I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
in, say, a bench plane :-)
Thanks,
Al
I have used both an S-10 and Ranger with a rack similar to the gentleman
below. you get lots of comments about these racks, seems nobody has
though of them before. I have carried many sheets of plywood, sheetrock
and bunches of decking material. the bed, with the tailgate down, is
8ft. I will also try to post a pic. I am now looking to get out of the
truck and into a better vehicle and use a trailer but my research has
come to the conclusion that a 2x4 pickup is the least cost option. I
will probably look at some of the foreign models as well this time
around. Towing capacity for non trucks is very limited which I did not
realize.
If you get an extended cab (not a 3 door) take a small box or trash can
with you. 18"x12"x24" or so and try to get it in and out of the "behind
the seat" area. the ranger i have is damn near impossible to get
anything back there, the S-10 was better in that reguard.
BRuce
Rico wrote:
> Al wrote:
>
>>I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
>>lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
>>guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
>>accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
>>the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
>>wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
>>any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
>>open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
>>myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
>>in, say, a bench plane :-)
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Al
>>
>
>
> For occasional wood moving you can buy an adequate trailer
> cheap.
>
> If you are using this as an excuse to buy a truck, more
> power to you and we won't tell SWMBO.
>
> Any full sized pickup with an 8 foot bed will do the job,
> and you can also use a compact pickup with a 6 foot bed if
> you build a simple platform to carry 4x8 sheet goods at the
> height of the wheel wells. It just depends what you want.
>
> I have a GMC S-15 (Chevy S-10 with different plastic trim)
> and it handles about 500 pounds of 4x8 sheet goods OK on the
> platform I built for the bed. I also use the platform on
> saw horses as a sacrificial cutting table in the garage.
>
> I'll try and post some pictures in the binaries group in the
> next day or so.
>
> Rico
>
>
> -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
> http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
> -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----
yep, overloaded my S-10 with deck materials one time and it was hard to
keep the front wheels on the ground for the ride home.
Another gotcha is a bed liner. I really like them but most leave few
options for tie downs. i opted for a bed rail and that has been a life
saver.
BRuce
Rico wrote:
> Something I forgot to mention is that if he gets a compact
> truck, to be sure and get the heavy duty suspension option.
>
> The center of gravity of 4 x 8 sheet goods is 4 feet from
> the front of the bed (a bit behind the rear axle). My small
> truck is rated for something like a 1200 lb load, but with
> the CG so far back, much more than 500 lbs of sheet goods
> makes it sag too much. That's still 5 sheets of 3/4 MDF or
> 7 sheets of 3/4 plywood which is all I care to wrestle in
> one trip :), so it hasn't been a problem.
>
> Rico
>
> BRuce <BRuce> wrote:
>
>>I have used both an S-10 and Ranger with a rack similar to the gentleman
>>below. you get lots of comments about these racks, seems nobody has
>>though of them before. I have carried many sheets of plywood, sheetrock
>>and bunches of decking material. the bed, with the tailgate down, is
>>8ft. I will also try to post a pic. I am now looking to get out of the
>>truck and into a better vehicle and use a trailer but my research has
>>come to the conclusion that a 2x4 pickup is the least cost option. I
>>will probably look at some of the foreign models as well this time
>>around. Towing capacity for non trucks is very limited which I did not
>>realize.
>>
>>If you get an extended cab (not a 3 door) take a small box or trash can
>>with you. 18"x12"x24" or so and try to get it in and out of the "behind
>>the seat" area. the ranger i have is damn near impossible to get
>>anything back there, the S-10 was better in that reguard.
>>
>>
>>BRuce
>>
>>
>>Rico wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Al wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
>>>>lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
>>>>guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
>>>>accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
>>>>the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
>>>>wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
>>>>any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
>>>>open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
>>>>myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
>>>>in, say, a bench plane :-)
>>>>
>>>>Thanks,
>>>>Al
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>For occasional wood moving you can buy an adequate trailer
>>>cheap.
>>>
>>>If you are using this as an excuse to buy a truck, more
>>>power to you and we won't tell SWMBO.
>>>
>>>Any full sized pickup with an 8 foot bed will do the job,
>>>and you can also use a compact pickup with a 6 foot bed if
>>>you build a simple platform to carry 4x8 sheet goods at the
>>>height of the wheel wells. It just depends what you want.
>>>
>>>I have a GMC S-15 (Chevy S-10 with different plastic trim)
>>>and it handles about 500 pounds of 4x8 sheet goods OK on the
>>>platform I built for the bed. I also use the platform on
>>>saw horses as a sacrificial cutting table in the garage.
>>>
>>>I'll try and post some pictures in the binaries group in the
>>>next day or so.
>>>
>>>Rico
>
>
>
> -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
> http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
> -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----
B a r r y B u r k e J r . <[email protected]> writes:
>I prefer this one over the HF one, due to it's larger tires, full 4x8
>bed, and heavier weight. The HF is cheaper, so if it'll work for you,
>go for it.
How big are your tires? HF has two, and 8 inch for ~200 and a 12 inch
tire full 4x8 bed trailer for ~250.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=35966
I have the 12" one and have been pleased so far.
The "fold" facter is nifty... slightly inconvenient (in the flat
position, you are supposed to bolt the frame so it won't fold. i plan
to replace the nut/bolts with pins.... or at least wingnuts.)
Took about an extra 100 to do all the title/inspection stuff since
it's from a "kit" so consider the price $350.
We recently towed a 3 foot stack of plywood with a 4cyl saturn. (2000 LS?)
--
be safe.
flip
Verso l'esterno! Verso l'esterno! Deamons di ignoranza.
Rico <[email protected]> writes:
>A 3 foot stack of full sized 4 x 8 sheets of plywood? That
>would be about 3,000 lb. If so I am impressed!
hmmmm... must not have been that high.... (at least i hope not.... as
it would have been three times the capacity of the trailer)
it was a mix of 1/2" osb and plywood...not sure how many sheets.
Perhaps i'm thinking how high it was from ground to top of load on the
trailer. you know after busting butt loading it i may not have been
thinking straight... ;)
--
be safe.
flip
Verso l'esterno! Verso l'esterno! Deamons di ignoranza.
