Tons of Free Wood....Now How Do I Get It HOME???

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BurnIt13

BurnIt13

Minister of Fire
Jun 10, 2010
636
Central MA
Just bought a wood stove and I am now beginning my search for wood. My parents live about 60 miles away and have plenty of acreage. I could probably score 3-4 cords per year of just standing dead or down trees. Needless to say, I'm excited that I get all the free wood I want. But a thought dawned on me....how the heck am I going to get it home?!?!?

I have an 08 Toyota Tacoma DoubleCab with a 5ft bed. It's rated for 6500lbs of towing....so I figure I can tow about a cord at a time on a trailer.

I went to U-Haul's website and it looks like they de-rate thier equipment significantly. For example I can rent a 6x12 tandem axle trailer for $40....but they state it can only hold 2,300lbs. I'm pretty sure the trailer can handle more than that. Even if I rented a moving truck, they state it can only handle 4,000lbs. Penske, Ryder, and Budget were the same way.

My dad tells me stories about how he and is best bud used to rent a U-Haul truck when they were much younger and fill it to the gills. He said they used to hall about 5-6 cords at a time. I'm sure the U-Haul trucks/trailers can handle more than they say but I'm not too comfortable with the liability end if I overload them.

So how do you guys who travel to get your wood get it home? Sure it would be nice to buy my own tandem axle trailer but thats not in the cards right now.
 
yeah in the same boat. have a small 4x7 homemade. its only up to 2000, and frankly thats pushing it. i agree the uhaul stuff, but i wouldnt want to break their stuff and have to pay. the truck should suffice for now, just keep an eye out for a good deal on a trailer. Craigslist, papers, side of the road. your bound to find a decent one for cheap.

you really dont want to have to make more trips then you have too.

that and your comment about...bought a wood stove, now looking for wood...is going to draw some comments...haha
 
I only have to move my wood from about 10 miles away, but I use my trailer (and now my pick up) to haul the wood . . . I figure I get close to 1/2 a cord at one time . . . any more would be putting a lot of undue stress on the trailer axle, tires, suspension and -- when I was using my 4Runner -- taxing its brakes. I would rather make a few more frequent trips than have to deal with a trailer careening out of control . . . or trying to figure out how to fix a trailer with a broken axle or even a flat tire loaded with over a cord of wood beside the road.
 
This might not be the best answer money-wise,but have you considered purchasing a decent,yet older 4 x 4 beater 3/4 ton pickup w/8ft bed? Say one thats 10 or so yrs old thats mechanically sound,but not a show truck by any means? Even one for 3-4 grand or less should fit the bill.You could maybe park it at parents acreage,use it to haul wood back to your place when needed.Just switch vehicles when the time comes.Keep license/registration,liability insurance on it,drop the collision coverage to save a bit.
 
It'll be a pain but I think I will end up devoting a weekend to the transport of the wood. I'll rent a trailer from Uhaul and fill it with a reasonable amount. I'll borrow my fathers old 81 chevy pickup with an 8ft bed and fill that up as well. I'll drive the Tacoma w/trailer and have my wife drive the chevy. A couple trips back and forth and I'm sure we'll get 4 cords or so.

The only thing that stinks is gas. It'll probably be a $200 day...... so for me it costs $50 per cord for free wood.
 
Your Tacoma will be mighty "uncomfortable" with 6500 lbs tagging along, especially with the stock rear suspension. Air lift shocks will help with the weak rear springs.

http://www.airliftcompany.com/application_guide.php

That U-Haul trailer will have surge brakes, which are far inferior to properly working electric brakes and a good inertial controller. Since this is going to be a somewhat regular thing, I suggest looking for dual axle trailer to buy and bagging the rental. Something like a 6x12 with Dexter electric brakes on both axles won't overwhelm your Tacoma and will always be useful in the future, even if you buy a bigger truck. It shouldn't be a budget buster. Buy a good inertial brake controller too.

A man can't have too many trailers. :coolsmile:
 
WhitePine said:
A man can't have too many trailers. :coolsmile:
Click to expand...

