New Bed Extender, Lumber Carrier

[Keith Outten]

Although I own a trailer that I have been using to haul lumber and sheet goods I recently built this truck bed extender to haul long lumber and Corian sheets in hopes of saving gas. Since my trailer weighs almost 1000 pounds empty it definately decreases my fuel milage.

Last weekend my Dad and I built this bed extender in a couple of hours. It is a simple design and heavy duty. Sized for 12 foot lumber or sheets it makes the job of hauling long items very easy, especially over long distances. The main support is 2" square tubing with a 1/4" wall thickness. The riser, crossbar and angle support are all 1" square tubing with 1/8" wall thicknesses. I still need to design a custom attachment for holding two red flags that will be secured to the frame so I won't have to secure the flags to the material.

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

If that idea isn't already for sale somewhere, it should be. Hint.

KC

[Jason Roehl]

If that idea isn't already for sale somewhere, it should be. Hint.

It is.

http://www.off-road.com/atv/HitchHand.htm
(no affiliation, just an example)

I suspect this is like a few things I've done. I see something, and think, "I'm not buying that when I could make it!"

Looks good, Keith. Maybe instead of red flags, you could put in one of those receiver taillights by adding on some tubing that accepts 2" square tubing (add 2" I.D. square tubing), then add a little wiring.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, these things are very handy! I have a cheapie from HFT and it's come in handy once in awhile. I am buying a small trailer for "real hauling" in the near future once the Hybrid Highlander "replaces" my Tundra, but will keep the extender for the utility it offers.

You and your dad did a great job on this extender!! 'Looks sharp.

[Mike Weaver]

Keith,
Nice job!

I second the notion that a little wiring and a tail light might be nice.

As for securing flags - I think personally I'd like the flags to be on the material anyway because it it likely to extend past the tubing.

Perhaps you could sew/tape a couple of flags on a strap/tie down and always use that strap as the rear-most strap?


Anyway - great execution that I'm sure will provide miles of service.
Cheers,

[Keith Outten]

Kirk,

I can't take any credit for the idea, these have been around for a long time.

Jason,

The tail lights are a good idea. Since the trailer plug is at the hitch it should be easy to add a couple of lights off the back of the extension rail. I think I will still use flags since they flap in the breeze and serve as a visual reminder to those who tailgate and I like Mike's idea of a permanent strap with flags sewn to the strap.

Jim,

Thanks for the kind words, I hope to take the majority of the road miles off of my trailer given the current price of gas however it is nice to have a trailer especially for the dirty jobs and to tow around the yard.

Thanks guys for the good ideas.

[Bill Fields]

Keith:


Got mine from HF a few months ago--$ 35. Carry it in the back of the Expedition (mid and rear seat rows removed). Works OK--NOT as good as a mid-sized trailer or regular bed pick-up.

And, of course you have all that CO pouring in the back.

Bill Fields

[Jules Dominguez]

I'm not an automotive engineer, and I don't want to be a wet blanket, but I hope the load distribution on the tires and suspension allows safe handling and braking in emergency conditions. I would assume it does, as long as it's lightly loaded, but I personally wouldn't push my luck. The designers may not have envisioned that kind of loading. I'm not trying to be critical, just felt obligated to pass along my thoughts.

[Andy Hoyt]

... I am buying a small trailer for "real hauling" in the near future once the Hybrid Highlander "replaces" my Tundra, ....

Jim, I bought a trailer a few years ago and made a special point of having the salesman assure me that I could carry a 4x8 sheet of anything it. He assured me, I forked over the bucks, and am very happy.

But, while the interior dimension is 4' 4" wide it is only 8' 1/2" long.

I loaded twenty-two sheets of 3/4 CDX into this thing before I found out that the stack had to be loaded PERFECTLY. Had to unload it all to get the tailgate back on.

So, if possible, find a trailer with a little extra leg room.

