 x 27 ft Lower drop for steel and coils. Smoke tarps are a short front cover against exhaust. | 2 | Not a tiedown | $215.00 | |
| Rubber tarp straps and bungees Hold tarps down only. They never count toward the WLL total. | 40 or more | Not a tiedown | Buy locally |
Tools and spares
| Check | Item | Suggested qty | Working load limit | Listed price (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spare straps and a spare binder Straps get cut at shippers. A spare saves a trip to a truck stop. | 2 straps, 1 binder | As marked | Buy locally | |
| Gloves, hard hat, safety glasses, vest, steel-toe boots Most shippers will not let you on the floor without them. | 1 set | - | Buy locally | |
| Measuring tape and a 5 ft straightedge or level Check overhang, height and article length before you count tiedowns. | 1 | - | Buy locally |
Prices are what one retailer, Trucking Depot product listings, listed on Oct 26, 2026. They are not a market average and change often. Quantities are our suggested starting point for a 48 to 53 ft flatbed.
How each piece counts toward the rules
Two federal tests decide whether a load is secured: a minimum number of tiedowns for the article's length, and an aggregate working load limit of at least half the cargo weight. Our flatbed load securement guide walks through both. For buying gear, what matters is this:
- A tiedown is only as strong as its weakest part. Strap, hook, winch, binder and the anchor point each have a rating, and the assembly counts the lowest one (393.108(b)). A 6,600 lb chain on a 5,400 lb binder is a 5,400 lb tiedown.
- Default ratings apply to unmarked gear. Webbing counts by width (4 in is 4,000 lb), unmarked chain counts as grade 30, and unmarked rope counts as polypropylene.
- Damaged gear is out. Tiedowns with cuts, burns or knots are not allowed (393.104).
- Edge protection is part of the system. It is required wherever a tiedown would be cut or worn, and the protector has to resist cutting and crushing itself.
- Rolling freight needs blocking. Pipe, coils and wheeled equipment need chocks, wedges, a cradle or racks (393.106(c)).
| Device | Default WLL if unmarked (393.108) |
|---|---|
| 2 in webbing | 2,000 lb |
| 3 in webbing | 3,000 lb |
| 4 in webbing | 4,000 lb |
| 5/16 in chain, grade 70 marked | 4,700 lb |
| 3/8 in chain, grade 70 marked | 6,600 lb |
| 1/2 in chain, grade 70 marked | 11,300 lb |
| Any unmarked welded chain, 3/8 in | 2,650 lb (treated as grade 30) |
EXAMPLE: what the core kit costs
Using the listed prices above (one retailer, October 26, 2026), here is the core kit before winch bars, dunnage, coil racks and spares. It is an EXAMPLE, not a quote.
| Item | Qty | Listed price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 in x 30 ft winch straps (box of 10) | 2 boxes | $128.95 | $257.90 |
| 3/8 in x 16 ft grade 70 chain | 8 | $39.00 | $312.00 |
| Ratchet binders, 9,200 lb rated | 8 | $30.00 | $240.00 |
| Corner protectors, mixed | 20 | about $3.00 | about $60.00 |
| Lumber tarps, 24 x 27 ft, 18 oz | 2 | $399.00 | $798.00 |
| Steel tarps, 16 x 27 ft | 2 | $215.00 | $430.00 |
| Core kit total | about $2,098 |
Add tax, shipping, a second set of tarps if you run a lot of lumber, and the pieces listed as "buy locally". Many owners also buy heavier or longer chain for machinery.
How the kit changes by freight
- Steel and coils. More chain, coil racks, plenty of edge protection, and steel tarps. Coils of 5,000 lb or more have their own method under 393.120.
- Lumber and building materials. More straps, long v-boards for bundle edges, lumber tarps, and dunnage between tiers.
- Machinery on a step deck. Grade 70 chain and binders on each corner of the machine, plus chocks. Wheeled or tracked machines of 10,000 lb or more need at least four tiedowns.
- Pipe. Chocks or wedges for the bottom tier and edge protection at the pipe ends.
If you are still choosing freight, the flatbed loads page shows what we book and what each type asks of your gear. All our guides are on the guides page.
Free to use on your site or in training material with the credit link included.
FAQ
Common questions
What load securement equipment does a new flatbed need?
At minimum: 4 in winch straps, 3/8 in grade 70 chain with binders sized to it, corner protectors, a winch bar, dunnage, chocks, and lumber and steel tarps with tarp straps. Add coil racks if you will haul coils and spare straps for the ones that get cut.
Do my straps need a working load limit tag?
Not by law, but an unmarked tiedown is rated at the default in 49 CFR 393.108, and unmarked chain is treated as grade 30. Tagged gear lets you count the rating you paid for. Inspectors and many shippers also look for tags.
How much does a flatbed securement kit cost?
It depends on how much you buy and where. Using one retailer's October 2026 listings, 20 straps, 8 chains with binders, 20 protectors and two lumber and two steel tarps come to about $2,100 before winch bars, dunnage, coil racks and spares. Treat that as an EXAMPLE, not a quote.
Do bungees or tarp straps count as tiedowns?
No. Rubber tarp straps hold the tarp. They have no working load limit for cargo and never count toward the half-the-weight total in 393.106(d).
Sources
- 49 CFR 393.108, working load limits (eCFR) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
- 49 CFR 393.104, standards for securement devices (eCFR) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
- 49 CFR 393.106, aggregate working load limit and rolling articles (eCFR) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
- 49 CFR 393.120, metal coils (eCFR) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
- Trucking Depot product listings: winch straps, chain and binders, corner protectors, coil racks, flatbed tarps (checked Oct 26, 2026)
FlatbedDispatch Dispatch Desk
Written by the dispatchers who book open-deck loads every day, checked against the official sources above. See our editorial policy for how we research and correct guides.