Amen to that brother. I find that 3 is just right. I have a single axle utility, a dual axle 19' and a gooseneck dual axel 26' big boy. Doesn't even include boat trailers, mower yard trailers etc. Even with a truck a couple of good trailers is a must. Drooling over a 15' dump trailer now. %-P
 
Let me know where it is - I'll get it for you :)
 
I have a lot longer trip than you, and I get a bedfull and part of a small trailer full at a time. But I bought a one ton truck, and fill just a hair more than a cord in the back, and the trailer is a single axle (3500 lbs) 6x10 that I'll park my garden tractor on and saw and tools and fill around with wood. I got the trailer on craigslist used. There are some good ones for cheap out there but you got to look for a while. Most are like 5x8 with whimpy 2000# axles (or less?), pass those up and look for something a bit bigger. I'd love to have a bigger trailer but like you its not in the budget. If I got a bigger one though it would mean less in the bed due to tounge weight, so would probably just equal out, so I'm just fine with my current setup. 4-5 trips a year should be plenty for me. If you get something maybe just a tad bigger you could probably haul about a cord I would think, depending on the species of wood (3,000-5,000 roughly depending on species and dryness). I would guess a tacoma could handle that but not sure??? Throw all your gear in the bed and wood on a trailer.

I dont know if I would be wanting to rent stuff for wood - wood takes a lot of work and to have to pay each time or try to cram it all into a weekend or something would be difficult.
 
flyingcow said:
Be careful with renting a truck from ryder/uhaul or wherever. The side walls might not take the outward pressure. They're not as heavy duty as they used to be.
Click to expand...

I also think there is a warning that they are not to be used for transporting firewood. I seem to remember that in the fine print someplace. I could be mistaken.

cass
 
Their trailers are a lot cheaper than the trucks and have lower decks anyway. As long as you drive reasonably, the surge brakes are fine.
 
Is it possible to process and stack this wood at your parents place and allow it to season awhile?That would be one way to reduce the weight issue.
 
I know every-ones situation is different and your Parents offer is certainly generous but is it possible to find a closer source of wood ? In my case I'm surrounded by neighbors that don't burn wood but have granted me permission to clean out all dead and dying trees from there woods.I have access to more wood than I can burn without traveling any great distance or expense.If this is possible you could still collect wood from your parents on your normal visits or when they visit you.
 
When I moved into my newly built house in 2003 I rented a 26' box truck with a hydraulic lift gate from Penske. Unlimited mileage, just refill the deisel tanks to about where it was when I got it. I took out the Penske insurance policy on the truck as well...it covered any and all damage to the truck and property I might ruin...so if I were fool enough to jam it under the canopy at the Burger King, Penske would pick up the tab.

Check with your rental dealers on this, but I suspect if you just rent one of their larger trucks for a day with the insurance you'll be fine and could probably get it all home in one shot.

I had easily 2-3 tons of stuff in the back of that truck...part of the load was my wife's 800lb baby grand piano...the 26' truck is rated at over 8300lb load capacity. 22 foot truck is probably your best bet, its rated at 8000lb.
 
When I needed to move a huge load of ash ( 6 big,old, trees )25 miles, I rented a 6x12 utility trailer from U-haul and loaded it to the gills. I pulled it with a F-450 from work, and had NO problems at all. I rented the trailer at closing on Saturday (4:30), and had to have it back before opening on Monday morning for the rate of a one-day rental (like $30). I would have had to make 20 trips with my '01 Ranger 5-speed. Instead, I did it in 4 trips with the trailer....for $30!! Best $$$ I ever spent. For perspective....those are old 12"x12" RR ties in the pic.
 

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wood dope said:
Is it possible to process and stack this wood at your parents place and allow it to season awhile?That would be one way to reduce the weight issue.
Click to expand...

This very well might be your best method. You state the wood is standing dead, but I'd still get them cut as soon as possible and then get them split. Stack it up and wait until next fall to haul it home. You might very well save around 1,000 pounds per cord doing this (depending on the species).