Al <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<MPG.19da4bd9ae44e7ac9896e0@mayonews>...
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> in, say, a bench plane :-)
>
> Thanks,
> Al
This might be a four letter word to some folks but a minivan might
also work. The full size minivans (ie Chevy venture, Ford Windstar,
etc) generally will hold 4x8 plywood sheets with the seats removed or
folded. Our Venture will hold plywood flat, and 10' lumber between
the front seats. All with the hatch closed and weather tight.
Good luck
Vince
snip
Al wrote:
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> in, say, a bench plane :-)
> Thanks,
> Al
I think we went through this about 1/2 a year ago, a Google search
should find it for you. I don't know where you are located, but the
local dealers here are selling base models F-150s for about $13,000. It
isn't a fancy truck, radio, A/C, bench seat, but it'll last and it'll
haul whatever you put into the bed. My daughter's Ranger will haul
stuff too, but the F-150 does it much easier.
Dave in Fairfax
--
reply-to doesn't work
use:
daveldr at att dot net
Once you have bought a full sized truck, you will never want a
car again. Aside from hauling plywood, trucks can haul damn near
anything and they ride pretty good these days.
Ford,Chevy,Dodge .... they all have the vanilla model for well
under $20,000.
They have been selling more trucks than cars for a number of
years now....
Al wrote:
>
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> in, say, a bench plane :-)
>
> Thanks,
> Al
Mike in Mystic wrote:
> This sounds like just the thing I need, too. I have a Jeep Liberty 4x4 that
> is rated to tow 5,000 lbs. I have been putting stuff on the roof rack
> (probably severely overloading it at times, too) and it is just killing my
> back and getting old doing that. Do you have any specifics about your
> trailer that might be useful when shopping around for something like this?
> I've heard that Harbor Freight sells a kit for a trailer that isn't too bad.
>
> Mike
At the place I work, we purchased a "SnowBear" utility trailer from Home Depot.
IIRC, it was about $500. The bed tips, tongue extends, and the axle can be
repositioned to vary the tongue weight. It's been used to haul lumber,
generators, ATV's, steel, sand, gravel, and even a Jet cabinet saw. It work
great. See:
http://www.snowbear.com/html/8000.html
--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
I have a 96 ford windstar, and you can carry a 4x8 sheet in the back
with the 2nd and 3rd row seats removed, but the door will NOT close. Its
close though, with just one sheet. The more sheets, the higher the door
is open. I hold the door closed with a rachet strap, either to one of
the seat mounts if I'm carrying planks, or strapped around the passenger
seat if sheet goods. The bad part about this, is there is NO good place
to hook it to the door. There is just the plastic loop thats used to
close it from the inside. I'm sure that someday, this will pull out.
I'm seriously considering a trailer, either find a used one, or build
one. I have the towing package option on my van, so I can look for a
heavier duty trailer than normal.
John
On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 11:07:16 GMT, B a r r y B u r k e J r .
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>I bought Hidden Hitch hitches and harnesses for my Subaru and Jeep
>from <http://www.hitchesforless.com>.
Sorry, wrong url <http://hitches4less.com/>
Barry
"Pops" is right. I've got a '93 long bed GMC Sierra farm truck that has been
loaned out to almost everybody in the neighborhood at least once. It's made
more trips to the dump than I have, moved more furniture than I own, and
even spent a weekend or two touring Salt Lake City and Wendover while I
stayed home slaving over a hot table saw.
Go for it.
"Pops" <no_spam@no_spam.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Buy the cheapest used truck you can find, beat it to death with lumber,
> tools, logs, other people's car doors, helping friends move, kids (if you
> have them) and keep your saturn.
> "Al" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:MPG.19da4bd9ae44e7ac9896e0@mayonews...
> > I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> > lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> > guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> > accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> > the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> > wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> > any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> > open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> > myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> > in, say, a bench plane :-)
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Al
>
>
I use a 9 year old Chrysler Grand Caravan. I know, it's a
minivan! But, I can lay 49" by 97" sheet goods flat in the back. I can
also put an 11 ft. board inside.
The advantage over a truck is it is all enclosed.
Jim in Colorado
Al <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<MPG.19da4bd9ae44e7ac9896e0@mayonews>...
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> in, say, a bench plane :-)
>
> Thanks,
> Al
Al <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<MPG.19da4bd9ae44e7ac9896e0@mayonews>...
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> in, say, a bench plane :-)
>
> Thanks,
> Al
FWIW Al, I recently bought a 91 ford econoline work van. Reliable and
tons of room. It will easily accomodate full 4x8 sheets. In fact,
the distance from the back of the seats to the rear doors is about
10ft. I love the fact that I can go buy a bunch of stuff and unload
it as I need it, or, if the weather is bad, wait until the weather
improves to unload.
my $.02,
Eric
[email protected] wrote:
> isn't a fancy truck, radio, A/C, bench seat, but it'll last and it'll
> haul whatever you put into the bed. My daughter's Ranger will haul
> stuff too, but the F-150 does it much easier.
>
> Dave in Fairfax
Someone in NoVA with a pickup truck. I guess you listen to country music
too, and think that because you drive a pickup truck and listen to country
music, you ain't a yankee... ;)
(Actually, I don't have a pickup truck, and I detest country music, so just
ignore my babbling.)
Um. Oh. My point. Right. I tried a Ranger. Too wussy to bother with
IMHO.
Plus it's a Ford. Yuck. ;)
Anyway, I'd second the recommendation for an F-150 or some other vehicle
(preferably not a Ford) of that size. Working on the other end, as
somebody who used to load stuff for people, those stupid wheel humps are a
real pain in the ass on the smaller baby sized trucks. Get the biggest,
widest bed you can manage.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
Confirmed post number: 17891 Approximate word count: 536730
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
Tue, Sep 23, 2003, 1:24pm (EDT-1) [email protected] (Al) says:
<snip> just something reliable to move the wood..<snip>
Get you a decent full size pickup, something with a bench seat.
Then you can take your old lady along, and strap her in right next to
you, rather than a weeny little truck, with her sitting next to the
opposite door. She'll think that's romantic, and you'll have someone
to help with the plywood.
JOAT
The whole of life is a learning process.
