Loading a pickup

[KurtH]

Hello,


I have recently purchased a pickup truck, and I would like to use it to travel to launches. At the moment it has a cross bed tool box. I plan to get a tonneau later but as of now it is open. It is an 8 foot bed but I do not see any tie downs. I typically bring my excel, big nuke, some 2.6 and 3" mpr, and a tote of Lpr and a tote of motors/etc , toolbox and a folding table and a chair.

Can I load up the bed without lighter stuff flying out? How do I tie stuff down? The trip is about an hour mostly on interstates . It is a regular cab.

Or should I just wait to get a tonneau and keep using my other cars?

Thanks for any input. I'm a first time trucker so I just don't know these things . It is a 91 f-150 in case that helps.

 

[WillMarchant]

Cool! I wouldn't put anything in the bed unless it was secured. Your local auto supply store will probably have after market fittings to allow you to tie things down...

 

[T-Rex]

My wife calls it 'ghetto', but I have seen many people who install couple of small boat cleats (available cheap online or at wally world) along the bed rails for tying things down. With those installed, a cheap blue tarp makes a good cover for what you want to do. For that matter, there may be holes at each corner of the bed that would allow you to tie in a tarp. (last truck I had was a '78 F250, things may have changed)
A couple of 1x4s or 2x4s could be used to make a rack for laying/strapping your rockets on to keep chips & scratches down.

 

[Zonie]

Do what T-Rex said, but put them INSIDE the Bed down low. Big Eyebolts work too. My 2001 and 2009 Sport Trac's both have D rings in the four lower corners inside the bed and these are the most useful. Most new pickups have them there too. You'll need to pick a location where you can get behind the bed wall and tighten the nuts. Use large thick washers as well so you can ratchet strap stuff down. Good idea to use locknuts and or double nuts so you will never have to re-tighten them.

My trucks have cleats on the outside too, but they are factory and part of the style. They might look funny on a regular Long bed pickup.

If you re driving alone, keep the rockets in the cab.

 

[qquake2k]

How about a cargo net?

https://www.autozone.com/autozone/a...8?filterByKeyWord=cargo net&fromString=search

And there are all kinds of tie-downs.

https://www.realtruck.com/truck-bed-tie-downs/

 

[mjhall]

I would wait for the tonneau cover. More security and waterproof as well. I usually use my folding table as a pallet, wrap my rockets in Army surplus blankets and stow on top of the table, store tool boxes and totes etc. around them and bungee cord where necessary.

 

[nukemmcssret]

My wife calls it 'ghetto', but I have seen many people who install couple of small boat cleats (available cheap online or at wally world) along the bed rails for tying things down. With those installed, a cheap blue tarp makes a good cover for what you want to do. For that matter, there may be holes at each corner of the bed that would allow you to tie in a tarp. (last truck I had was a '78 F250, things may have changed)
A couple of 1x4s or 2x4s could be used to make a rack for laying/strapping your rockets on to keep chips & scratches down.

Make sure you prime and paint the holes you drill for the cleats, so you do not rust out your truck bed.

 

[UncleVanya]

How about a cargo net?

https://www.autozone.com/autozone/a...8?filterByKeyWord=cargo net&fromString=search

And there are all kinds of tie-downs.

https://www.realtruck.com/truck-bed-tie-downs/

There are some awesome clamp on versions in that list.

 

[cavecentral]

My wife calls it 'ghetto', but I have seen many people who install couple of small boat cleats (available cheap online or at wally world) along the bed rails for tying things down. With those installed, a cheap blue tarp makes a good cover for what you want to do. For that matter, there may be holes at each corner of the bed that would allow you to tie in a tarp. (last truck I had was a '78 F250, things may have changed)
A couple of 1x4s or 2x4s could be used to make a rack for laying/strapping your rockets on to keep chips & scratches down.

I'd seen tarps shred at highways speed (I know people that hauled lots of stuff - much of which never made it to its destination). Just be careful what kind you get. The cheap ones with inter woven plastic strands shred easily.

 

[Aero B]

The ARE fiberglass tonneau covers are popular around here.

https://www.4are.com/product/lt/

 

[JPVegh]

A couple of bags of Harbor Freight bungees have always worked in a pinch to keep light stuff from shifting around or flying out. I can usually find several spots to hook them on even without the bed cleats.

You can build your own tonneau from 2x4s and ply, kind of heavy but if you just use it when you really need it it's not that big of a hassle to put on and take off. My brother actually did this and two people can put it in place pretty easily, it has a couple of rope handles on either side to make it easy to move around.

I've done the tarp and bungee thing several times when moving furniture. It works ok as long as you make sure the tarp can't get torn on any sharp edges. Once you get a tear or puncture in the tarp it can rip out going down the road.

 

[KurtH]

Great ideas. It has a plastic bed liner so I will need to see what is underneath. Cargo net looks like a good solution for the short term.