Physics, inertia, and cable ties

[Matildas mate]

I use cable ties for a lot of things and was thinking that they could be used to secure shelves, furniture, and other items to the wall of a van. I’ve been looking through Amazon and found that some cable ties have a high tensile strength. This one (https://www.amazon.com/USA-Strong-Tensile-Strength-Industrial/dp/B01KEQ5GSK), for example, has a tensile strength of 175 pounds.

I don’t know anything about physics, the inertia of an object at 60mph, or tensile strength so i was wondering if anyone could tell me if using high tensile strength cable ties like this would hold in the event of a crash and not break.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I have several of the 'industrial strength' cable or zip-ties employed in my van and trailer, and used them for years for certain items on board my commercial truck.

In a severe crash, anything and everything breaks. So that's not a problem only with zip-ties. But, milder bumper-benders, rough roads, pot-holes, and scratch-n-dent events wont faze them.

I'll give you a few examples from mine:

They hold down my genset on the forward rack of my trailer. 

They hold UP my storage tubes in the top of my pickup shell. 

They secure my mid-sized AGM batteries in my battery box. 

One of them secures a small ham radio to a dash-mat in my pickup cab.

I used several to secure my solar panel cables to the solar panel frame. 

They bind the plastic shelves to the legs and wall of the inside liner of the sleeping area. 

One of them holds my trailer brake controller to the dash, along with some VHB tape. 

In the commercial trucks they were often used to secure the CB to the top of the dash, thru factory provided 'hoops' on the dash. Some were also used to fasten the microwave to the interior of the cabinet made for that purpose. 

I could go on, but the fact is they work well, within their limits. (don't mount a spare tire using these!....or try to secure a heavy battery on a van floor using only large zip-ties)

If you decide to try them, buy a good-sized wire cutter (not the little ones for small wires) and make sure to pull the end (with a tool, like pliers, or a vise grip) and cinch it TIGHT!....then cut the extra. 

And as always, use common sense.

 

[Weight]

There are cable ties and there are cable ties. There are heavy things to break loose, and there are lighter weight things that hold. My friends feet were removed when his driver seat broke loose in a collision with a tree. If a factory bolts can fail, what will a nylon zip-tie do?

 

[bullfrog]

Be aware that many of the cheap ones become brittle when esposed to sun light also.

 

[tx2sturgis]

My friends feet were removed when his driver seat broke loose in a collision with a tree. If a factory bolts can fail, what will a nylon zip-tie do?

Didja ever wonder why race car drivers going 200 mph and (in some states) motorcyclists and passengers (going 60 mph)  have to wear helmets, but airline pilots and passengers (going 500 mph) do not?

Because above a certain impact velocity, EVERYTHING breaks.

So...common sense is the order of the day. Having said that, large high-strength zip-ties can be less prone to vibration fatigue, especially when compared to low-grade metal screws from the local big-box store.

But: how and where they are used, matters.

I would not use them to secure a heavy propane tank to a cargo rack, for example, or fix a motor mount with zip-ties.

But, a light-weight plastic milk-crate zip-tied to a bedpost, for example...yeah, no problem.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Be aware that many of the cheap ones become brittle when esposed to sun light also.

Yep, outdoors with UV exposure is bad for the white ones, but most of the industrial-grade black ones are UV stable.

And, you can buy metal zip-ties also.

 

[Minivanmotoman]

As TX2 said, greatest invention since duct tape. They are Red Green approved. Lol.
Within it's limits. Little stronger, they actually have metal zip ties. Little stronger, can use hose clamps or wrap with wire. Even stronger, mechanical attachment with bolts/ screws and mounting plates.
Welds top the list, unless it's the new Jeep with frame welds separating and part of the recall.
And to add even more controversy for those that enjoy that sort of thing, adhesives now are so strong that metal will shear apart, before the bond let's go, if ever. Ford F150 uses adhesives to bond the aluminum throughout. Ford learned this from Jaguar when they owned them.
There is more than one way to do things, choose what you think is best. And may you be right in the long run. But nothing works all the time for all instances.

 

[John61CT]

The mass of the object you want secured is critical to the equation.

 

[DannyB1954]

A metal chain with nut and bolt would be stronger. Another thing that matters with zip ties is the angle of the pulling force. If the zip tie has any angle to it, Like fastening a horizontal object to a vertical object. it will soon fail. The metal tab that clicks into the ribs of the plastic tie does not tolerate sideways pull. the plastic itself can easily be cut.
Put a zip tie on something and when cutting the excess tail off pull the tail sideways and just nick it with a blade. The plastic will shear right off. I worked with the heaviest zip ties before I retired and that is how we cut them. We only used them to hold bundles of wires together and never for anything structural.