- John Keel
Life just ain't life without good music. - JOAT
Web Page Update 23 Sep 2003. Some tunes I like.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Jakofalltrades/SOMETUNESILIKE/
Mike in Mystic wrote:
> I agree that must be pretty funny to see the Borg guys look at your Beemer
> as you load wood into it.
>
> but, honestly, that has to be the ugliest vehicle out there that I've seen
> in a LONG time, and it costs upwards of $40K. ICK.
Pontiac Aztek. Ugliest vehicle anyone has produced since the Gremlin.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
Confirmed post number: 17909 Approximate word count: 537270
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
The bed doesn't have to be an eight footer, the critical dimension is the
four foot width over the wheel wells. If a couple of feet of stock hangs out
over the end of the bed it's no big deal but if it hangs over the sides it's
a bitch to tie down.
Though I am not driving one now, my hauling requirements went way up, for my
money you can't beat your little old basic Toyota four cylinder The last
one I had was still going strong when I sold it at 200,000 miles. Mine
wasn't the only one I've seen with that kind of mileage either.
You may want to add an extended cab to that though. Keeps the groceries,
kids and pets out of the rain. .
--
Mike G.
Heirloom Woods
www.heirloom-woods.net
"Al" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:MPG.19da4bd9ae44e7ac9896e0@mayonews...
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> in, say, a bench plane :-)
>
> Thanks,
> Al
thanks for the link, Nova, that looks like a pretty useful trailer. I can't
seem to find any purchasing info online, though. The Home Depot in my town
sucks big time, too, and I try to avoid it like the plague. but, maybe
SWMBO will let me spend $500 on a trailer instead of getting a 2nd hand
pickup, which is what I was thinking of doing. Seems fair to me :)
Mike
"Nova" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Mike in Mystic wrote:
>
> > This sounds like just the thing I need, too. I have a Jeep Liberty 4x4
that
> > is rated to tow 5,000 lbs. I have been putting stuff on the roof rack
> > (probably severely overloading it at times, too) and it is just killing
my
> > back and getting old doing that. Do you have any specifics about your
> > trailer that might be useful when shopping around for something like
this?
> > I've heard that Harbor Freight sells a kit for a trailer that isn't too
bad.
> >
> > Mike
>
> At the place I work, we purchased a "SnowBear" utility trailer from Home
Depot.
> IIRC, it was about $500. The bed tips, tongue extends, and the axle can
be
> repositioned to vary the tongue weight. It's been used to haul lumber,
> generators, ATV's, steel, sand, gravel, and even a Jet cabinet saw. It
work
> great. See:
>
> http://www.snowbear.com/html/8000.html
>
> --
> Jack Novak
> Buffalo, NY - USA
>
>
Northern Hydralics and Harbor Freight both have trailer frames with lights and
fenders in the $200-300 range. I am still holding out for a garage sale trailer
in the $50 range but I am a cheap bastard. I am looking for a small boat
trailer that looks like it may have been a "magic tilt" since I already own a
tag for my current boat trailer. Florida is a "no title" state on trailers so
the serial number is moot. You just need some kind of tag. I have even seen box
trailers with "lost tag" and a number painted on them.
> This might be a four letter word to some folks but a minivan might
> also work. The full size minivans (ie Chevy venture, Ford Windstar,
> etc) generally will hold 4x8 plywood sheets with the seats removed or
> folded. Our Venture will hold plywood flat, and 10' lumber between
> the front seats. All with the hatch closed and weather tight.
Bleck, that's what I get for buying a shorty minivan. I have to leave the
rear hatch open to get something home in my MPV (older). Still, I swear,
they must have thought of this when designing minivans. It cannot be chance
that there's exactly the width of a sheet of MDF in there.
--randy
Al wrote:
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> in, say, a bench plane :-)
>
> Thanks,
> Al
>
For occasional wood moving you can buy an adequate trailer
cheap.
If you are using this as an excuse to buy a truck, more
power to you and we won't tell SWMBO.
Any full sized pickup with an 8 foot bed will do the job,
and you can also use a compact pickup with a 6 foot bed if
you build a simple platform to carry 4x8 sheet goods at the
height of the wheel wells. It just depends what you want.
I have a GMC S-15 (Chevy S-10 with different plastic trim)
and it handles about 500 pounds of 4x8 sheet goods OK on the
platform I built for the bed. I also use the platform on
saw horses as a sacrificial cutting table in the garage.
I'll try and post some pictures in the binaries group in the
next day or so.
Rico
-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----
Something I forgot to mention is that if he gets a compact
truck, to be sure and get the heavy duty suspension option.
The center of gravity of 4 x 8 sheet goods is 4 feet from
the front of the bed (a bit behind the rear axle). My small
truck is rated for something like a 1200 lb load, but with
the CG so far back, much more than 500 lbs of sheet goods
makes it sag too much. That's still 5 sheets of 3/4 MDF or
7 sheets of 3/4 plywood which is all I care to wrestle in
one trip :), so it hasn't been a problem.
Rico
BRuce <BRuce> wrote:
> I have used both an S-10 and Ranger with a rack similar to the gentleman
> below. you get lots of comments about these racks, seems nobody has
> though of them before. I have carried many sheets of plywood, sheetrock
> and bunches of decking material. the bed, with the tailgate down, is
> 8ft. I will also try to post a pic. I am now looking to get out of the
> truck and into a better vehicle and use a trailer but my research has
> come to the conclusion that a 2x4 pickup is the least cost option. I
> will probably look at some of the foreign models as well this time
> around. Towing capacity for non trucks is very limited which I did not
> realize.
>
> If you get an extended cab (not a 3 door) take a small box or trash can
> with you. 18"x12"x24" or so and try to get it in and out of the "behind
> the seat" area. the ranger i have is damn near impossible to get
> anything back there, the S-10 was better in that reguard.
>
>
> BRuce
>
>
> Rico wrote:
>
> > Al wrote:
> >
> >>I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> >>lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> >>guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> >>accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> >>the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> >>wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> >>any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> >>open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> >>myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> >>in, say, a bench plane :-)
> >>
> >>Thanks,
> >>Al
> >>
> >
> >
> > For occasional wood moving you can buy an adequate trailer
> > cheap.
> >
> > If you are using this as an excuse to buy a truck, more
> > power to you and we won't tell SWMBO.
