Bed widening to fit 4x8 sheets

I carried 12-ft 2x4s in my Corolla once. Trunk was closed, boards sticking out of the open front passenger window. Once and never again!

 

Me too,

 

Thanks ha ha, I can provide the plans but honestly it is way overkill if you have access to the cutouts. It is actually pretty heavy, which I supposed I could improve the design and slim it down. Ended up tearing it apart and using the wood for other projects since I bought a trailer for my wood runs.

 

I haven't read the rest of this thread. FWIW, the same amount of lifting (maybe less) is required for a flatbed as using the 2x6s as suggested earlier. The load capacity of the truck doesn't change--it might be less with a flatbed.

 

If anyone wants the measurements for the notched 2x8's its in this thread: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/sleeping-platform-2x6s-or-2x8s.273563/page-2#post-6754513

Totally unnecessary but it'll give you a nice snug fit.

 

I hauled some 2" x 12" x 12' in the Honda last week





And some 16' stuff not long ago in the short bed Duramax

 

Don't forget the weight, 4/8 3/4" any where between 60-80 pounds each.

 

It costs all of $50 for a set of decent ratchet straps.

Flags for projecting loads are free at any lumber yard I've ever been to.

 

Years ago there was a picture on the net of a Pinto waaay overloaded with construction materials sitting stuck in a parking lot with the rear shocks pushed up through the body which was now resting on the rear wheels. Cantilever multiplies weight and can exceed allowed stress even if it’s under the weight limit. Any bumps in the road only increase the added stress. Lots of ways to “overload” the truck without seeming to. I have a pick of a DCSB with a lumber rack and the bed was visibly wobbling up/down so much they taped foam blocks between the front bar and the cab roof so excess cantilever weight can go both ways. I assume it was the composite bed that was the point of failure rather than the frame.

 

There comes a time when you bite the bullet and rent the army-class flatbed from HD or Lowes ... I did to move 100 2x4s and plywood for basement amendments. No overloading, no "jousting with Corollas", get everything moved in one trip.

 

you are THE MAN. Goodness. You win 10 times over.

I really thought OP was asking how to carry plywood the long way across the bed....

 

Almost 2000 posts and you have not learned about TW?

 

you would still need some additional supports, the bed is 5', adding another foot or so with that little contraption still leaves a couple feet hanging over. unless your hauling 3/4 plywood, pretty useless.

1/2" or drywall would bend and flop all over

 

soooo how do you keep the particle board from bending and cracking? The supports across the bed only support like the first 4 feet of the board?

 

personally, i had some early ownership issues with my old rangers tailgate spontaneously opening due to random road fluctuations twisting the bed just wrong, with no load on it. the latch was slightly loose and required a small adjustment to stay closed. i had to move the linkage ends about 1/8" out to keep the tailgate secure.

while it should be ok, i don't trust putting that much dynamic loading on those latches after seeing that rangers tailgate pop open so easily for what amounted to 1/8" difference in tailgate adjustment. better to drop the tailgate and run a hitch-mounted load extender, regardless of equipped bed length.

 

Load was carried 400 miles and last few miles were over a very rough forestry access road. Didn't budge! Unseen in picture are multiple braces and tiedowns secured to bed anchors and there is also a red clearance flag on end of truss even though not required unless load extends 6' 6'' beyond rear of vehicle. Gross weight was less than 1000 lbs. Could probably invert truck and nothing would fall out but then again I'm not an armchair expert!

 

Trailer hitch, rent/own trailer. Some of these pictures are of people being stupid. If you can’t haul it safely, have it delivered!

 

This is a real thing, an overload tailgate can pop open unexpectedly! We used to have Dodge Rams at a former employer and we had this happen numerous times. Now, they were overloaded, but it's scary AF when your load slams down to the bed and changes the load on the truck while you are driving. Luckily for me, I was on a straight onramp with my coworker behind when it happened to me. Another guy had it happen, and was in a turn on the highway, luckily no one was on his right as he veered in to that lane.