Ford Raptors, and pickup trucks in general, have the capacity to carry larger and heavier loads than most other vehicles. Within their wide beds, you can place materials, tools, bulky equipment, and whatever else may fit. However, once you start driving, you want to be certain that your possessions will not knock around or fall out of the truck. If you put items in without any thought, this can happen. Acquire knowledge on how to secure cargo in your pickup truck to stop potential damage to your cargo and ensure road safety.
Balance Cargo Positioning
As you put down your items in the bed, you should think about the weight balance of your truck. To keep your vehicle’s center of gravity close to its middle section, you should place heavier objects toward the front of the bed, closer to the truck’s hub. It’s also important to keep the hefty items on the bottom while stacking lighter ones above them. These positioning measures will keep your truck stable as you drive at higher speeds and make turns.
Tie Cargo Down
In addition to arranging your cargo wisely, you must also tie it down, so it stays in place while the truck is moving. People sometimes rely solely on rope or bungee cords, but this isn’t a good strategy because your items can still slip out from under them. Instead, you should learn to use ratchet straps as you find out how to secure cargo in your pickup truck. Ratchet straps are wider and flatter than rope and bungee cords, making them much safer for truck bed use. As you use them, strap down your cargo from at least two different angles to account for the different directions that your truck may move on the road.
Obtain Helpful Accessories
You can also obtain helpful accessories in addition to ratchet straps that will add to the security of your cargo. For loads that aren’t taller than your truck bed’s sides, you can use a tonneau cover. This item fits perfectly over your truck bed and acts as a hard lid. It fulfills the dual role of protecting your cargo from outside forces, such as rain, as well as keeping cargo from falling out. Bed mats are also worthy pickup truck and Ford Raptor accessories for holding items in place and protecting them. They provide some extra padding that dampens impacts from bumps in the road and have grippy surfaces that will reduce the likelihood that your cargo will slide around.