> >
> > Any full sized pickup with an 8 foot bed will do the job,
> > and you can also use a compact pickup with a 6 foot bed if
> > you build a simple platform to carry 4x8 sheet goods at the
> > height of the wheel wells. It just depends what you want.
> >
> > I have a GMC S-15 (Chevy S-10 with different plastic trim)
> > and it handles about 500 pounds of 4x8 sheet goods OK on the
> > platform I built for the bed. I also use the platform on
> > saw horses as a sacrificial cutting table in the garage.
> >
> > I'll try and post some pictures in the binaries group in the
> > next day or so.
> >
> > Rico
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In article <MPG.19da4bd9ae44e7ac9896e0@mayonews>,
[email protected] says...
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> accommodate plywood sheets.
What I have had since 1986 or so, is an '82 GMC Vandura. . .I built a
raised platform for my tools, leaving enough space underneath to carry
9-10 sheets of plywood or other long, bulky stuff.
Kim
Philip Edward Lewis wrote:
> We recently towed a 3 foot stack of plywood with a 4cyl saturn. (2000 LS?)
>
> --
> be safe.
> flip
> Verso l'esterno! Verso l'esterno! Deamons di ignoranza.
>
>
A 3 foot stack of full sized 4 x 8 sheets of plywood? That
would be about 3,000 lb. If so I am impressed!
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In article <MPG.19da4bd9ae44e7ac9896e0@mayonews>,
[email protected] says...
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> in, say, a bench plane :-)
>
> Thanks,
> Al
Dang, is this a serious newsgroup or what? :-) Thanks a bunch for all
the answers - I'll have to post a binary of the "final solution." Might
lose an eye to a flying rolling pin, but I think it'll be worth it :-).
Regards,
Al
Al wrote:
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. ...
> Thanks,
> Al
>
Al, I have posted some pictures in the binaries group
showing one way to solve your problem with a compact truck.
If you do get a compact truck, be sure to get heavy duty
suspension and a decent sized engine. Some of the base
models with four cylinders aren't rated for much more than
two big passengers and a basket of laundry.
The following is my blather that goes with the pictures in
the binaries group......
There are many ways to move wood, here's what works for me
using a compact pickup. Since the truck was going to run
with one or two passengers and no cargo over 90% of the
time, I didn't want to get a full sized truck so decided to
make a small truck work for me.
One important criteria was to be able to carry 4 x 8 foot
sheet goods flat, as most of you know the average compact
pickup doesn't have 4 feet between the wheel wells.
There are 4 pictures associated with this post. See alt.
binaries.pictures.woodworking if you are interested.
Carrier: Shows the sheet goods carrier in the back of my
compact pickup. It is 1x construction with butt joints glued
and screwed and gussets in the corners. All screws within
cutting depth of a skill saw from the top were removed. 3/4
plywood would work nicely too. 2x lumber would be
unnecessarily heavy to handle. It has one cross piece for
structural stability and sheet goods support. It needs one,
more would reduce the utility of the storage spaces under
the sheet goods. This bed liner has holes cut in it so I can
use the tiedowns. It came that way, but if it didn't I would
have cut them myself.
Cutting: Shows the carrier on short saw horses so it can be
used as a sacrificial cutting table. You might be able to
see some of the many cuts into the top edge. A few more
projects and I will cut off the top 1.5 inches and replace
it. I will also lower the top gussets so they aren't in the
way of cutting or replacing the top edge. The saw horses
and carrier have matching notches so they form a secure
table when the carrier is set on the saw horses. The saw
horses need to be will cross braced to they won't collapse
when you wrestle heavy stuff on and off the carrier. You can
also drag the thing across the floor to move it if you notch
it right.
Assembly: That is a sheet of 5/8 plywood on top of the
carrier to serve as an assembly table. 1/2 plywood felt too
flimsy, 3/4 was a paint to move around. The top is indexed
to the carrier with cleats. It's not a stiff super flat
torque box assembly table, but is is real handy. I have
assembled 200+ pound caseworks on the table and wrestled
them on and off the table by myself without knocking the
table over. 1/2 plywood felt too flimsy, 3/4 was a pain to
move around. The top is 4 feet x 6 feet 9 inches. I would
have made it 4 x 8 feet except my storage space wasn't tall
enough.
Stowed: It stows against the wall between the end of a row
of storage cabinets. You can see the cleats on the bottom of
the top that locate it on the carrier.
I don't think construction technique or materials matter as
long as you build a stable system that isn't too heavy to
handle. Also note that no fasteners are required to use the
system in it's three modes.
Rico
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Vince wrote:
> Al <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<MPG.19da4bd9ae44e7ac9896e0@mayonews>...
>
>>I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
>>lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
>>guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
>>accommodate plywood sheets.
=============================================
I am 60 years old and over the years my needs for a "hauler" have
changed greatly... and I have owned a BUNCH of trucks for that purpose...
SO In my opinion
I do not think there is a good (single) answer to your question...
Today I drive a Little Dodge Dakota pick up which meets todays needs
just fine...
But 30 or 35 years ago when I was building my house, landscaping my
yard, it would have lacked the "guts" to haul what I needed...as the
years went on and I expanded the house built a few outbuildings, a
couple of garages, etc my needs kept changing.
Today I may need to haul trash to the dump, car parts (body
parts,engines etc .... hobby) maybe a couple of hundred board foot of
lumber or a few sheets of plywood for a wood working project...nothing
exceptionably large or heavy .. so the "little" truck works for me..
Bob Griffiths
> "Al" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:MPG.19da4bd9ae44e7ac9896e0@mayonews...
>> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
>> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
>> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed
>> to accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm
>> not into the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to
>> move the wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?)
>> At any rate, any suggestions would be appreciated.
OK, if you're considering a Ranger (Chevy S10, Dodge Dakota, Toyota
Tacoma, etc, any of the small pickups), understand they don't come
with an 8' bed. That means you'll be carrying stuff with the tail
gate down, and have to secure it (ropes, etc). In addition, sheets
of ply will have to be put across the fenders, they won't fit on
the floor of the bed.
