Long Bed Lumber Hauler

[Rob Will]

Lumber Haulers: Has anyone had problems finding a new pickup with an 8' bed?

I think FORD has dropped the ball by only offering well equipped 8' bed pickups in 3/4 ton and up. I do not want to drive a heavy truck all the time:eek:.
In my 1/2 ton pickup, I want things like captain's chairs AND an 8' bed. I haul small loads of plywood and lumber all the time.

6-1/2' truck beds = :(%&@#*:mad:%$&##*:mad::(%^&&#$@#:eek::mad::(.

Your thoughts?

Rob

[Brodie Brickey]

Rob,

Looks like you'll need to get a Toyota.

I've been looking at trucks lately, and I can't find the long bed anywhere else either. Although it looks like the Silverado will be coming out in the fall with a Hybrid.

[CW McClellan]

Hey Rob I usually let the tail gate down -and carry it home :D

[Rob Will]

Hey Rob I usually let the tail gate down -and carry it home :D

I hear you but I often haul 12' - 16' 2x4's and 2x6's with my 8' bed pickup.

With the 8' bed - equipped with an aluminum cross box - I can still drive a 4-wheeler up in the bed and close the tailgate. Long lumber goes up under the toolbox.:cool:

Rob

[Chuck Burns]

Rob,

Looks like you'll need to get a Toyota.



I recently moved to Colorado from California. Thankfully my company paid for the move; but the moovers wouldn't move my ammo, powder or primers. We left that stuff there and then rented a Toyata Tundra long bed to go retrieve it and visit. I came back driving 10 mph under the speed limit because I was afraid to go any faster. The Japanse trucks do not have the suspension, brakes or tires to carry real weight. I spent 15 years in the auto business and took a lot of import trucks in trade because they wouldn't do, in the real world, what the specs and the salesman said they would do. If you want to cary real weight, and even overload the heck out of it, get a domestic.

[Mike Cutler]

I hear you but I often haul 12' - 16' 2x4's and 2x6's with my 8' bed pickup.

With the 8' bed - equipped with an aluminum cross box - I can still drive a 4-wheeler up in the bed and close the tailgate. Long lumber goes up under the toolbox.:cool:

Rob

Rob.

An alternate solution is to purchase a trailer. For the premiun that Ford and Chevy are asking for a longbed,and all the "package nonsense" that accompanies it. You are close to buying a hydraulic tilt trailer. Once you load and off load lumber from one of these. You'll never want to use a truck again.

As for hauling capacities that Chuck refered to.
The Tundra is on par with the lowest powered V8 F-250, without the specialized factory towing package. It is a very capable vehicle, just as cabable as the comparable F-250. I don't know why Chuck had the problem he did) But the F-250 really is the bottom end of towing vehicles for anything serious. ( I haul horses. Lots of live moving, shifting weight )

[James Suzda]

Just get a regular cab pickup truck and lose the extended cab.

[Stan Welborn]

I like my extended cab short bed. I have one of these for hauling long loads. Adjusts for width and height. You can rotate the cross bars to lay down the vertical supports too, Works great for lumber and ladders, and I don't have to drive a battleship around the rest of the time. It comes apart at the horizontal/vertical transition with a pin, and I have a lockable cover on the bed, so I just leave it in the truck all the time.



http://www.aztrucks.com/images/lund/hitchhand1.jpg

[George Summers]

I have a '99 F150, ext cab, long bed and love it. The one biggie problem is the turning radius and using it for normal daily use in parking lots etc.

I got a bug up my ...nose... a while back and put a 'For Sale' sign on it and for three months had no takers. I still use it daily but not as often for long loads so I thought I would trade down for a smaller bed truck.

George

[Sean Troy]

I like my extended cab short bed. I have one of these for hauling long loads. Adjusts for width and height. You can rotate the cross bars to lay down the vertical supports too, Works great for lumber and ladders, and I don't have to drive a battleship around the rest of the time. It comes apart at the horizontal/vertical transition with a pin, and I have a lockable cover on the bed, so I just leave it in the truck all the time.



http://www.aztrucks.com/images/lund/hitchhand1.jpg

Now there is a good idea !

[Lee Koepke]

I have a '99 F150, ext cab, long bed and love it. The one biggie problem is the turning radius and using it for normal daily use in parking lots etc.

I got a bug up my ...nose... a while back and put a 'For Sale' sign on it and for three months had no takers. I still use it daily but not as often for long loads so I thought I would trade down for a smaller bed truck.

