Redlands Okie
Veteran Member
Neither is that front windshield. 
Share Pics of People Hauling or Towing Something Wrong
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zing
Platinum Member
Unless Avalanche roofracks are especially wimpy, I disagree. Most manufacturer racks will hold a couple hundred pounds. That pile when spread across side to side is only going to be the height of a 4x4, with maybe a couple of 2x4's extra in the middle. With half the weight on the tailgate and a front line to help prevent sway, bounce, and excessive lift, that isn't going to hurt or move those racks. Way safer than what they have done. If you were especially concerned or it was sagging in the middle, you could add a 2x4 across the rack width-wise, but I doubt that is even necessary. Unless of course, there is something especially wimpy about Avalanche racks.
KubotainNH
Veteran Member
Most racks I've seen seem to have a listed weight of 100 pounds or so. On my first Jeep Cherokee I loaded quite a bit of wood and sheetrock up on the rack by first putting some 2x4's between the rack and roof. The rack would drop and be on the wood so all was stabile. I did that a few times until I finally got a trailer. I was only driving a short distance.
BigBlue1
Elite Member
That's not a wise idea. If you laid the boards on the tailgate and the roof they are going to end up resting on the rear edge of the roof anyway, not the roof rack. And even if they did touch the rack, and even if the rack were sturdy enough, what an unstable arrangement that would be with all the tendency to slide backwards. There doesn't look like many good strapping points for that arrangement and you'd need some really tight strapping to keep the boards in place at that angle.
Though the way they have the load isn't optimum, your idea is less so. Best situation would be for them to get a trailer or a better vehicle for hauling.
Rob
zing
Platinum Member
Well if you are going to be sloppy and just run a strap from one end to the other, of course it would move. With the lumber spread evenly across and piece of rope that loops over each pile then under the rack and over the next pile, secured from time to time with a truckers hitch, it is not going to slide anywhere. Do the same thing at the back. If it is hitting the back of the cab, you run a 2x4 sideways across the rack and the bed near the tailgate from side to side. I have secured scores of small boats and lumber, etc this way. Never moves or slides if you know how to tie it properly. Line on the front for security and red flag on the back, and you are good to go.
Owners manual says the rack is good for 200 lbs.
Chevy Avalanche Fan Club - Online Owner's Manual
Secured properly that load would be way safer on the racks and tailgate then the way it was. Would a trailer be even better? Yes. But that load could definitely be secured safely to that truck and taken home if the owner had put some effort into it.
BigBlue1
Elite Member
And what is the chance that folks who are already loading things like this are going to have your trucker hitching skills and be able to make those boards stay on well? There are more potential issues with your plan than what they have. That's my opinion. Obviously yours differs.
Rob
civilian
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From this site Lumber - Weights and my estimate of the pieces to be: (3) 6 x 6 pressure treated posts(actually I used three 2x6 for each 6x6), (12) 2 x 10's. and (4) pieces of something larger than a 2 x 6 (which I used in my estimate). My guess is the lumber is 12 ft long. It doesn't look like the lumber is actually against the windshield. My estimated weight is 918#. And from experience many years ago, on a 85 Jeep Cheroke's rack I had something like (3) 4 x 6's 12ft long. I did it, but I felt the rack was overloaded with that load. Jon
farmeratheart
Platinum Member
This wasn't necessarily wrong (yet), but look what I saw at a used equipment auction a few weeks ago ...
Later I saw him with a small garden tractor strapped to that trailer, but my phone's battery had died ...
Frank
Later I saw him with a small garden tractor strapped to that trailer, but my phone's battery had died ...
Frank
George2615
Super Member
Well at least if his car broke down he could put it on the trailer and tow it home with the garden tractor.
DieselBound
Elite Member
A 100 lbs? That brought to mind this:
Wood You Do This?
Mythbusters actually took this one on as a challenge (and confirmed).
Safe? No way! But, 3,000 lbs!