If you go to a full-size pickup (Ford F150, Chevy Silverado, Dodge
Ram) you can get an 8' bed (not in the Toyota Tundra, tho). To me
the long bed is a worthwhile advantage, in that I can put 8' lumber,
ply, etc in and not have to worry about tying it down. You may
have to look for a long-bed, tho, because the "standard" size is a
6.5' bed, and they are much more common.
I would advise, whatever size truck you choose, that you get an
extended cab model. Having that extra space so you can put your
tools, duffle bag, or whatever _inside_ is extremely useful, and
you will regret it if you don't have it.
Be aware that a fullsize pickup, extended cab, 8' bed, is a very
long vehicle and can be a pain to maneuver (it takes 4 lanes of
traffic plus a bit to make a U-turn with my F150, I don't even
try to go thru the drive-thru at Wendy's).
John
On 24-Sep-2003, "Pops" <no_spam@no_spam.com> wrote:
> Buy the cheapest used truck you can find, beat it to death with lumber,
> tools, logs, other people's car doors, helping friends move, kids (if you
> have them) and keep your saturn.
And the insurance, registration & fuel costs alone will cover enough truck rentals
to do all your plywood purchasing.
Mike
I agree that must be pretty funny to see the Borg guys look at your Beemer
as you load wood into it.
but, honestly, that has to be the ugliest vehicle out there that I've seen
in a LONG time, and it costs upwards of $40K. ICK.
"bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The obvious answer is to rent one of the Borg's trucks for $19.99 for 75
> minutes. They are stuck with depreciation, insurance, maintenance, etc...
> It would take 15 rentals to pay for a decent trailer.
>
> Me, I haul my plywood in a BMW X5 SUV. You should see the looks when I
pull
> up to the loading dock. I can stuff about a half dozen sheets of 3/4" ply
> back there. My problem is I like having 0 to 60 in under 7 seconds (no
ply
> in the back!), slot car handling, and room to haul the family and gear to
> the beach in the safest SUV on the road.
>
>
> "Al" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:MPG.19da4bd9ae44e7ac9896e0@mayonews...
> > I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> > lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> > guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> > accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> > the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> > wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> > any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> > open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> > myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> > in, say, a bench plane :-)
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Al
> >
>
>
i have an old 90 4runner. it doesn't look it, but a 4x8 sheet will fit flat
in it if you leave the back door down. i've carried 20 sheets of ply without
any problems.
regards,
charlie
cave creek, az
<BRuce> wrote in message news:1064344898.464035@sj-nntpcache-3...
> I have used both an S-10 and Ranger with a rack similar to the gentleman
> below. you get lots of comments about these racks, seems nobody has
> though of them before. I have carried many sheets of plywood, sheetrock
> and bunches of decking material. the bed, with the tailgate down, is
> 8ft. I will also try to post a pic. I am now looking to get out of the
> truck and into a better vehicle and use a trailer but my research has
> come to the conclusion that a 2x4 pickup is the least cost option. I
> will probably look at some of the foreign models as well this time
> around. Towing capacity for non trucks is very limited which I did not
> realize.
>
> If you get an extended cab (not a 3 door) take a small box or trash can
> with you. 18"x12"x24" or so and try to get it in and out of the "behind
> the seat" area. the ranger i have is damn near impossible to get
> anything back there, the S-10 was better in that reguard.
>
>
> BRuce
>
>
> Rico wrote:
>
> > Al wrote:
> >
> >>I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> >>lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> >>guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> >>accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> >>the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> >>wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> >>any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> >>open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> >>myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> >>in, say, a bench plane :-)
> >>
> >>Thanks,
> >>Al
> >>
> >
> >
> > For occasional wood moving you can buy an adequate trailer
> > cheap.
> >
> > If you are using this as an excuse to buy a truck, more
> > power to you and we won't tell SWMBO.
> >
> > Any full sized pickup with an 8 foot bed will do the job,
> > and you can also use a compact pickup with a 6 foot bed if
> > you build a simple platform to carry 4x8 sheet goods at the
> > height of the wheel wells. It just depends what you want.
> >
> > I have a GMC S-15 (Chevy S-10 with different plastic trim)
> > and it handles about 500 pounds of 4x8 sheet goods OK on the
> > platform I built for the bed. I also use the platform on
> > saw horses as a sacrificial cutting table in the garage.
> >
> > I'll try and post some pictures in the binaries group in the
> > next day or so.
> >
> > Rico
> >
> >
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>
"Al" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:MPG.19da4bd9ae44e7ac9896e0@mayonews...
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> in, say, a bench plane :-)
>
> Thanks,
> Al
Depends how much you need to move. Here in UK, I use a 10ft x 6ft flat bed
trailer behind a normal car. I can carry almost 3/4 ton legally. No extra
insurance or tax and I'm not driving a truck when I don't need it. Downside
is that the combination is more difficult to drive and you need space to
keep it.
John
"Nova" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Mike in Mystic wrote:
>
> > This sounds like just the thing I need, too. I have a Jeep Liberty 4x4
that
> > is rated to tow 5,000 lbs. I have been putting stuff on the roof rack
> > (probably severely overloading it at times, too) and it is just killing
my
> > back and getting old doing that. Do you have any specifics about your
> > trailer that might be useful when shopping around for something like
this?
> > I've heard that Harbor Freight sells a kit for a trailer that isn't too
bad.
> >
> > Mike
>
> At the place I work, we purchased a "SnowBear" utility trailer from Home
Depot.
> IIRC, it was about $500. The bed tips, tongue extends, and the axle can
be
> repositioned to vary the tongue weight. It's been used to haul lumber,
> generators, ATV's, steel, sand, gravel, and even a Jet cabinet saw. It
work
> great. See:
>
> http://www.snowbear.com/html/8000.html
>
> --
> Jack Novak
> Buffalo, NY - USA
>
>
I don't know the US market place, but here in UK we use a lot of flat bed
trailers like these.
http://www.bateson-trailers.co.uk/
Wheels are under the bed and all the sides and tailgate can be removed or
hinged down. Materials are either aluminium or galvanised steel. Weights
vary up to 3.5 tons, lengths up to 16 ft. They are very versatile but not
cheap. The market leader is Iffor Williams. Can't find their web site
though.
John
I used some 1/2" Baltic Birch scrap pieces to make sacrificial caps
for cutting sheet goods. Had 2" wide scraps on hand so they got used.