George
i hear ya bout the turnin radius. I back into 99% of my parking spaces. but other than that, i like my F150

[Aaron Beaver]

I like my extended cab short bed. I have one of these for hauling long loads. Adjusts for width and height. You can rotate the cross bars to lay down the vertical supports too, Works great for lumber and ladders, and I don't have to drive a battleship around the rest of the time. It comes apart at the horizontal/vertical transition with a pin, and I have a lockable cover on the bed, so I just leave it in the truck all the time.



http://www.aztrucks.com/images/lund/hitchhand1.jpg


That definitely would help and make having a regular 6' bed easier to deal with.

[Bob Willcox]

I like my extended cab short bed. I have one of these for hauling long loads. Adjusts for width and height. You can rotate the cross bars to lay down the vertical supports too, Works great for lumber and ladders, and I don't have to drive a battleship around the rest of the time. It comes apart at the horizontal/vertical transition with a pin, and I have a lockable cover on the bed, so I just leave it in the truck all the time.



http://www.aztrucks.com/images/lund/hitchhand1.jpg
What is this called and where can they be acquired?

[Irvin Cooper]

Rob,

I am by far not an auto expert. That being said...
vehicle availability options seem to be a regional thing. When I lived on the east coast, the choice in truck models was near pathetic. When I moved to Arkansas, the choice is somewhat better. In my homeland of Texas, even to this day, the choices in pickups are plentiful.

Over the Christmas holidays, I was looking at pickups at Varsity ford in Bryan, Texas, and there are plenty of F150's with 8' beds. And the same was found at the Chevy place. I noticed on the drive home that every lot I passed had plenty of 8-footers and cab & chassis pickups.

All of this to say, I think it is a very regional approach to marketing and distribution.

Why not ask your dealer if he can find you an F150 with an 8' bed and a few of the options you were asking for? He could probably get it for you from a dealer that has what you are looking for.

Regards.

Irv

[Matt Meiser]

They are called bed extenders, and Harbor Freight sells a pretty nice one that is on sale for $20 right now. Probably cheaper than the steel to make one. I have the HF one and it seems well made--I've heard from others who agree. If you go to the store, be sure to print the online price as they will match it.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=39168

[Alan Trout]

It is called a Lund Hitch Hand. It will carry up to 750lbs. The sides can be folded down to make a work bench. It also extends up to 49 inches for plywood etc. I did a quick search and found it online for $179.

I think I might get one of these. It sure would help with my hauling.

Good Luck

Alan

[Jim Becker]

have one of these for hauling long loads. Adjusts for width and height.


http://www.aztrucks.com/images/lund/hitchhand1.jpg

This was my solution when I still had my pickup truck with the 6.5' bed. It will work just fine with an 8' bed, too, for even more supported capacity. I did buy a utility trailer when I switched to the Highlander Hybrid, but that receiver setup is now in the employ of another local woodworker for his pickup. Mine was from HFT, believe it or not, and was both inexpensive and quite sturdy...'hard to screw up a couple of welds. In fact, you could build one if you have that capability, but the material cost might get within a few bux of buying the HFT version. I think it was like $60 on sale when I bought mine.

[James Suzda]

It is called a Lund Hitch Hand. It will carry up to 750lbs. The sides can be folded down to make a work bench. It also extends up to 49 inches for plywood etc. I did a quick search and found it online for $179.

I think I might get one of these. It sure would help with my hauling.

Good Luck

Alan
I made one out of $50.00 worth of 2 inch square tubing and a little time spent on the welder. I've hauled 16' pieces of boards and baseboard trim with ease!
But what you do have to be aware of is if you haul too large of a long load the front of the vehicle can get a little "light". (I've got a 3/4 ton 4x4 so it's not a little truck.)

[Stan Welborn]

It is called a Lund Hitch Hand. It will carry up to 750lbs. The sides can be folded down to make a work bench. It also extends up to 49 inches for plywood etc. I did a quick search and found it online for $179.

I think I might get one of these. It sure would help with my hauling.

Good Luck

Alan
Yep, that's the one. Very well made. I don't remember how much I paid, but it's worth every penny to me. Northern had one a lot cheaper that I looked at, but it had a max load rating of #300. Might have been fine, but I know I wouldn't have trusted it with a couple of the loads I've had on the Lund.

[Matt Schell]

an over the cab ladder rack will give you the ability to haul some longer stock also (not to mention ladders)

[Matt Schell]

while were on the subject how about the cap vs no cap debate. I have a cap on my little 6.5' bed nissan and i couldn't survive without it. Long stock goes on top.

[John Thompson]

I have a 2006 Dakota (my first Dodge) with an extended cab but standard bed. I haul 14' (and some 16") very often, but I don't put the tail-gate down as I have had it slide on me using that method.

