Hi all. Any suggestions on how to properly haul long lumber (2x8x12). I'll be buying 30 pieces of lumber and need to know if the tailgate should be flat or up? Also, I assume that the weight of this is not problem? Thanks
Proper way to haul long lumber
j2k99
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Source? I'll call BS on your claims I just looked a few up.
Didn't realize you were quoting me. From a post awhile back. I do know its illegal. But I have been doing it for quite a long time. Even got pulled over a few years ago. Officer wanted to know what year and model my canoe was. Gruman 17ft aluminum. 50+ years old. He also commented on the trailer lights I had on the stern. Also asked where I was going. Never said a word that it was illegal.
I also have a Cabelas canoe carrier. Which puts the canoe on the roof rails. But that's a lot harder. Especially since I'm not getting any younger.
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Bad, bad idea. That's one emergency stop away from a real disaster. Having loose 30-35 Lb cinder blocks AND 32 lb pieces of lumber flying around loose is not only incredibly dangerous, but in Washington, it can cost you up to $5,000 in fines and a year in jail. This, after a loose piece of particle board bounced out of an unsecured load on the freeway, and after going through the windshield of the following car permanently blinded and nearly killed a 28 year old graduate student on her way home. Two or three ratchet straps are a cheap and effective way to secure a 1,000 lb load in a Ridgeline, tailgate down, it would still be unbalanced rearward, but wouldn't risk flying out over the first bump in the road. Always remember your high school physics: 1) A body in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an external force. 2) Force = Mass X Acceleration. You may not give a flying fig, but 1000 unsecured pounds moving at 60 MPH is a lot of Newtons.
You said you had a trailer. I wasn't referring to a trailer.
Looked up a few what? You want a source? Look up the law for yourself, or go to your nearest police station and ask them. I have done that for hauling things over 2 feet past the bumper. The police might let you slide, and they might not, but that doesn't change the law. I also did that with a box from a parts store for a backup camera that has a picture on the box that shows it mounted and blocking part of the state name on the plate. The police officer said that nothing can block the letters on a license plate. So, the parts stores are selling some products that if you install it as the instructions say to do, you will be in violation of the law. PERIOD! And yes people still install them and drive around with the illegal installation. Again, the police might let you slide, and they might not, but that doesn't change the law. I don't care about what you can get away with. Anyone who wants to try and get away with it can go for it. I am only quoting the law. Do your own research. I am NOT here to hold your hand and do the research for you.
This is 100% WRONG as a general rule of thumb.
A "2 foot rule" absolutely does NOT apply to all states. Certainly not mine.
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Just what I thought, hearsay that you present as fact. Fake news. I could not fin anything blanket and consistent.
You are NOT quoting "the law" as it applies to the people on this forum.
So I would suggest you stop spreading this false information.
I would rent a trailer, the truck bed with the tail gate down is a little short of 80 inches with is about 6.5 feet. I not sure how much the tail gate weight limit is, but I have read on here about the cable breaking on the gate, your going to have almost half of the weight hanging off the back end. I wouldn’t trust the cable on the tail gate. But there is a lot of good advice given here.
Forget all that other stuff... I haul long lumber for a living, but only upon occasion... I've hauled hundreds of 1x6x12 siding, SAFELY, for a project, but only 32 at a time...They stack up through your back window, run to your dash and on top of the closed tailgate... If I had to haul 30 2x8x12 all at once, I'd rent the Home Depot Truck... You can only haul 11 2x8x12 at a time SAFELY, unless you have a rack...So that's 3 trips for 30...
As far as the tailgate weight... lay a 2x4 behind the rear window wall and another one at the end of the bed before the tailgate and stack your material on them, even with bending, the 2x4s will keep the material OFF the tailgate... I failed to do that once, and as a result I have to shut my tailgate TWICE each time I shut it, once like a tailgate and a second time station wagon style, otherwise the tailgate dash light comes on... That said, 12 foot material will hang 9 feet past the tailgate, if laid on the bed floor, and THAT is NOT Safe!!! SO DON'T DO IT!!!
