I Need a Pick-up Truck...

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EPS

EPS

Burning Hunk
Jun 5, 2015
165
NH
I'm guessing I'm one of the only people on this site without a pick up truck as it seems like standard equipment for getting wood from site to scene. I have a crummy Jeep Compass which I use to haul as much as I can (I bought it a few years ago before I became devoted to building up my woodpile in earnest), but today I had trouble that told me that I need to get a pick up (eventually). I was loading up some logs that I came across on Craigslist and when I was done and went to start my Jeep it wouldn't even try to turn over. The gentleman who offered the wood jumped the vehicle and it started right up, so I couldn't help but think there is some relationship between the weight of the logs and the Jeep's unwillingness to start. Any thoughts if this is the right train of thought?

Regardless, I think this is the last time I try to haul logs with this. When I finish paying it off I will move straight away to buying a truck meant for hauling.



To further emasculate myself I will also admit that the only chainsaw I have and use is electric.
 
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EPS said:
I'm guessing I'm one of the only people on this site without a pick up truck as it seems like standard equipment for getting wood from site to scene. I have a crummy Jeep Compass which I use to haul as much as I can (I bought it a few years ago before I became devoted to building up my woodpile in earnest), but today I had trouble that told me that I need to get a pick up (eventually). I was loading up some logs that I came across on Craigslist and when I was done and went to start my Jeep it wouldn't even try to turn over. The gentleman who offered the wood jumped the vehicle and it started right up, so I couldn't help but think there is some relationship between the weight of the logs and the Jeep's unwillingness to start. Any thoughts if this is the right train of thought?

Regardless, I think this is the last time I try to haul logs with this. When I finish paying it off I will move straight away to buying a truck meant for hauling.



To further emasculate myself I will also admit that the only chainsaw I have and use is electric.
Click to expand...
If it makes you feel any better, I don't have a pickup truck either. All of my wood comes from my property so it's just me and the wheelbarrow schlepping the wood to the stacks. Also, my main chainsaw is electric (battery)...although, in my defense, I have a manly gas saw for big jobs.
 
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EPS said:
I couldn't help but think there is some relationship between the weight of the logs and the Jeep's unwillingness to start. Any thoughts if this is the right train of thought?
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If you think the Jeep spirits were giving you a signal, then sure. If you think the weight of the load caused a mechanical issue that prevented it from starting, then no.
 
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There is no relation between your load and vehicle not starting. Maybe something was on and drain your battery, maybe it's time for new battery or your alternator is not charging. On a side note i will say that it is a good idea to get a truck if you are going to be doing this kind of job.

If is a suspension related issue or the u joints got busted, I will say yes but look into those components mentioned before. Belt, alternator, battery. Be sure there is nothing on like interior lights, maybe switch was on during the time you were there etc.
Hope this helps
 
^^^ See Blacktail and Isucet's comments . . . the load bears no relation to the vehicle not starting. But if you feel as though you need/want a pick up and can afford to do so . . . go for it. Folks here would be happy to offer up suggestions or answer questions you might have on particular makes and models.
 
Thanks for the input. I'm going to post a similar question on a Jeep forum or two, because it jumped just fine and then later after I got home and had turned off the vehicle for a few hours I tried to start it again with success, so I don't think it's just a coincidence that it decided to act up after loading the back with several large logs. The alternator was replaced in June, but it could be a battery issue. Either way, like I say, I don't think I want to risk using this vehicle to transport wood any longer.
 
Most likely that you have a battery issue one of the primary reasons alternators go bad is because a battery is internally partialy shorted creating an over draw effect on the alternator rectification/voltage regulator. I do not know many alternators I have replaced after someone had installed a new battery due to failure of the old one. If you replace the battery at the end of its warranty period that pretty much eliminates alternator woes. Vehicles now days need a minimum of 10volts + to operate correctly. At 10.5 volts all kinds of gremlins start appearing. You can sink a lot of money chasing them and never have any thing called out on the electrical side. And as time wears on and the systems become more complex it's only going to get worse. Recommend having a load check done on battery, that should indicate it's condition. Oh and make sure your terminals are clean with no corrosion. The chassis of the car is no longer the main negative line back to the battery even though it is connected to same. all your operations rely on the computer switching network which has it's own independent circuits from the chassis. Oh one more tid bit, Corroded chassis negative connections can also play havoc- because it effects the negative side of the computer - that little scenario started appearing back in the late 70's. You have to remember that computer circuits generaly use less than 5volts ( more commonly only 1.5v) and micro amperes - that just isn't enough to blast past a micro thick corrosion film. A basic ohm meter continuity check doesn't mean much now days unless the voltage the meter or test unit is using is 1.5v or less. Spent many years in control system repair and have stories about problems created by things you would say are not possible to have created the problem. Spent about 2 hours yesterday morning finding a shorted gas solenoid control coil on my neighbors very large multi zone Commercial Griddle - description from gals in kitchen was a flash and a pop and then it didn't work- a lot to go on eh?
 
