First Gen Cargo Haul (Not Tow) 2wd

I'm mulling over hauling my sister's piano I'd say its a small box shaped piano at about 3 1/2' tall and about 2' wide. The thing is pretty heavy, I attempted to just lift it and it didn't budge. I didn't really give it the ol' college hoof but I was shocked that it remained planted with a significant try.

I read that small pianos can be surprisingly heavy at around 400-800 pounds. Do any of you think this is a realistic idea with my 96 Taco with 2.4l engine? I'm planning to drive about 400 miles. I've installed new bilstein shocks if that makes a difference.

Any suggestions, ideas, thoughts or questions invited.



M

 

Just curious how are you getting it on or off

I don`t know enough about the 2wd suspension but I haul that sort of weight all the time with my 4x4 2000

It might bottom out the Suspension making for a long uncomfortable trip

Geta few of your bigger friends in the bed look how the back end of the truck sits.

 

Well we have a forklift here at home. I also imagine removing the tailgate as to not even attempt setting it on that. As for when I get there I haven't exactly figured out how we would take it down. I image removing tailgate again but after that I'm not sure yet.

I think I will take your advice and gather a bunch of buddies to sit in the bed for a test. That sure would at the very least get me an idea of what I'm looking at.

 

I have hauled lots of different things over the years but never a piano .

I would really want to have a pretty solid plan to get it off your truck. Where does it need to go??

Up 4 flights of old narrow stairs ??


Nice sunny dry day it would guess water and piano`s don`t mix

Now as far as the tail gate your call but me I replace my support cables pretty often it is not uncommon for me to have 1/2 of a 500 pound welder on part of the tail gate

Pretty much every time the truck gets driven it has 500 pounds or better in the bed

In any case best of Luck

 

Yeah the getting it off the truck plan still needs work. As in I haven't got any idea yet how to get it off once I get there.

But I do know that everything there is ground level. No stairs. Also if needed, they have a nice two car garage that can be used if I need to tuck the truck and piano in if things get late the first day.

Destination is Tucson so that usually means sunny days but not always. I will be looking at the weather if this plan does materialize.

Thanks for your feedback Wyoming09, I really appreciate it.

 

I just moved a Samick stand up piano just like yours from Texas to Florida. Then a month later I moved it from one house here to another. Let me offer you some advice.
1. It's heavy. Way heavier than you think.
2. Do NOT set it anywhere that isn't level with all 4 wheels/feet on the ground. Beware setting it on tile as the small wheels/feet put down a lot of pressure and can break tiles.
3. I rented a small uhaul pull trailer for the Texas -> FL trip. It was very nice as the deck height on the trailer is very, very low making it relatively easy to get in/out of the trailer with 2-3 strong guys.
4. I rented a full size uhaul for the local move. MISTAKE. The deck height + ramp was a NIGHTMARE. Even with 4 guys, we did some minor damage to the bottom corners that the fiancee hasn't seen yet (hoping the carpet hides it)
5. The pianos are not made to jostle around. You're going to need heavy straps to strap it down good. It exerts a lot of pressure on the straps while turning/stopping. Some smaller ratchet straps of mine started to break. Bungies are a waste of time.
6. You will have to have it tuned when you get it to the new location. They don't handled being moved very well.

 

Damn Freetime, you just gave me a lot to think about. Now I'm thinking of towing it instead of putting it in my bed and getting heavier straps.

Yes this sucker is heavy. Luckily I have time to do this. I have until the end of summer to figure something out.

 

If I had the second move to do over again, I would have rented another pull trailer and done it that way. Two of us could have done it that way much easier. It's just a single step up.

 

I commend you for getting some ideas now waiting till the last week in August would have been interesting

 

Just why pray tell do you need to get in the piano moving moving business .

Maybe put an ad in the local paper so you can haul a few for practice ??

Work out the bugs in the business so to speak

 

Hahaha, really my sister was visiting our folks and she mentioned that she would like to take her piano back west to her home in Tucson. They don't have a truck, and I have two. So I mentioned maybe I could take it back. I can't do it in my 90 Toyota lowrider pickup and I had just snatched up my 96 Taco for $400. It needed a little work but I recently got it running and 90% fixed up. So I figured I could get it to her using that.

 

I have put a pallet or close to a full pallet on an all original 2000 2wd tacoma and drove about 60 miles and it was fine. We bounced around on the freeway and now i need a new suspension but it worked and is probably due for a new suspension anyway.

In reading the piano posts I'd have to agree with a trailer, i dont' even see how if would fit in the bed at all unless its an upright, in which case i missed that detail. If its' an upright then i don't think it would be to much of a problem once its strapped down good. But if its like Liberacci's or one of those that they use at the Philharmonic for professionals at performing arts centers then no doubt I would 2nd a trailer.

There's my 2 cents. Now I need help with replacement options for my 2wd suspension. Thanks!!