I center it on the tail-gate and strap it down with nylon ratcheted straps forward in the bed. I drilled two holes in the forward outter floor and mounted large eye hooks there. I also drilled two holes on the rear of the side beds and did the same to use ratchet straps with.

The forward bed straps hold it down to keep the extended stocks weight from tipping rear. The side strap is wrapped one turn around the stock exitting the tail-gate to keep if from shifting side to side when cornering.

The ties downs I added aid when hauling other things also on the occasions I haul other things. Wood is my forte.. ;)

Sarge..

[Josiah Bartlett]

My truck is a 1950 Chevy stepside, so I don't have a long bed either. I also have a 5x8 flat bed utility trailer with a wood deck. In Oregon, trailers under 2000 GVW don't need license plates, so it costs me absolutely nothing to keep around, and I can tow it with my wife's SUV if I need to. I use the trailer any time I need to move longer lumber or keep the truck from getting dented up. I haul plywood sheets in the truck or on the trailer. The nice thing about the wood bed on the trailer is that I can just nail the load to it. I hauled home a piano and I nailed cleats around it to keep it from shifting.

The trailer cost me all of $500 and it has saved that much in fuel costs by me not needing a bigger truck.

[Mike Vermeil]

We left that stuff there and then rented a Toyata Tundra long bed to go retrieve it and visit. I came back driving 10 mph under the speed limit because I was afraid to go any faster. The Japanse trucks do not have the suspension, brakes or tires to carry real weight. I spent 15 years in the auto business and took a lot of import trucks in trade because they wouldn't do, in the real world, what the specs and the salesman said they would do. If you want to cary real weight, and even overload the heck out of it, get a domestic.

First a disclosure: I'm a quality engineer for Toyota.

Second my background: I grew up a diehard Ford guy working in my Dad's engine rebuilding business, am a jouneyman automotive machinist, have worked on cars/trucks/race cars my whole life, and have towed trailers of various types and weights all over the country.

Lastly, I respectfully disagree with your comment. A real-life comparision of all currently available 1/2 ton trucks will show the true capability of the Tundra in relation to it's competition. Go to the dealerships and see for yourself. I gaurantee, you will be impressed - as was Motor Trend magazine when they named Tundra '08 Truck of the Year.

[Chase Gregory]

I have a Suburban w/ barn doors that's even more limiting than a 6.5' bed :mad:... But awful handy w/ 3 kids!

So I have a 4x6' trailer, a 6x8' trailer, a 6x10' trailer, and a 7.5x20' trailer...:D

But I found myself checking out a 1995 C2500 diesel extended cab long bed Chevy yesterday thinking what a great truck for just hauling junk it would be... $2500 'very negotiable' seller...And then I could buy a gooseneck trailer!

Unless you really want to drag around an 8' bed all the time (like primary vehicle) the receiver extender is hard to beat.

Chaser

[Chase Gregory]

Few trucks have a hitch rated for 750lb at the ball...much less 3' behind it.

Does the Lund have a tailwheel for use w/ 1/2 ton trucks? ;)

Chaser


Yep, that's the one. Very well made. I don't remember how much I paid, but it's worth every penny to me. Northern had one a lot cheaper that I looked at, but it had a max load rating of #300. Might have been fine, but I know I wouldn't have trusted it with a couple of the loads I've had on the Lund.

[Mike Cutler]

while were on the subject how about the cap vs no cap debate. I have a cap on my little 6.5' bed nissan and i couldn't survive without it. Long stock goes on top.


Definitely a preference thing Matt.
I've been driving a p/u truck daily in one form or fashion for 20+ years. I couldn't imagine ever putting a cap on one.
Nothing at all wrong with a cap though. As evidenced by their sales volume. Lots of folks like them very much.

[Irvin Cooper]

While we are on the subject, has anyone ever seen a ladder rack for a jeep? That is what i drive daily, and i always thought it would be a great addition for those who cant drive a truck (mainly due to gas prices). Seems it would be easy to design one off of the corner of each bumper, making it stout enough to haul lumber.

Irv

[Matt Meiser]

No way I'd put a cap on my truck, but as Mike said its purely personal preference. I hate the way they look and I think they make it hard to see out the back. I really like soft tonneau covers and have had them on all three trucks I've owned as daily drivers. I posted the one that came with my old Ranger on Craigslist for free and someone drove over from Cleveland to get and was thrilled.

[Rob Will]

You guys are no help at all. I am going to drive an 8' bed pickup......even if I have to weld two trucks together:cool:!!!!

Here's what really irks me about what Ford is doing......