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blades said:
Most likely that you have a battery issue one of the primary reasons alternators go bad is because a battery is internally partialy shorted creating an over draw effect on the alternator rectification/voltage regulator. I do not know many alternators I have replaced after someone had installed a new battery due to failure of the old one. If you replace the battery at the end of its warranty period that pretty much eliminates alternator woes. Vehicles now days need a minimum of 10volts + to operate correctly. At 10.5 volts all kinds of gremlins start appearing. You can sink a lot of money chasing them and never have any thing called out on the electrical side. And as time wears on and the systems become more complex it's only going to get worse. Recommend having a load check done on battery, that should indicate it's condition. Oh and make sure your terminals are clean with no corrosion. The chassis of the car is no longer the main negative line back to the battery even though it is connected to same. all your operations rely on the computer switching network which has it's own independent circuits from the chassis. Oh one more tid bit, Corroded chassis negative connections can also play havoc- because it effects the negative side of the computer - that little scenario started appearing back in the late 70's. You have to remember that computer circuits generaly use less than 5volts ( more commonly only 1.5v) and micro amperes - that just isn't enough to blast past a micro thick corrosion film. A basic ohm meter continuity check doesn't mean much now days unless the voltage the meter or test unit is using is 1.5v or less. Spent many years in control system repair and have stories about problems created by things you would say are not possible to have created the problem. Spent about 2 hours yesterday morning finding a shorted gas solenoid control coil on my neighbors very large multi zone Commercial Griddle - description from gals in kitchen was a flash and a pop and then it didn't work- a lot to go on eh?
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Thank you for taking the time to consider my situation. In short (no pun intended) would you agree that too much weight in the vehicle would make the battery unable or unwilling to function and turn on the engine?
 
I know nothing about Jeep , but there is no way that your vehicle is smart enough to now what is loaded on it. Now if you were talking about a horse or a donkey, yes I could see it happening. );
 
gregbesia said:
I know nothing about Jeep , but there is no way that your vehicle is smart enough to now what is loaded on it. Now if you were talking about a horse or a donkey, yes I could see it happening. );
Click to expand...


I just meant that the system would not work correctly if there was strain on the battery or "trauma" elsewhere. Since the clicking noise was from the back I didn't know if the gas switch was turned off by a computer because of the weight, the same way it would if it was hit by something and assumed it was in an accident.
 
Aha, that makes sense. Hopefully some experts would come to help soon.
 
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If a reliable pickup would be yur primary vehicle and yur getting rid of a troublesome jeep for it perhaps it would be a good idea. But i would NOT buy a pickup for the sole purpose of hauling wood. Between the cost of the truck .maintenance, registration,inspections ect its not worth it ,get a TRAILER.
 
Seasoned Oak said:
If a reliable pickup would be yur primary vehicle and yur getting rid of a troublesome jeep for it perhaps it would be a good idea. But i would NOT buy a pickup for the sole purpose of hauling wood. Between the cost of the truck .maintenance, registration,inspections ect its not worth it ,get a TRAILER.
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It would be to replace the Compass--which is the only Jeep not made for unpaved surfaces or doing anything a Jeep should be able to do. Therefore I wouldn't trust putting a trailer on it as it probably wouldn't be able to handle it. I bought it hastily because it is a Jeep and was for a decent price and I had an even worse money-pit before it. I was a poor consumer for certain. If I bought a truck I would take the time to research it and make a sound purchase.

My wife and I routinely collect things off the side of the road that she fixes up or re purposes, so it wouldn't be just for hauling wood.
 
Nothing personal but I have run into few folks who say good things about Jeep Compass's. One girl I ran into didn't have much bad to say but she was on her third as she had rolled two in less than a year. Pick up a Subaru, far more reliable and 250K is typical for them. They will pull a light trailer.