On Fri, 26 Sep 2003 12:21:35 -0700, Rico <[email protected]> wrote:
>A few more
>projects and I will cut off the top 1.5 inches and replace
>it.
On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 13:24:57 -0500, Al <[email protected]>
wrote:
>I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
>lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan.
As an alternative, think about a trailer.
I have an open, 4x8 flatbed that I got at Lowes for about $400. Add
$200 for the 1 1/4" receiver I bolted on to my Subaru Outback, and I
was done. The Subaru already had the proper bolt holes (4) and
connection point for the wiring harness, I'd bet your Saturn does as
well. The hitch installation required about 3 tools and 20 minutes.
CT charges about $25 for a two year reg, and my town hits me for $15
in property taxes on it.
I figure this thing ought to outlast my next 3-4 vehicles if I grease
the bearings and keep up the tire pressures.
Last but not least, I find the trailer MUCH easier to load than any
pickup I've owned, due to the low bed. Long hardwood is easily
carried along the tongue. The combo will carry anything that a 3/4
ton truck long bed truck will, and gives me a nice handing, fuel
efficient, 5 seat car when I'm not.
Barry
Gfretwell wrote:
> I did bring 800 lbs of sackrete in a Lebaron once tho.
> Can you say "Low Rider"?
> I figure that was the same as hauling 3 of my inlaws.
Glad I'm not the only one.
On both scores, really. Not only do I have ~300-pound in-laws, but I also
did the crazy car thing.
I bought all the stuff to build a big project. 3/4" plywood and 2x4s and
stuff. I had to buy stuff small enough to fit in my car, and I was hell
bent on getting it all home in one trip, so I had all these 4x4 sheets and
6' lengths of wood sticking out everywhere. In order to get it all to fit,
I had to slide the driver's seat forward and un-latch the back of the seat.
I literally had my forehead touching the windshield.
So here I go on my merry way with wood sticking out of every window, my
forehead on the windshield, and the suspension making crunching noises
every time I hit the slightest dip in the road. There were two basically
equivalent ways to get home. I took the left turn, for no particular
reason.
Right into a *road block*.
Shit!
So here I am contorted into this mess, nowhere to go, and if I try to turn
around and go the other way, the cops will just chase me down and things
will be a whole lot worse.
So as I ooch through the road block, I somehow manage to contort myself far
enough to extract my license, and maybe my registration. I had managed to
fasten my seatbelt too, I think. Probably.
I finally get my turn, and the cop just looks at me, looks at my car, looks
at me, and says "I hope you're not going far with all that."
"No ma'am, I live just up the street."
"Have a nice day, Mr... Mack... Macken Try."
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
Confirmed post number: 17889 Approximate word count: 536670
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
>As an alternative, think about a trailer.
I am thinking along those same lines. I only worry that a trailer might be too
much for a little car. It will certainly be OK if you are just hauling light,
bulky things but it wouldn't take much concrete to tip the balance. I did bring
800 lbs of sackrete in a Lebaron once tho.
Can you say "Low Rider"?
I figure that was the same as hauling 3 of my inlaws.
Gfretwell wrote:
> I am thinking along those same lines. I only worry that a trailer might be too
> much for a little car. It will certainly be OK if you are just hauling light,
> bulky things but it wouldn't take much concrete to tip the balance. I did bring
> 800 lbs of sackrete in a Lebaron once tho.
> Can you say "Low Rider"?
> I figure that was the same as hauling 3 of my inlaws.
>
>
Find out what the car is rated to tow, the manufacturers
ratings are usually conservative.
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Here's what Saturn sez about their new models.
"All Saturn vehicles can tow up to 1,000 lbs. (454 kg) with
either the automatic or manual transmission. Saturn ION
vehicles equipped with a manual transmission can also be
flat towed (behind such vehicles as RV campers) on the
ground at normal vehicle speeds of less than 65 mph (105
km/h). "
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In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> >As an alternative, think about a trailer.
I agree with Greg (not unusual). You'll pay more per
year for insurance on another vehicle than you will per year
for a good trailer.
Question: Has anyone seen a good design for a "log loading ramp"
to go on the back of a trailer, when winching good sized logs
out in the woods?? I just built a "wood gathering trailer",
and the winch mount I built fits on the rear Class 4 hitch on
my GMC Yukon, and has a trailer hitch on IT so I can winch onto
the trailer. It's already MUCH easier than loading wood up at the
pickup bed level, which I've done for years. BUT there's that
"Get one end of the log up onto the trailer" part. I once
saw a photo of a drop-on ramp that would 'help' the log up
and was moveable right-to-left for different logs in a load.
But I don't remember it well...
Anyone seen or built one, before I try to invent one??
It needs to have somewhat of a Vee shape, to guide a log end
up and on... I think. Large round tubing is what I got, other
steel I can get. Cut, weld, and like that.
I'll post a pointer to the whole deal when I get it all working.
Which better be soon.
--
Regards, Terry King ...In The Woods In Vermont
[email protected]
The one who Dies With The Most Parts LOSES!! What do you need?
On 23-Sep-2003, [email protected] (Gfretwell) wrote:
> I am thinking along those same lines. I only worry that a trailer might be too
> much for a little car. It will certainly be OK if you are just hauling light,
> bulky things but it wouldn't take much concrete to tip the balance. I did bring
> 800 lbs of sackrete in a Lebaron once tho.
A roof rack will allow you to carry around 125lb on top (almost no limit on length!).
A trailer will carry a few hundred more, depending on how much you want to haul.
Don't worry about hauling a modest load with a Saturn - just don't expect to
accelerate like a fool or be a speed demon. Hauling some wood once in a while
isn't the same as towing a big RV trailer around the country all the time.
The question you should ask is "What are my needs?" If 95% of your
wood purchases are under 125 lb, get a roof rack. If 95% are around, say,
200-300lb, get a trailer. If you're _always_ and _frequently_ hauling a big
load, get a truck.
Don't get a truck if you need it for 5% or less of your needs. For those
occasions, you can rent a truck! The cost of going from a modest car to
a big truck in terms of financing, fuel& repair etc can easily cover a lot of
rentals. (this doesn't apply if your Saturn is ready for the junkyard and
needs to be replaced anyway) In fact, a few occasions of doing two trips
with the car will be cheaper than buying a truck you don't really need.
