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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I usually do 10 footers with tailgate up and 12 footers with tailgate down. Get all 30. You will be fine. pop a red flag on the end. Just stack them in 3 rows of 10. Then take 1 off the top of the outside stacks and overlap them on the top middle one on each side. So when you strap them down front and back..it puts pressure on all 3 rows.
if you stack them equally and strap them down. The center stack does not have as much pressure so it could slide out on hard acceleration if needed.
Tailgate load capacity matters none unless you hit a really hard dip in the road, which would flex the wood at that spot adding pressure on the gate. Most of the weight will be on the bed floor especially when strapped down.
That Canadian one sounds like the guy that built the wooden snowplow for his hitch...
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I toted 15 pieces of the same lumber by pushing them through the rear window and used a thick piece of cardboard to rest them on the headliner. Rested the other ends in the bed w/ the tailgate up. Drove 45 miles with no mishaps or damage. This was an emergency situation when my buddy's full size truck went kaput at Lowe's. My '10 RTL to the rescue.
That is surely one way to haul lumber, however, not the safe way. One emergency stop while at 60mph, would make one reassess the hauling method.
Oh yeah, Headliners are not cheap either
IMHO renting a trailer would be pretty impractical. Have it delivered and avoid the hassle. That said, even if I didn't have my roof rack setup, and I needed the lumber quickly, I wouldn't think twice about hauling the boards in the bed secured carefully
Overall, there seems to be lots of cooks in this kitchen. The Ridgeline is a very capable material hauler and I use it as such on a daily basis. One needs to be smart, careful and have good dose of common sense. Being afraid to use it as a truck defeats the purpose. . .
I don't think that I would haul more than a few pieces of heavy lumber through the back window and into the cab. That said I do frequently haul long floppy materials like trim, pipe etc through the window. It's easy enough to use a ratchet strap in the bed to do a cinch hold and then attach to the bed cleats. What I mean is to wrap the webbing around the objects one time rather than just on top of them. As you tighten the ratchet it grips the objects powerfully, so they can't go flying forward.That is surely one way to haul lumber, however, not the safe way. One emergency stop while at 60mph, would make one reassess the hauling method.
Oh yeah, Headliners are not cheap either
Overall, there seems to be lots of cooks in this kitchen. The Ridgeline is a very capable material hauler and I use it as such on a daily basis. One needs to be smart, careful and have good dose of common sense. Being afraid to use it as a truck defeats the purpose. . .
I've hauled a dozen KDAT 2x4x12s, a dozen KSAD 1x4x12s along with six treated 4x4x12s. Tailgate down, strap them down in the front and in the rear, staple a red rag(s) or red marking tape streamers to the ends and take your time.
PS - Don't forget to tug on the straps when everything is secured and proclaim "That ain't goin nowhere!"
PS - Don't forget to tug on the straps when everything is secured and proclaim "That ain't goin nowhere!"
@eurban , You are person of trade and knows how to strap things down properly. If you visit the Ridgeline facebook page (not sure if you have), I am sure you will start to have uncomfortable bowel movements like myself. And your remark about being smart, careful and using common sense is lacking in a vast majority of folks who use the pickup truck without much thought.
Easy way is to spend $60 and buy a bed extender - I use mine all the time for carrying lumber. Have tailgate down and strap lumber to front and rear bed tie-down points and to bed extender. Put the standard red flag on the end and you're good to go. Have carried 16 foot lengths this way without issue.
My Bed Extender
My Safety Flag
My Bed Extender
My Safety Flag
I’m thinking tailgate down, 15 boards together on their edge, ratchet strap looped 360 degrees around and hooked in the rear lower bed hooks. The other 15 on their edge and on top of the 1st 15. Loop a second strap around the boards and also hooked to the rear lower bed hooks. One, or two, straps looped around the 30 at the front of the bed and hooked in the front lower bed hooks. Don’t forget the flag.
I recently hauled 5 sticks of 2x6x12' with tailgate up and straps to hold the front of them down. 30 pieces is a lot more though.
I'd get it delivered, but if I had a bed extender in the garage I'd probably use it, just because I hate to see all my cool toys going unused. Even with a bed extender, maybe consider 2 trips?
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I'd get it delivered, but if I had a bed extender in the garage I'd probably use it, just because I hate to see all my cool toys going unused. Even with a bed extender, maybe consider 2 trips?
Yeah must be some 16 footers
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This is what I do to with my first gen and former S-10.
I use the extender in the upright position to haul long and light loads bridging to the roof-rack. PVC pipe, copper pipes, small 2X4 and 4X4 post loads, etc. have all done well like this.
I use it in the down position (bed extender) to load sheet goods that are 10-12 feet, such as drywall.
I simply put a plastic flag (from the vendor load station) on a pin of the extender or on the strap/cord around the back of the load.
Having a canoe and an insatiable habit for home improvements and projects, the extender has been well worth the investment.
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One more thing.....
I had an extender that looked like the one in the link, but it was from Horror Freight. It did okay for a few years and then the tube that inserts to the hitch split at the seam while hauling some pro-grade outdoor volleyball poles home. I upgraded to the "Haul Master" as also linked at Amazon (there's a few like it branded differently) and it's far superior construction IMHO and should be the last one I purchase in my lifetime. It also has adjustable uprights on the end of the load support T, so you can narrow it down (canoe and lumber loads) or widen or turn the ears 90 or 180 degrees for wide loads (sheet goods).
The one linked has D loops welded to the T bar ends and they get in the way of resting wide and flat things. That's how my HF one was.
I had an extender that looked like the one in the link, but it was from Horror Freight. It did okay for a few years and then the tube that inserts to the hitch split at the seam while hauling some pro-grade outdoor volleyball poles home. I upgraded to the "Haul Master" as also linked at Amazon (there's a few like it branded differently) and it's far superior construction IMHO and should be the last one I purchase in my lifetime. It also has adjustable uprights on the end of the load support T, so you can narrow it down (canoe and lumber loads) or widen or turn the ears 90 or 180 degrees for wide loads (sheet goods).
The one linked has D loops welded to the T bar ends and they get in the way of resting wide and flat things. That's how my HF one was.
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FYI, Haul Master is a "Horror Freight" brand too. HAUL-MASTER Trademark of HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS USA, INC. - Registration Number 3982428 - Serial Number 78468153 :: Justia Trademarks
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Thanks very useful videos! I hauled some lumber yesterday, used a ratchet strap but didn't know the technique that they showed.
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