Here's a picture of a Safe load containing 2x8x16 foot material, and the bed... I opened the windows so you can see the long stuff and the rope shows there is a gap from the tailgate... The Flag is an old T-shirt with the arms ripped off enabling me to loop the shirt through itself on the rope, quick and easy and BIG...
Also, increase your stopped distance from the car in front of you, and keep an eye on the guy coming up behind you, people don't pay attention anymore, seems they have more important things to do than drive when they are driving, and you may need to move forward to keep them from hitting your load...
Something that my Dad told me might help here. Place a 2x4 across the bed in front of the split made by lowering the tailgate, then load the lumber and racket down the very front end of the load - as tightly as possible.
This takes a certain amount of pressure, created by the lumber that extends past the end of the tailgate, off the lowered tailgate. I believe that someone has already mentioned securing the load that extends past the end of the tailgate, and that will help. I have used this method with another midsize pickup hauling 2x8x12 treated lumber and I believe that it helps lessen the pressure on the tailgate.
This takes a certain amount of pressure, created by the lumber that extends past the end of the tailgate, off the lowered tailgate. I believe that someone has already mentioned securing the load that extends past the end of the tailgate, and that will help. I have used this method with another midsize pickup hauling 2x8x12 treated lumber and I believe that it helps lessen the pressure on the tailgate.
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Here is the california one... so it would be almost 9 feet past taillights?
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Max overhang is fifteen feet beyond the center of the last axle in WA.
I haul 12' pieces of lumber using my 1st get Ridgeline with a bed extender that attaches to the hitch. Very safe and convenient.
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I did a search for this topic and found this thread. Just in case someone else is looking for the same info... I would caution that the receiver load capacity is 500 pounds on a Gen 2 (sorry, don't know about Gen 1's). The farther out you are from that receiver will lessen that amount, therefore, limit the load that can be placed upon the Helping Hand horizontal bar. I have hauled 2x12 12' on edge, bar clamped together front, mid and rear, secured with ratchet straps front, mid and rear. The first time I did this, I also bar clamped a 2x4 on the rear bottom side of the stack (about at the 9' mark) extending 4 inches on both sides of the 2x12's, so that I could "wrap" the ratchet straps around them and snug it up using the rear tie downs in the bed. I also used a 2x4 that was cut snug, on the front end of the bed, between the wheel wells and the edge of the trunk lid to take the weight off the tailgate. I toe nailed the two outside 2x12's to those 2x4's helping the side to side shift.
Sorry for the late update but have been busy building my deck. So, I did manage to haul approximately 30 pieces of lumber in my G2 with no issues at all. I just drove slower than normal and took wider turns. Used two ratchet straps inside and another tied around the tailgate
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Just FYI in PA the legal limit is 6ft past the end of the truck, which means to me with the tailgate down 12' lumber is legal (obviously secured and flagged)
I have done 2"x6"x12' ft lumber before. I don't have a picture of it on me but I cut 3 2x6's about 52" long. I drilled holes at the ends long enough to run ratchet straps through, then used that as a brace over the lumber at the tie down points in the bed and one at the very end of the wood. This kept it as one very solid bundle that didn't bounce or move at all.
Chapter 49 of PA Vehicle Code:
Projecting Load Limitations - The load on any individual vehicle or the front vehicle of a combination of vehicles may not extend more than 3 feet beyond the front of the vehicle and no more than 6 feet beyond the rear of the vehicle.
I have done 2"x6"x12' ft lumber before. I don't have a picture of it on me but I cut 3 2x6's about 52" long. I drilled holes at the ends long enough to run ratchet straps through, then used that as a brace over the lumber at the tie down points in the bed and one at the very end of the wood. This kept it as one very solid bundle that didn't bounce or move at all.
Chapter 49 of PA Vehicle Code:
Projecting Load Limitations - The load on any individual vehicle or the front vehicle of a combination of vehicles may not extend more than 3 feet beyond the front of the vehicle and no more than 6 feet beyond the rear of the vehicle.
- If a load extends more than 4 feet beyond the rear, a red flag or cloth no less than 12 inches square, or if at night, a red light, must be attached to the projecting load.
- Projecting loads are also limited to the length restrictions imposed on the entire vehicle. Projecting load limitations are not applicable to vehicles transporting live trees for planting.
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