A trailer is a nice option, realistically everyone is looking for a reliable old truck and they are hard to find. I noticed you are in NH and there are two other issues that really do in older trucks, road chemicals and emission controls. My 97 GMC Sonoma is a great truck and rust isn't that much of an issue on the sheet metal like it used to be, but the road chemicals they put down really chew up brake lines, gas lines and gas tanks. I have replaced all my brake and fuel lines at least once and even the coated lines don't last much longer. I am on my second gas tank and even my steel rims are rusting away. Some folks swear by spraying the undercarriage with sheep lanoline (Flowfilm) but it makes a heck of mess. NH hooks up to the emissions computer for inspections on all vehicles since 96 and unlike other states there is no way around it unless you can prove severe financial hardship on a case by case basis. When trucks get old, emissions gremlins pop up and diagnosing them is expensive and time consuming. I do it myself but most inspection stations just flunk it and tell you to list it on Craigslist in Maine as they don't test emissions. Of course if you can find a 25 year old truck you can register it as an antique and then no inspections. My truck recently flunked but they reset the computer and the trouble code didn't reset yet so I went in and it passed for 2017.

Get a trailer and hook it up when you need it. I had Pontiac Fiero V6 with a custom hitch I built and I built most of my house with it. Looked strange but it worked well.
 
I totally agree with others on getting a utility trailer . You can get a decent used one for under $800 or so . You will end up using it for many other purposes as well, plus the trailer will take all the beating & you can keep your new vehicle nice . Also , when you don't need the trailer just park it until you do need it . Registration is usually very cheap ........ I've had one for over 35 years & hauled many things with it, along with my grown children borrowing it to remodel their houses & hauling off debris & bringing home new materials ........
 
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EPS said:
Thank you for taking the time to consider my situation. In short (no pun intended) would you agree that too much weight in the vehicle would make the battery unable or unwilling to function and turn on the engine?
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That would have no effect on the electrical system- but leaving the hatch open with a bunch of lights on , on a marginal battery certainly would.
 
I have never found one of the rollover switches/fuel shut off to be a problem in a no start scenario. Even my own car which was totaled dead center by a truck -the fuel cut did not cut off. ( no roll over either).
 
I don't have a pickup either. I paid $300 for an 8x8 craigslist trailer, plus another $200ish for tow stuff (tow bar, light driver kit, hitch, balls, locks, new wheels, and cargo straps).

That said, the Jeep compass has a listed tow capacity of 1000 pounds, less than many passenger sedans... A cheap used pickup may not be a bad idea in your case.
 
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I'd love to have a pickup..but I have kids..so the SUV is what I get. The good part is that it is super comfortable and all I do is put a trailer on it. All set.
 
You can get good used pickups for less than $1000 these days. MY son just got a great 93 GM for $500 hes been using it every day for 2 months.
 
I also agree that loaded/unloaded should have no effect on starting, But I have seen cases where a ground is effected. Start by looking at all of the connections and make sure the grounds have no corrosion.
 
A few folks have mentioned something worth repeating . . . check and clean the battery terminals first and foremost. My Nissan Titan was having intermittent starting issues and then wouldn't start at all (after loading it up with wood incidentally -- and this truly was just incidentally) . . . the culprit turned out to be a gunked up battery terminal. Five minutes with a terminal cleaner and baking soda/water and I was good to go.
 
My 2 cents on this... look at what everyone else has said regarding battery/charging system. I had a drain in my electrical system something to do with my 4 ways, similar to you, I was on the side of the road loading the box of my truck with my 4 ways on, by the time it took two of us to load the box the battery was drained to the point it wouldn't start the truck. Luckily the guy I was getting the wood from had cables with him and threw a quick jump start in free.

I have a 1/2 pick up, and I find myself using the trailer to haul wood more than the box. 1 it is easier to load and unload, 2 less wear and tear on my suspension. 3 if you load the trailer correctly with properly placed jack stands or blocking you can unhook your trailer while it is fully loaded. So If I run to get a load of wood and dont have time to unload it as soon as I get home I can drop the trailer and get to it the next day. If it is in the box I have to unload it as soon as I get home.

Plus as others have mentioned I find myself using that trailer for everything, it makes dump, runs hauls my mowers, appliances, friends have borrowed it etc. I was a firm believer that if you have a pick up there is no need for a trailer. Until I had a tenant that couldn't pay his rent one month and offered me his trailer for payment. That is one of the best barter deals I have ever made, lol. It may look goofy hauling a refrigerator on a trailer behind a pick up, but you will appreciate being able to use a dolly to load and unload it, vs having to pick it up into a box, drag it to the front strap it down etc.

Only problem now is I find myself wanting a bigger trailer lol.

If you like the vehicle you have and the only reason to get a truck is for firewood, then save yourself the money, and get a trailer. A compass has a tow capacity of 1,000 LBS that is a lot of seasoned firewood per trip. Plus minimal maint on a trailer vs a truck.

As far as electric vs gas saw... you are getting the job done right? so how you get it done doesn't really matter. Still beats and ax and a hand saw.
 
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