Why didn't you put it on top
No roof rack?
Contributor
Why didn't you put it on top
No roof rack?
Setting up a workshop, from standing tree to bookshelves
Member
All I can say is it's a good thing you did it first before asking how to do it here.
Otherwise, it would still be on the side of the road and 50 plus people would be telling you to rent a crane and to be sure to call the local authorities so they could divert traffic around the 18-wheeler you had to rent to safely move it.
(I kid, I kid!!!
Contributor
Originally Posted by Dan Blackshear
All I can say is it's a good thing you did it first before asking how to do it here.
Otherwise, it would still be on the side of the road and 50 plus people would be telling you to rent a crane and to be sure to call the local authorities so they could divert traffic around the 18-wheeler you had to rent to safely move it.
(I kid, I kid!!!
Nasa engineers would be consulted for sure.
Member
Ha! I'm not sure "optimistic" is the word I'd use. First thing I thought of was that guy who strapped a lift of plywood on the top of his car.
I simply can't believe that you haven't done permanent damage to your van.
But hey, where there's a will, there's a way.
Nice job
Member
Maybe it's not obvious from the photos, but it looks to me that the center of gravity of the logs is in front of the rear wheels. Regardless, the engine (likely a large, heavy one in a one-ton van) is over the front wheels, so there's a LOT of effective leverage there with the distance the engine is from the rear axle (the fulcrum of that lever).
Really, guys? He said it was a "one ton van", which does NOT mean that it can only haul one ton--that's just legacy terminology. Depending on how it's configured, it may be able to haul up to two tons or so and still be under the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. I spend time on a truck forum, have had a 1/2-ton and a 3/4-ton truck, and now have a 3/4-ton van. Believe me, you can--and many people do--WAY overload these things and get 'er home just fine with a little extra attention to braking distances. (My 1/2-ton truck, a 1990 F150, had a GVWR of 5900 lbs, and the measured empty weight of it was about 4350 lbs with me in it, for a payload of 1500 lbs. On a couple occasions, I hauled about 3000 lbs, as measured by scales.)
[OP]
Member
Hi again,
i forgot to give credit to the hardest worker! With my orange buddy's help unloading was a piece of cake.
Longer piece was the second to come out:
image.jpg
Now waiting for summer when I will have a guy come with a band saw mill to cut these and some other logs for me:
image.jpg
The van is a E350 Super duty and hardly noticed the logs were inside. Once I had the second piece halfway in there, there was no way I was about to pull it back out if I could avoid doing so. I did not consider renting a trailer as they are not cheap here and I just wanted to get the job done.
Had I taken a tape measure with me and discovered the length was actually 17' rather than 14' I might have approached things differently but....
Having the the tractor sure made a difference unloading!
Glad you guys got some enjoyment out of the photos!
Bill
Too much to do...Not enough time...life is too short!
Member
I bought a Ford Ranger, and sold my old Toyota, moved up 12 years, and bought 18 rolls of barb wire the other day. When they loaded the wire in the Ranger, it looked like it was doing a wheelie. I use a tiny pickup for the gas mileage, my 3/4 ton averages about 10, and the 4 cyl pickups do near 25. And I use trailers to haul lots of stuff. Including lumber. Have had my 2 axle car trailer so full I couldn't drive over 35, because the truck would start fishtailing if I went faster. I have a son in LA, he is 40 years old, pays 30,000 per year in rent, has 3 part time jobs since his band went broke. My plan was to save up enough lumber to build him a house, now if he would just move home, i have the lumber.
Member
Several years ago my dad, brother and myself got these from a farmer who didn't want them. the largest log measured 24" - 26" at the base and was 22' long. at the top it only got down to around 17" to 19" before it split into the smaller logs you see on the trailer. Got the whole thing in 1 load. Several of the logs had crotch sections that were filch (?) sawed to expose the figured wood. It has been air drying since. Can't wait to use some of it. The tree was up rooted in a wind storm and was still growing when we got to it. Only had to haul it about 2 miles. Got it all loaded with out a front end loader. Once we cut the smaller logs off the top and got them out of the way, we backed the trailer right under the 22' log and cut it off the stump. Worked like a charm!I was bound and determined to get that log home.
Walnut_Logs1.jpg
Walnut_Logs2.jpg
Drew
Member
Did you park them in front of the stove pile, as a warning?
Contributor
Thats a super juicy haul Drew, really nice.Several years ago my dad, brother and myself got these from a farmer who didn't want them. the largest log measured 24" - 26" at the base and was 22' long. at the top it only got down to around 17" to 19" before it split into the smaller logs you see on the trailer. Got the whole thing in 1 load. Several of the logs had crotch sections that were filch (?) sawed to expose the figured wood. It has been air drying since. Can't wait to use some of it. The tree was up rooted in a wind storm and was still growing when we got to it. Only had to haul it about 2 miles. Got it all loaded with out a front end loader. Once we cut the smaller logs off the top and got them out of the way, we backed the trailer right under the 22' log and cut it off the stump. Worked like a charm!
Walnut_Logs1.jpg
Walnut_Logs2.jpg
Moderator
Slop some paint on the ends of those logs. Nice nice haul!
Member
Some of you aren't going to like this and I'll probably regret posting this, but: I hope any of you overloading your vehicle get stopped and fined! It frosts my cereal that I drive a commercial vehicle and get spot checked often (inconvenient at least) and yet see people driving pickups with there rear bumpers dragging who never seem to get stopped. It's not only illegal to do that, it's also dangerous. The vehicle is designed for a certain handling and braking function and to overdo it is irresponsible. Pleas don't jeopardize others for your own self-interest.
Member
WOW Rick,
I was really enjoying this thread when all of a sudden you hit me with a bucket of ICE WATER
I'll bet those rear springs weren't even flat!
And, Oh by the way I'm Sure those 80,000 lb rigs never get overloaded.
Just my 2 cents worth
Ed
Member
Both of these posts mention short hauls.
It would appear that both were in the limits of what the rigs might carry.
It's not like they were hauling gasoline, during rush hour...
http://www.boston.com/news/local/mas...IUM/story.html
3.5 hours to clear the three mile back up on a road that has no emergency turn provisions.
Some had to back their vehicles up with school kids howling - the whole way.
When was the last time you heard of an overloaded amateur causing this kind of havoc?
Let the boys have their fun, m'kay?
Member
At first I thought it was overloaded.
So I did some research and calculations.
The poster said the log was 17' long. I estimated the diameter to be 2' because they both fit side-by-side and most van openings are about 4' wide.
The weight of green cherry wood is 45lb per cubic foot (from an internet search).
The number of cubic feet is pi*radius squared*length = 3.14*1'squared*17'long = 53.38 cu ft.
The weight is 53.38cu ft * 45 lb/cu ft = 2402lbs
From being an engineer and having done loading calculations for trucks and vans before, the first load limit that you hit when most of the cargo is over/near the rear axle is the GRAWR (Gross Rear Axle Weight Rating). In this case the GRAWR is about 6000lbs. The van probably weighs about 6000lbs empty(erring on the high side here) and probably 40% of that is on the rear axle. That means there is abot 2400lbs on the rear axle just from the van. Total cargo weight on rear axle = 6000(GRAWR)- 2400lbs(van weight on rear axle) = 3600lbs.
So the 2401lbs of wood is much lower than the 3600lbs that would overload the rear axle.
BTW, the typical cargo weight allowed for these vans is about 4000lbs so that weight is not exceeded either. You just have to be careful because max cargo weight assumes an ideal weight distribution so you don't overload either axle.
So first glances (the van is overloaded) don't always indicate the real situation.
Steve
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