Replies

1. 
   RW | Oct 27, 2002 06:27am | #1

   A different perspective: you can buy ladder racks in all shapes and styles for pickups. Mount to the bed rails, and away you go. Problems start when instead of a couple of ladders people start putting 30 or 40 18 foot 2x10's up there. Hit a bump, bed rails crush. You could likely find a good, substantial rack that mounts directly to your SUV at any of the places that sell truck toppers & accessories, but I don't know that the roof is designed to carry more than the 150lbs without problems. I had a boss once who did just that. Got home only to discover hie whole roof was crunched up. Boy did his wife let him have it.

2. 
   Telemike | Oct 27, 2002 06:44am | #2

   I've transported plywood for years first on Yakima racks on top of a trooper and now on a tycoma.  I've got rails mounted on a camper shell and a front rack that clamps on the door frame.  I set the rails long for siding and canoes, short for plywood.  I can carry several sheets of plywood, long pipes, two by fours and even siding (strapped to two long 2x4s.)  However, if you need half a pallet of MDF, don't bet on racks - you'll lose and perhaps kill a few people in cars behind you.

   If you must carry lots of stuff at once, rent or buy a trailer.  My wife found the better half of a ford courier for $200 at a garage sale.  I can carry lots of stuff in this thing.

3. 
   booch | Oct 28, 2002 05:39am | #3

   I always use the Yakama racks or take the seats out of the Chrysler minivan. I've got the puckers in the roof from 300 Bd foot of cherry but they don't bother me much.

   If you are a pro don't do that. If you are over the top on projects then you can try those methods. Just drive slow and put a rope around the front of the load and tie it under the front bumper to something that is secure and doesn't move. Do the same on the rear and the load should hold it's own.

   I've carried 20 foot 12x2 LVL's ten at a time on the same vehicle. Slow and easy. I only did the LVL's once and would do equally over the top stuff again and again but with due caution. From Canoes to mattresses you can do it but slowly with the proper tiedown.

   Saw my dad's summer project of a redwood yard table fly off the car at 70MPH back when I was 10. I kinda figured the 15 minutes he saved by driving fast would have been better invested in driving at a reasonable speed with better tiedowns.

   My favorite is always seening the HD patrons with a sheet of masonite tied with one string thru the windows and over the sheet. Twice I've seen the foam board carried and tied the same way. Both events resulted in half sheets with tire tracks on the left over pieces.

   Smart money would buy a trailer for 600 bucks and store it behind the garage. I'd do that, but the neighbors would complain that it was on their patio. No room.

4. 
   fredsmart48 | Oct 28, 2002 05:40am | #4

   The suv have a high center of gravity. The more weight you put up on top the hirer the center of gravity the easier it is to role.

   Now for a couple hundred you can buy a new 4x8 trailer

1. 
   JeffKurtz | Oct 28, 2002 11:57pm | #5

   Fred,

   I think you're right on the money with the trailer.

   (Don't believe I've ever seen a commercial vehicle carrying sheet stock on the roof, always on tubular steel side racks.)

   Carrying such large material on the roof is dangerous, and I'll bet it's illegal.

   Jeff

1. 
   UncleDunc | Oct 29, 2002 06:00am | #6

   >> ... and I'll bet it's illegal.

   I'll bet it's not. If it's not too wide or too high or too heavy or a hazardous material, and doesn't obscure your view, you can haul just about anything you can load and tie down. It's only illegal if it falls off.

5. 
   RandMCapozzi | Oct 29, 2002 10:15pm | #7

   Although I own a pickup and can just through sheet goods in the back, my father-inlaw has a "mini" SUV and when he can't borrow my truck he will use the roof rack of his SUV to carry small amounts of sheet goods (dry wall, plywood). He uses two 2x4's about 8' long. Runs one down each side of the roof and secures them to the rough rack. He can then load up the sheet goods (not to many due to weight) and strap them to the 2x4s. The 2x4s provide a stiff backing to prevent the sheets from flapping (and breaking) and also provide additional spots for straping the sheets down.

   I would invest in some good straps and avoid using rope. Cargo straps are far easier and safer to tighten things down.

   I wouldn't recommend hitting the highway with this system, but it works well for picking a small amount of sheet goods here and there and driving cautiously home.

   Hope this helps

   --Rob

1. 
   riverr1 | Oct 30, 2002 12:56am | #8

   Just a side bar here, but last time I went looking for a new pick up, the trucks with a full size 8 foot bed were damn hard to find. Doesn't seem to be many pick ups built as pick ups anymore now that they become whatever it is that they have become.

   Don