BTW, I have no idea what 23 sheets of CDX weighs, but I had no trouble with the load at all. Nor again with 42 sheets of 1/2" GWB

[Norman Hitt]

[QUOTE=Keith Outten]

I think I will still use flags since they flap in the breeze and serve as a visual reminder to those who tailgate and I like Mike's idea of a permanent strap with flags sewn to the strap.

Jim,
QUOTE]

Keith, if you want to get, (and keep), their attention. Go to your local truck stop and buy two Red Flags fastened on dowels, (or make your own), and mount them at an angle (like a "V") into a short 2 x 4 block, then fasten a good Strap to that block, that is long enough to go around your load to fasten it in place.

In use, set the block on top of the back end of the load and fasten it down with the flags pointing UP, and the flags will be Much more visible than just attaching two flags to the back, because they stand up where they can be seen. You've probably seen this arrangement on the front and back of some of the large trucks hauling oversized loads. Note: (you don't need the BIG FLAGS), just the small ones about a foot square will do.

By the way, Nice job on the extender and the Yellow paint is an excellent idea for making it more visible.

[Keith Outten]

I also have a heavy duty trailer, it weighs over 900 pounds with a 3000 pound gross so it will carry one ton. My trailer is over 6 feet wide and ten feet long and is a tilt bed drive on style designed for carrying equipment so it will handle sheet goods without a problem.

I think I mentioned before that I have welded a 2" receiver to the front of my trailer and it host a bunch of cool goodies, one is a crane boom. I have lots of other stuff like metal benders and tools that will also fit into the receiver for onsite work. I also designed and welded a hydraulic shock that dampens the shock to the trailer when loading and unloading equipment. The main reason for the shock is my lawn mower weighs over 1200 pounds.

The bed extender is for small loads and my truck is a 3/4 ton so it shouldn't be a problem weight-wise to carry a dozen 2by4's, a couple sheets of Corian or a long ladder. Being able to keep the glass down on my pickup cap is also a plus and the load doesn't lay on my tailgate at all since it is about a half inch lower than the bed and my extender is just a tad above the bed heigth.

Norman, I like the V-Flag idea, I will work up a design that fits my extender and let you know how it works.

[Norman Hitt]

I

Norman, I like the V-Flag idea, I will work up a design that fits my extender and let you know how it works.

Keith I like your idea of attaching it to the extender instead of trying to fasten it to the load, itself, (much better idea). I went back and looked at your extender again, and it might be real easy with your design, to make a unit out of smaller square tubing to slide into the end of the extender bar, and then bring it up at maybe a 45* to 60* angle. and long enough to make the base of the V level with your extender cross bar. If you make the slide in piece long enough to be adjustable, and drill one hole through the bottom extender bar and a few holes in the flag extender bar, you could slide it in and out from the back end and put a pin through it, so it would be fitted closely to the end of your load. With the piece angled up, it would keep it from being so long on the bottom that it might drag the ground as you go in/out of parking lots, ditches, etc., OR you could mount it to the upright, or the Crossbar either, and eliminate the ground drag problem completely.

I'll be looking foreward to seeing your final design and the finished unit. It should be a pretty neat and very functional setup.

[Jim Becker]

Andy, good points. The trailer I'm considering is 5' wide (usable), 8' long, open at the back and tilts. If I could get a 10' version without raising the cost substantially, I would, but that's not likely to happen unless I stumble across something used. But I also very rarely use plywood, so most of my hauling would be solid stock and would be loaded piece by piece. The payload capacity of the "target" is 1200 lbs...enough for any material I'd ever be hauling as well as accomodating to a very heavy machine should that become necessary...

I actually was going to get something that could haul my Kubota with all the trimmings, but that puts it right at the limit of the towing capacity of the Highlander and also would put it in the weight catagory that requires brakes. I really don't need to move the tractor around anyway so it would be a poor investment.

For quick grabs of small quantities of material, I'll just use the hitch extender similar to Keith's...unless it's winter...