putting a rotary cutter on top of pickup bed

[RoMad]

I vote for having it shipped but if you do decide to haul it.
I would consider building up a platform in the bed of the truck the same height as the sides plus 1 1/2 inches. Then I would put a 2x4 on top of the truck sides giving you a good solid surface to sit it on and you wouldn't scratch up your truck. I would tie it down like my life depended on it (because it might if your rear end someone).

As for all of you hijackers and your 3/4 ton "mini" trucks, I have a 2006 Tacoma and it's total carrying capacity is 1300 lbs including passengers. So if I weigh 300 lbs. and my wife weighs 500lbs. does that make it a 1/4 ton? :laughing:

 

[beppington]

I vote for having it shipped but if you do decide to haul it.
I would consider building up a platform in the bed of the truck the same height as the sides plus 1 1/2 inches. Then I would put a 2x4 on top of the truck sides giving you a good solid surface to sit it on and you wouldn't scratch up your truck. I would tie it down like my life depended on it (because it might if your rear end someone).

As for all of you hijackers and your 3/4 ton "mini" trucks, I have a 2006 Tacoma and it's total carrying capacity is 1300 lbs including passengers. So if I weigh 300 lbs. and my wife weighs 500lbs. does that make it a 1/4 ton? :laughing:

That just means your wife is huge.

 

[JimRB]

I bought a Toyota 1 ton in 1996. It said 1 ton on the fenders. It had a bigger radiator, bigger brakes, heavier duty tires and heavier duty springs. It had a 2,600 pound payload. So when it was wiped out last week when a kid rear ended it I was not having fun trying to find an American made 1/2 ton that would haul hay and finally give me the towing capacity I wanted. The little research I did showed most of the Dodge 1500s lacked the payload and towing I wanted. I ended up getting a 2004 2500 with a Cummins. It did haul 15 more bales than my Toyota, 47 versus 32. But I could see out the mirrors as all the hay fit inside or on the edge of the bed.

 

[RobertN]

Not sure I understand.

I have hauled an 11' cabover camper around the western states an part of Alberta. It was an early 70's model; HEAVY!

You certainly can not drive it like an empty truck, but we drove around with that on a 4x4 F250. That thing loaded was over 3000lbs.

Anyways.......

Don't put the mower up on the bed side rails, either flat or angled. You are going to raise the total Center of Gravity so high that if you make any kind of abrupt turn (even at 30 mph) you risk rolling the truck over. That's a LOT of extra roll inertia. Even your biggest baddest camper box has much less effect on the truck's roll stability because of weight distribution. In fact you might just find that it starts oscillating in roll on its own at 70 mph: Not something you want to experience more than once in your life.

 

[zzvyb6]

Tell you what:

Put your 2 800 lb tires in the back of your truck, drive 50 mph and make a 90 degree steer left immediately followed by a 90 degree steer right. Do it in the Walmart parking lot and have the OL take the video. Take a broom along and a plastic bag to sweep up the road and clean off the drivers's seat. Send us the video. This guy is going 300 miles. Chances are he's going to encounter at least one necessary fast lane change. That's all it takes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_af5...arch_query=truck+rollover&aq=f&has_verified=1

I've had 3 ton of 21AA gravel in a truck, but never steered it hard or more than a dozen miles. Anyone can drive a loaded truck straight. Heck my dog can steer it for a mile or so.

Do us a favor and set at least one rear tires a bit low on pressure to represent typical customer usage.

 

[RobertN]

Awe, I put over to 4000 miles in one trip with that big old cabover camper, and many weekend trips is the mountains. Ain't many top heavy loads like that... Eleven footer is big tall and heavy. It went over Donner Summit, Echo Summit in Tahoe, Banff, Jasper in Alberta, Siskyous in Oregon, Wasatch in Utah.

They don't handle the same; you have to drive slower, and more defensively.

Of course, the load has to be balanced and secure.

If you want a real challenge try driving a half full water tender...

Tell you what:

Put your 2 800 lb tires in the back of your truck, drive 50 mph and make a 90 degree steer left immediately followed by a 90 degree steer right. Do it in the Walmart parking lot and have the OL take the video. Take a broom along and a plastic bag to sweep up the road and clean off the drivers's seat. Send us the video. This guy is going 300 miles.

 

[Soundguy]

I have to agree... my f250 has a monster roll of hay in it's bed right now I'm going to drop off to my cow pasture on the way to work. centerline of the hay is at the top of my cab.. I haul stuff like this weekly... no big deal...


soundguy

zzvyb6 haha, you're joking right? How do you use your truck if you can't put anything in the box?

My white one, a pair of 600x65R34 tires, about 800 lb each, and 1000 lbs of calcium in barrels behind. Rock solid on the windy road home.

The gray truck, an old old half ton with non-power brakes and a 390. Drives perfect on the road loaded like that. I put 90 40 lb bales on the white one as it has a long power tailgate that lets you go 8-9 tier just fine.

 

[Soundguy]

how big is this mower? I broughtmy 5' KK rotary cutter home in the bed of my dodge 1500 back in 2000 when i got it.. lifted it out with a boom pole. I don't recall even noticing it was back there??

i've hauled square bales stacked so high i had to drive routes with no bridges .. at the time was making 120m trips to get that hay... not 300 mind you.. but 120 is good enough driving a tall flucch brick down the road...

i think if the guy can handle a truck and trailer and has had some towing experience, he will be fine... if he had a trailer.. sure.. that would be the way to go.. if not, he does own a truck.. and they have a bed .. well.. to haul things.. otherwise the'd call them a car...


soundguy

Tell you what:

Put your 2 800 lb tires in the back of your truck, drive 50 mph and make a 90 degree steer left immediately followed by a 90 degree steer right. Do it in the Walmart parking lot and have the OL take the video. Take a broom along and a plastic bag to sweep up the road and clean off the drivers's seat. Send us the video. This guy is going 300 miles. Chances are he's going to encounter at least one necessary fast lane change. That's all it takes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_af5...arch_query=truck+rollover&aq=f&has_verified=1

I've had 3 ton of 21AA gravel in a truck, but never steered it hard or more than a dozen miles. Anyone can drive a loaded truck straight. Heck my dog can steer it for a mile or so.

Do us a favor and set at least one rear tires a bit low on pressure to represent typical customer usage.

 

[Bigboyskioti]

I've never had to do this but have a friend that has hauls 2 - 600lb ATVs on his pickup bed, pulls a 28' travel trailer. He goes all over the country with this setup. Here's a link of what I'm talking about.
ATV Carrier, ATV Hauler, ATV Rack: DiamondBack ATV Truck Rack

Oh and the Jeep Wrangler is a 1/4 ton truck! Look it up

 

[Dargo]

lol you are sorely mistaken. Unless you are talking about a 70's fullsize ford ranger, the ranger is a compact truck commonly called a 1/4 ton and is built on its own chassis. Nothing of any significance was shared with the fullsizes. Even the full size 1/2 ton didn't share a frame with the 3/4 and 1 tons.

I've worked on plenty and I'd agree. If he did have one, it would be a one of a kind. I did have a mid 70's full size Ford pickup that said "Ranger" on the front hood ornament. Still, nothing about it was 3/4 ton.

On the hauling, no way I'd risk tearing up my truck just to save $20, maybe, in fuel. If you have a trailer, use it.