You might also ask rdust if he doesn't chime in here. He hauled a cord of dry white ash over 60 miles. Was it worth it?
 
Backwoods Savage said:
wood dope said:
Is it possible to process and stack this wood at your parents place and allow it to season awhile?That would be one way to reduce the weight issue.
Click to expand...

This very well might be your best method. You state the wood is standing dead, but I'd still get them cut as soon as possible and then get them split. Stack it up and wait until next fall to haul it home. You might very well save around 1,000 pounds per cord doing this (depending on the species).
Click to expand...

I'll end up doing this. Its 95% scrub oak so its gonna be HEAVY. The deal I have with my father is that I will do 75% of the work and get to keep 50% of the wood. So this spring I will be going like the hammers of hell scrounging, splitting, and stacking wood. It probably wont be until fall when I haul it home anyway.

Three round trips with his 81 k20 pickup and my Tacoma towing a trailer should yeild at about 3-4 cords...which is about what I expect to go through a year. I do end up visiting about once a month anyways...so I'll also fill up the Tacoma every chance I get. I should be able to get an extra cord or two that way also.
 
wood dope said:
Is it possible to process and stack this wood at your parents place and allow it to season awhile?That would be one way to reduce the weight issue.
Click to expand...

+1

If you get a few years ahead you will thank yourself later.

I'm very surprised at how much lighter my wood is 3 years after cut/split/stacking it.
 
I would get as much as possible cut, bucked, split and stacked before I would even think about renting a truck and/or trailer to haul it home. Or, you may just want to pile it up rather than stack it neatly since you'll be moving it again but it will season much better if stacked.

Every time you go up there to work you can bring a pickup load home with you. That will help some.

Around here I can get a new 16 foot tandem axle (3500 lbs each) for about $850. If I were in your position I might consider buying one, working my tail off for a year or so cutting wood and hauling it home, getting a few years ahead on my wood stash. Then sell the trailer. The loss I might take on the sale shouldn't be any more than the cost of renting equipment a few times.
 
Kenster said:
Around here I can get a new 16 foot tandem axle (3500 lbs each) for about $850.
Click to expand...

And then MA wants $53 in sales tax + $140 ($20 per 1000lb) to register it till Nov 30th. Any chance the in-laws are in NH and would register a trailer? ;-) ;-)
 
Kenster said:
Around here I can get a new 16 foot tandem axle (3500 lbs each) for about $850. If I were in your position I might consider buying one, working my tail off for a year or so cutting wood and hauling it home, getting a few years ahead on my wood stash. Then sell the trailer. The loss I might take on the sale shouldn't be any more than the cost of renting equipment a few times.
Click to expand...

That is sage advice. I bought a 6x12 hydraulic dump trailer (brand new) back in 2005 for $5000. Used it for hauling logs for my sawmill. Sold it last year for $4000. At first I was kinda bummed that I "lost" $1000 on it, but then I amortized the cost over the time I owned it...$200/yr. I certainly got a lot more value from that trailer than the paltry $200/yr it cost me.
 
Peter SWNH said:
I certainly got a lot more value from that trailer than the paltry $200/yr it cost me.
Click to expand...

That's the way I look at it. I paid $1100 for my little dump used 5 years ago. It has paid for itself many times over and is worth just as much now as when I bought it.
 
KarlP said:
Kenster said:
Around here I can get a new 16 foot tandem axle (3500 lbs each) for about $850.
Click to expand...

And then MA wants $53 in sales tax + $140 ($20 per 1000lb) to register it till Nov 30th. Any chance the in-laws are in NH and would register a trailer? ;-) ;-)
Click to expand...

A NEW trailer for $850??? Around here brand new tandem axle "Home-made" trailers by local metal workers go for near $2k. If you want a name brand one like a Big-Tex or somebody its going to run you $2,500+!!!!!

I've been lurking on craigslist looking at used dual axle trailers and ones that are worth looking at go for $1000-$1500, and most of those still need work. Gotta love Taxachusetts.
 
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