Mike
>The question you should ask is "What are my needs?"
My problem is plywood. I refuse to buy anything that won't take a 10' piece of
2" PVC and an 8' 2x4 (what I carried when car shopping, with nothing on the
roof, windows up, doors closed).
I am in a 97 Honda Prelude these days and that just met my test. My 87 LeBaron
coupe far exceeded that requirement. I could carry 10' lumber in that car but
it finally gave up the ghost.
On 23 Sep 2003 21:05:59 GMT, [email protected] (Gfretwell) wrote:
>>The question you should ask is "What are my needs?"
>
>My problem is plywood. I refuse to buy anything that won't take a 10' piece of
>2" PVC and an 8' 2x4 (what I carried when car shopping, with nothing on the
>roof, windows up, doors closed).
>I am in a 97 Honda Prelude these days and that just met my test. My 87 LeBaron
>coupe far exceeded that requirement. I could carry 10' lumber in that car but
>it finally gave up the ghost.
my Taurus will take several 9' planks 8" wide completely into the car
from the back of the trunk up to 3 or 4 inches from the dash and still
let me close the trunk lid. If I'm only getting one or two, I can go
up to 10' if I angle them up onto the dash. All wrapped where the
boards touch something to keep the interior from getting ripped or
gashed.
>I can go
>up to 10' if I angle them up onto the dash.
That's why I liked my old LeBaron. You could get 10' material under the dash on
the passenger side and close the trunk. I can do that with the prelude if it
has a little flex, like PVC pipe. 8' is no sweat.
I used to load up my F body GMs too (Camaro/Firebird). I got a free propane
fridge once (30 high, 24 wide, 25 deep) because I could get in the front seat
of a Camaro. It took 3 tries, moving/reclining the seat and trying different
orientations but I got it in. It was "first one to haul it away".
I carried 15 2x4 8s in the Firebird. (closed up) Again it was "all you can haul
away for free".
On 25 Sep 2003 03:57:38 GMT, [email protected] (Gfretwell) wrote:
>>I can go
>>up to 10' if I angle them up onto the dash.
>
>That's why I liked my old LeBaron. You could get 10' material under the dash on
>the passenger side and close the trunk. I can do that with the prelude if it
>has a little flex, like PVC pipe. 8' is no sweat.
>I used to load up my F body GMs too (Camaro/Firebird). I got a free propane
>fridge once (30 high, 24 wide, 25 deep) because I could get in the front seat
>of a Camaro. It took 3 tries, moving/reclining the seat and trying different
>orientations but I got it in. It was "first one to haul it away".
>I carried 15 2x4 8s in the Firebird. (closed up) Again it was "all you can haul
>away for free".
These are all excellent examples of buying the right car for one's
needs.
I don't know how many people really think about their needs, but I
suspect many go along with advertising hype and keeping up with the
Joneses.
Using a trailer or renting a truck for the infrequent major hauling
would be a better idea IMHO.
In article <[email protected]>,
Gfretwell <[email protected]> wrote:
>>The question you should ask is "What are my needs?"
>
>My problem is plywood. I refuse to buy anything that won't take a 10' piece of
>2" PVC and an 8' 2x4 (what I carried when car shopping, with nothing on the
>roof, windows up, doors closed).
>I am in a 97 Honda Prelude these days and that just met my test. My 87 LeBaron
>coupe far exceeded that requirement. I could carry 10' lumber in that car but
>it finally gave up the ghost.
I used to have an 87 Caddy Fleetwood. half sheets of ply would go _flat_
*inside* (as in 'close the lid' inside) the trunk. Had enough cubage to carry
_at_least_ 20 half-sheets of 3/4", although I never had more than about 10 in
it at any given time. Once, I also transported a full 10' section of
industrial (steel) scaffolding, entirely _inside_ the vehicle. two 5' _square_
end-pieces, two circa 30" x 10' 'platforms', and the roughly 11' long cross-
braces. At least two full sections would have fit, but one was sufficient for
my needs at that time -- and that stuff is not inexpensive to rent. The
scaffolding company looked at me *real* funny, when I showed up with a *only*
a car, to pick up the rental. <grin>
On 23-Sep-2003, [email protected] (Gfretwell) wrote:
> My problem is plywood. I refuse to buy anything that won't take a 10' piece of
> 2" PVC and an 8' 2x4 (what I carried when car shopping, with nothing on the
> roof, windows up, doors closed).
A roof rack will carry 4x8 plywood easily. The only problem will be if it is
one sheet of thin stuff - it might sag a lot. This can be solved with a couple
of 2x4s underneath. With a 125lb load limit, you can carry about 1 1/4"
total thickness of ply. More than that would overload the roof rack.
(Thule rates theirs to 165lb less the weight of the rack.)
A trailer should be a no-brainer for ply.
BTW - with the tailgate down, I can carry 4x8 plywood mostly inside
my Honda Civic hatchback.
Mike
FWIW I can carry several sheets of 4' x 8' plywood in my 1995 Pontiac
Viagra^H^H^H^H^H^HFirebird.
-- Mark
"Al" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:MPG.19da4bd9ae44e7ac9896e0@mayonews...
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> in, say, a bench plane :-)
>
> Thanks,
> Al
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> in, say, a bench plane :-)
I'm going to weigh in with the full size pick-up crowd. My work vehicle
is a '85 chevy 2x4. I'd buy newer, but the damn thing just keeps
starting. IMHO nothing beats a old pick-up or full size van for
carpentry, (or many other things for that matter). This presupposes
that you have the parking space for said vehicle and that the ownership
of such doesn't create a social *four paw* for you.
Dean
On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 03:07:50 GMT, "Mike in Mystic"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>but, honestly, that has to be the ugliest vehicle out there that I've seen
>in a LONG time, and it costs upwards of $40K. ICK.
The Porsche SUV is twice as ugly, for twice the price. <G>
Barry
Buy the cheapest used truck you can find, beat it to death with lumber,
tools, logs, other people's car doors, helping friends move, kids (if you
have them) and keep your saturn.
"Al" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:MPG.19da4bd9ae44e7ac9896e0@mayonews...
