How do I use the Advanced Series Overland Trail Wheel?
Essentially the best way to install the litter wheel on the litter is this:
1. Remove the litter saddle from the fork assembly
2. Turn your litter upside down on the ground
3. Place the litter saddle on the bottom of the litter (now facing up) and position where you believe the best balance point will be. Generally this is just forward of the split in the litter.
4. Release the strap ratchet mechanisms by opening them all the way up. This can be accomplished by grasping the spring loaded thumb lever inside the ratchet mechanism.
5. Pull both ends of the strap until all of the webbing has spooled off of the ratchet mechanism and you are left with just the pull tab (through the mechanism) and the two strap ends with hooks.
6. Thread the hooks between the litter shell and the top rail, then attach the hooks to the ¼” rod on the saddle.
7. Pull the strap Pull Tab to the side of the litter. Make sure you remove all slack webbing from between the ratchet mechanism and the litter. \
8. While maintaining a small amount of tension on the Pull Tab, release the ratchet mechanism and begin ratcheting it to tension the straps to the litter.
9. Do not over-tension. The ratchet mechanism can exert over 3,500lbs of force!
A couple of tips. Make sure you remove excess slack by pulling in a direction that is parallel to the bottom of the litter. The ratchet mechanism will tension unevenly because of the way the tumbler in the ratchet mechanism works if you remove the slack by pulling up or in a vertical direction from the litter bottom.
Over-tensioning can destroy even steel frame litters.
Once the saddle has been placed on the litter, the patient can then be loaded. Once the patient is loaded, two or more persons can lift the patient off the ground while a third attaches the wheel. In the case where they is only two rescuers, the wheel can be attached by having one person raise the litter from the head end while the other attaches the wheel.
A simple video may be found at: Litter Wheel Installation