On the same assembly line they are making:
Extended cab pickups with 6-1/2' beds and leather captain's chairs.
Extended cab pickups with 8' beds and vinyl seats.

BUT.....They will not sell me a long bed truck equipped with leather captain's chairs even though all of the componets are right there on the line. Some corporate bean-counter has apparently decided that anyone who wants a long bed truck must be such a lowly working man that the vinyl bench seat is good enough.:mad::(

Rob

[Jim Becker]

So...buy a Tundra. Made in Texas & Indiana. It appears you can get the long bed and extended cab and the leather with the limited package if I'm reading things correctly on their web site.

[Rob Will]

So...buy a Tundra. Made in Texas & Indiana. It appears you can get the long bed and extended cab and the leather with the limited package if I'm reading things correctly on their web site.

I think you are correct Jim.
Now here's the rest of the story:o:
SWMBO works at the local FORD dealership.
I wish FORD would step up to the plate on this one.

Rob

[John Hain]

I recently moved to Colorado from California. Thankfully my company paid for the move; but the moovers wouldn't move my ammo, powder or primers. We left that stuff there and then rented a Toyata Tundra long bed to go retrieve it and visit. I came back driving 10 mph under the speed limit because I was afraid to go any faster. The Japanse trucks do not have the suspension, brakes or tires to carry real weight. I spent 15 years in the auto business and took a lot of import trucks in trade because they wouldn't do, in the real world, what the specs and the salesman said they would do. If you want to cary real weight, and even overload the heck out of it, get a domestic.

I found this post interesting as well.

I found none of these opinions to be true when I bought my truck this year. The redesigned Tundra is a beast on par (easily) with the big 3 American companies.

Of course, real trucks don't use spark-plugs. But if you have to go with a "spark-plug" truck, you'll be happy with a Tundra.

[Jim Becker]

SWMBO works at the local FORD dealership.
I wish FORD would step up to the plate on this one.

I completely understand. But when you are making that kind of major purchase, you have every right to be able to end up with what you want. If Ford can't deliver that, then you'll need to use an alternative. And if you do, I'm sure you're not going to do it in secret...tell them why so they can learn something from it. I think this problem is silly, too, since even for a heavy work vehicle, leather seating can be quite economical for durability. I feel the same way for vehicles that will be carrying kids...leather is easy to maintain. Personally, I also find it to be the most comfortable as it quickly adapts to body temps and provides the firmer surface that I like.

[Jim Becker]

I found this post interesting as well.

As did I. The 2000 Tundra (first year) I owned was made in Indiana, not imported. Any pickup will get squirrelly if overloaded, too.

[Rick Gifford]

Might consider a truck rack:

79080

[Rob Will]

I just can't figure them out. Ford will build a long bed with leather seats in a F-250 but not in a F-150.....:(. Yes leather holds up very well in a work truck.

You guys are right. Toyota buids it.....and not very far from here. We fly over the plant all the time.

Anybody got Henry Ford's phone number?

Rob

[Keith Outten]

I own a 2002 Tundra with an extended cab and I have one of the heavy fiberglass caps on it. Beats any other truck I have ever owned and is a real work horse. I built my own extender bar from 2" square tubing to haul 12 foot long sheets of Corian that weigh about 200 pounds per sheet. I also have a one ton trailer to haul my lawn mower and tractor, both weigh more than the first new car that I purchased.

I work daily with construction superintendents employed by the largest general contractor in Virginia. Every time I turn around one of them is driving a loaner because their truck is in the shop for one thing or another. Mine is parked outside every day. Many days I am hauling more weight than they do and often I have my trailer behind my Tundra with both loaded to the max. I just love hearing them declare how my Tundra isn't a commercial quality truck and isn't up to the day to day rigors of construction work then I look out the window and grin.

.

[Dennis Peacock]

I just can't figure them out. Ford will build a long bed with leather seats in a F-250 but not in a F-150.....:(. Yes leather holds up very well in a work truck.

Rob

Hey Rob....You don't need Ford to fix up your truck. It just take "money" and you can have a truck exactly like you want....it may not be Ford that gives you a Ford Extended Cab with 8' truck bed though. :)

[John-Paul Murphy]

Buy used...:D

[Russ Cass]

Rob, Not sure what the problem is, Ford DOES offer an F150 with an 8' bed.
Both the regular and extended cab. 4x2 & 4x4 models.

You can get both with an upgraded XLT trim and the extended cab version offers captains chairs.

Did a sales guy tell you you couldn't? :confused:

[Jim Becker]

Russ, apparently he can't get the combination of long bed, extended cab AND leather seating.