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> in, say, a bench plane :-)
>
> Thanks,
> Al
This sounds like just the thing I need, too. I have a Jeep Liberty 4x4 that
is rated to tow 5,000 lbs. I have been putting stuff on the roof rack
(probably severely overloading it at times, too) and it is just killing my
back and getting old doing that. Do you have any specifics about your
trailer that might be useful when shopping around for something like this?
I've heard that Harbor Freight sells a kit for a trailer that isn't too bad.
Mike
"B a r r y B u r k e J r ." <[email protected]> wrote
in message news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 13:24:57 -0500, Al <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> >lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan.
>
> As an alternative, think about a trailer.
>
> I have an open, 4x8 flatbed that I got at Lowes for about $400. Add
> $200 for the 1 1/4" receiver I bolted on to my Subaru Outback, and I
> was done. The Subaru already had the proper bolt holes (4) and
> connection point for the wiring harness, I'd bet your Saturn does as
> well. The hitch installation required about 3 tools and 20 minutes.
>
> CT charges about $25 for a two year reg, and my town hits me for $15
> in property taxes on it.
>
> I figure this thing ought to outlast my next 3-4 vehicles if I grease
> the bearings and keep up the tire pressures.
>
> Last but not least, I find the trailer MUCH easier to load than any
> pickup I've owned, due to the low bed. Long hardwood is easily
> carried along the tongue. The combo will carry anything that a 3/4
> ton truck long bed truck will, and gives me a nice handing, fuel
> efficient, 5 seat car when I'm not.
>
> Barry
On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 00:12:00 GMT, "Mike in Mystic"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>This sounds like just the thing I need, too. I have a Jeep Liberty 4x4 that
>is rated to tow 5,000 lbs. I have been putting stuff on the roof rack
Every Lowe's in CT sells the trailer, a 4x8 frame of angle iron, with
sides about a foot high. Mine is the cheapest model, with no folding
ramp and a heavy wire mesh floor. I screwed a cheap sheet of exterior
ply to the floor to protect what I'm carrying and add a little weight
when the trailer is empty.
I've had over 1000 pounds in it, measured on our town dump scale, and
towed it all the way to Provincetown, MA and Manchester, NH, with
great results.
I prefer this one over the HF one, due to it's larger tires, full 4x8
bed, and heavier weight. The HF is cheaper, so if it'll work for you,
go for it.
I bought Hidden Hitch hitches and harnesses for my Subaru and Jeep
from <http://www.hitchesforless.com>. The Jeep required 6 bolts and
about 40 minutes of work, and the Subie 4 bolts and 20-30 minutes.
Barry
The obvious answer is to rent one of the Borg's trucks for $19.99 for 75
minutes. They are stuck with depreciation, insurance, maintenance, etc...
It would take 15 rentals to pay for a decent trailer.
Me, I haul my plywood in a BMW X5 SUV. You should see the looks when I pull
up to the loading dock. I can stuff about a half dozen sheets of 3/4" ply
back there. My problem is I like having 0 to 60 in under 7 seconds (no ply
in the back!), slot car handling, and room to haul the family and gear to
the beach in the safest SUV on the road.
"Al" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:MPG.19da4bd9ae44e7ac9896e0@mayonews...
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> in, say, a bench plane :-)
>
> Thanks,
> Al
>
On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 21:29:35 -0500, "bob"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Me, I haul my plywood in a BMW X5 SUV. You should see the looks when I pull
>up to the loading dock. I can stuff about a half dozen sheets of 3/4" ply
>back there.
4x8 sheets, or 2x4 sheets? <G> With the tailgate closed?
Barry
On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 13:24:57 -0500, Al <[email protected]>
wrote:
>I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
>lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
>guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
>accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
>the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
>wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
>any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
>open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
>myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
>in, say, a bench plane :-)
>
>Thanks,
>Al
I've used a Honda Civic hatchback for moving wood for over 25 years.
I plan my purchases and cut wood to fit inside my car. The other
times I beg and borrow truck owners (and fill up their tank!) or rent
a truck ($50). Saves me a LOT of money and keeps insurance costs
down. You could add a hitch to your Saturn and pull a lightweight
trailer for sheet goods. Someday I'll buy a truck when I become
gainfully employed again. Rangers are very nice looking, but I'm
leaning toward a 2x4 Toyota truck. The 4x4's are just too high off
the ground for easy loading/unloading, plus I don't do any off-road
stuff.
Hi Al,
I am going to throw one more option at you. I have a Dodge Grand Caravan
that will carry full size sheets of plywood with the rear door closed down.
I looked at trucks when I bought this 2.5 years ago, I was in the same
quandry as you. The van gives me the best of both worlds. I have seating for
8, two very comfortable captians chairs in the front and all the bells and
whistles that anyone could ever want. I do not have to remove the seats to
carry plywood sheets, I just lower the backs of the second and third row of
seats, they lay flat and make a great platform for plywood or other sheet
goods, and leave a lot of floor area for carrying other items.
Gary
"Al" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:MPG.19da4bd9ae44e7ac9896e0@mayonews...
> I've finally reached the end of my rope trying to shoe-horn
> lumber/plywood into my Saturn sedan. I'm ready to step up to what I
> guess is the logical alternative - I.e., a pickup with an 8 foot bed to
> accommodate plywood sheets. I don't need 4 wheel drive and I'm not into
> the $40k bad-boy pickup look - just something reliable to move the
> wood... maybe along the lines of a low end Ford Ranger(?) At any rate,
> any suggestions would be appreciated. I realize this is kind of a wide
> open question, but I'm just not passionate enough about vehicles to put
> myself through the research time/effort that I'd be willing to invest
> in, say, a bench plane :-)
>
> Thanks,
> Al
On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 11:10:30 -0400, Philip Edward Lewis
<[email protected]> wrote:
>How big are your tires?
Mine are probably 12". I don't recall having anything but the 8" when
I bought mine.
>We recently towed a 3 foot stack of plywood with a 4cyl saturn. (2000 LS?)
Many cars can haul decent load, the marketeers want you to believe
you'll need a 3/4 ton truck to pull a 500 pound load. <G>
I bought a 2001 Subaru Outback after several trucks, and I really
don't miss the trucks at all.
Barry