DIY ladder rack?

I am going to rent a 30-ish foot extension ladder for some work I have to do at home. I need to move it 5 or so miles home and back. I was thinking of building a rack made out of 2x2s for this purpose, but before I did I wanted to see if y'all had any better ideas.

Thanks

 

For 5 Miles I’d just fold up a moving blanket to protect the truck and put it in the bed with it resting on the roof.

2x2 won’t be up to the task unless you’re driving on polished concrete and driving 10mph max. Go 2x4 and use screws not nails (in case you weren’t sure.

But I’d just lean it on the roof with a blanket and couple ratchet straps. Watch your height clearance.

 

THIS. Or rent the truck from homedepot for 20 bucks and use their ladder rack. As soon as you make a janky wooden ladder rack, you will end up on here being put on blast.

 

Does their truck *have* a ladder rack?

 

I just called Home Depot. The one I called doesn't have a rental truck with a ladder rack.

Janky? You make assumptions! I might be a woodworking savant.

 

Better become a metal working savant, wood ain't gonna cut it..

 

I'm honestly curious why you think it can't be done. Wood holds your house up. Surely it can hold a ladder.

The bottom line is I have to have this ladder. How else can I get it home?

 

My house doesn't bounce down the road.

 

You'd be fine w a 2x4 ladder rack. Throw some gusset / supports on the corners for extra strength.

Or just save yourself time and money and throw a moving blanket on the roof.

 

My only issue with putting a moving blanket on the roof is how far up the forward part of the ladder is going to be. I think this thing is 16' closed. 6 and half foot bed. I'm going to have 10' of ladder going forward and up from that back of the cab.

I do have a 16' extension ladder at home. I guess I could fully extend it and put it in there to see what the 32' will look like collapsed.

 

foam rubber blocks(best), or a moving blanket on the top. Lay ladder flat (parallel to the ground), ratchet strap to front bumper, a notched 2 x 4 to support the rear of the ladder, and a ratchet strap from one rear corner to the other, pulling down on the ladder into the support brace. Hauled one from WV to NY this way.

 

If it were a do or die situation I’d try this:

I have a pretty tall and wide plywood box that I use for box jumps that I would ratchet strap super solid to my bed. Then lay a thick blanket on the top edge of the cab to protect it. Ratchet strap the ladder to the cab pretty snug with two straps(one from each side to oppose one another). Then in the same manner strap the ladder to the tall and stable plywood jump box. Again, that box is hopefully strapped really solid to bed and tailgate. Then for good measure I would screw some 2x4 chock block on each side of the ladder into my plywood box to further prevent any side to side wiggle. Take it nice and slow and you’ll be golden ... and look kind of goofy. If you just felt it necessary you could use the bumper or hitch receiver to anchor more straps but that would be overkill for this.

Here is a picture of me hauling an assload of 16’ molding today with a really handy bed extender. I need a roof rack bad!

 

I'm trying to picture this. Probably the middle of the ladder is on the roof. One 2x4 supporting the back? Oriented how? Where?

 

Does the picture have anything to do with the description? What's a box jump?

 

I threw together a wood rack to haul a canoe one weekend and it worked out great and cost less than $30. Actually got several compliments on it too. Unfortunately these are the only pics I have of it but it rides on the bed rails and is held down by 2 turnbuckles that connect eye-screws driven into the wood to the bed tie downs. Definitely not a long term solution but works great if its only needed every once in a while.

 

yes, ladder more or less balanced on the top. 2x4 at the back of the bed, in the center with a rung of the ladder in the notch, straps form an A-shape going to each of the rear corners. I also made a pointed cut on the bottom of the 2x4 that would hold in the grooves of my bedliner.

 

Picture has nothing to do with description. Just a similar experience I had today. Hauling long stuff with a small truck.

A box jump is an exercise where you ....well you jump onto a box. Nevermind all of that.

Try something similar to what the guy with the 2x4 rack canoe picture suggested. I’m thinking a sawhorse may work pretty well if you have one or can borrow one.

 

Best thread on tw.

 

Now we're getting somewhere. What kept that from tipping forward and backward?

 

Just rent one from home Depot or whatever. Uhauk even. They have 8 foot beds prop it up with blanket on their cab no need for ladderrack.