Trucks

 
 

                     

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Prepare your truck to make it easier to secure your cargo. There are a number of different manufacturers and models of trucks, many of which have built in anchoring systems for cargo, but you may still find the need to add additional anchor points to suit your particular needs. Look at these options.
    • Install a bedrail. These options protect the rail of the truck bed from scraping and dents when heavy cargo is loaded over the side, may improve the appearance of the truck, and add tie down locations for large cargo which may be taller than the sides of the truck's bed.
    • Install a non-skid bedliner. These are usually fabricated from polymer materials and have the added benefit of preventing damage to the bed's factory finish. They can be removable or factory applied, and will reduce load shifting on the slippery truck bed floor in braking and cornering situations.
    • Install side rails. Most full-size pickups have factory formed post holes in the top of the bed sides. These are carryovers from a time when stake bodies were added to farm trucks for hauling hay or otherwise increasing the cargo capacity of the truck bed. You may want to haul trash or other light, bulky cargo, and can create your own temporary stake body by installing wooden posts in these holes and screwing horizontal rails along the length of your truck bed.
    • Install additional tie down anchors in the bed floor. You may purchase D-rings or other similar aftermarket anchoring systems from auto parts stores and screw or bolt them directly to the truck bed floor for anchoring specific cargo. Keep in mind, drilling the original metal of your truck may encourage rust and devalue the vehicle in the event of resale.
    •  
      A large cooler is fine for hauling small items home from the store.
      Keep a large cooler in the back of the truck for hauling groceries or other items back from the store. These are weather resistant, and keep things from blowing out while travelling.
    •  
      A standard locking aluminum tool box for storing small items.
      Purchase and install a large permanent tool box, or tool boxes. These come in a remarkable number of configurations, but if you cannot find one that perfectly suits your needs, metal fabrication shops can custom build one to your specifications.
    • Purchase and install a Tonneau Cover. This is the ultimate cargo protection, offering weather proofing, locking ability, and improved aerodynamics. Two drawbacks to this remedy are cost (they are expensive), and the fact they preclude hauling tall loads.
  • Use cargo netting for hauling light materials like insulation or lawn trash. These nets are custom made and sized for specific bed sizes, and although they are a significant investment, made from nylon or polyesther fiber, they resist rot and decay, are easily stored, and are very lightweight and easy to handle. Most come with hooks that attach to the seam underneath the sides of the truck bed, or have attachment anchors that fasten permanently to the truck's sides.
  • Buy a tarp sized for your load. Truck beds vary in size, depending on whether it is a mid-size, compact, or full size pickup, and is short or long wheel-based. You will find tarps that have integral snaps that secure them, or you may want to anchor your tarp with bungee cords, which can be lapped over the sides of your truck's bed and hooked under the fenders.
  •  
    Placing a 55 gallon drum on a wooden pallet keeps it from sliding around.
    Secure cargo to a pallet when it is loaded. A lot of freight hauled and delivered in tractor trailers rigs is loaded on wooden pallets to make loading and unloading with forklifts possible. You can often find these pallets at salvage yards or building supply stores free or available for a nominal fee. The wooden frame of a pallet is less likely to slip on the truck floor, and since they are fairly heavy and built of slats, you can secure the load directly to the pallet.

    • Home   Sitemap

     

     

     

     
     

           
    Google