I had a 98 step side s10 6ft bed for a long time. It never needed a bed extender just throw the logs in it and strap them down. I added a $60 pair of 1200lb air shocks to the back and loaded her up. The old girl hauled or entire wood supply for years then we got a trailer and it hauled logs and pulled a trailer. Just a little 2.2 L ! Through all that I never hurt the tailgate or anything else for that matter but the s10 did finally start showing age last winter and I had to sell it. We had it for 13 years.
Bed Extender
- Thread starter Jacktheknife
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These are pretty slick, but with long & heavy loads, you will cantilever a lot of weight off the steering.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_19670_19670
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_19670_19670
I've never understood the importance of bed extenders. Is it the lazy-mans way of being able to throw something in a shortbed w/o strapping down?
How are you getting polewood into the truck??? Just as easy to carry a saw in the truck and buck rounds... Then I could see the value of a bed extender. If you're looking for LONGGG pole wood, then the above post references a product more valuable.
How are you getting polewood into the truck??? Just as easy to carry a saw in the truck and buck rounds... Then I could see the value of a bed extender. If you're looking for LONGGG pole wood, then the above post references a product more valuable.
Try hauling a 16' long piece of lumber, either need a ladder rack or bed extender or trailer.
I guess it's every bit the lazy man's way of keep cargo sliding out that a tailgate is. As far as how I get pole wood into the truck, I open the tailgate and set it in the box, pretty simple. I am currently cutting it to six foot lengths and closing the tailgate afterwards and then throwing straps over the top. I absolutely do not want to unload my cargo on someone's vehicle,/ which is why the trailer hitch version does not interest me.
Yes, I could buck the wood on-site but since I am picking up the load after work I don't want to dilly-dally and keep the kids at daycare when I can cut into lengths when we all get home.
Anyway, I'm not getting much feedback on what I would like to know. I am not interested in getting an 8 foot truck or being lazy or cutting into round. What I would like to know is how well do bed extenders work? Has anyone used a design similar to the one I am looking at?
Did it a lot but I cheated I made a 2*4 peice that I could set up against the closed tailgate that sat over the bed rail. The front of the lumber rested on my tool box then got ratcheted down. Wish I had a pic for ya ! It could haul a lot that way.
Pete
KaptJaq
Minister of Fire
I have that bed extender. There is a 250# weight limit on the open tailgate. I find the extender good for loading the bed with lighter material (insulation, etc) and keeping other loads from shifting. With the gate closed and the extender turned into the bed it provides smaller spaces to put gear, buckets, boxes, etc... so everything does not slide the length of the bed. It also divides the bed into two sections, one I use for tools, the other for heavier materials. Prevents the heavy stuff from crushing everything else.
Long loads just hang off the back without the extender...
KaptJaq
KaptJaq
Minister of Fire
Because the corners are curved it is 8'+ in the center but 7'8" at the corners. For Sheetrock I usually leave the gate closed, put a couple of 8' 2x4s laying from the bottom front of the bed to the top of the gate and lay the Sheetrock on them.
KaptJaq
Thats kind of what I expected to hear, but that would have been a huge mark in the + column.
EDIT: Upon rereading your description, I think we are talking about two different extenders. This one mounts to the tail gate only and is completely colapsable. Also, it is square in the corners.
KaptJaq
Minister of Fire
Sorry, they are different. Below is a picture of mine when it is turned into the bed creating two different storage areas. When it is flipped out it goes to the end of the
KaptJaq
EDIT: Replace
Sorry, they are different. Below is a picture of mine when it is turned into the bed creating two different storage areas. When it is flipped out it goes to the end of the bed and fastens to the bed latches. Lift it straight up and it can be removed without tools. I find I get the most use of it when it is in the bed. It helps secure the load and prevent shifting.
KaptJaq
Is that the X-tender? That is the first one I looked at.
KaptJaq
Minister of Fire
Yes, it is the old style X-tender. I've had it since 2002. There are several different styles now.
KaptJaq
Just re-stating the "loading heavy things on the tailgate thing". I really don't care for the new style tailgate cables everyone uses these days. I liked the old school 2 piece folding metal flat stock.
GM had a problem with the S-10 (and maybe other) gate supports in the late 90's and early '00's. They were steel cable that was coated with "shrink wrap". Moisture would seep into the crimped eye on the ends and wick down the cable. They would rot and break at the mid point cable bend with no warning whatsoever, then the gate would fall against the bumper and leave nice creases in the gate. GM now uses stainless cables but it still leaves a bad taste. I want my old metal hinges back.
The ones on my S-10 snapped one day. I was sitting on the gate (175) and when my GF (125) flopped down to have a lunch snack the cables both snapped, boogered up the tailgate and dumped our butts on the ground.
GM had a problem with the S-10 (and maybe other) gate supports in the late 90's and early '00's. They were steel cable that was coated with "shrink wrap". Moisture would seep into the crimped eye on the ends and wick down the cable. They would rot and break at the mid point cable bend with no warning whatsoever, then the gate would fall against the bumper and leave nice creases in the gate. GM now uses stainless cables but it still leaves a bad taste. I want my old metal hinges back.
The ones on my S-10 snapped one day. I was sitting on the gate (175) and when my GF (125) flopped down to have a lunch snack the cables both snapped, boogered up the tailgate and dumped our butts on the ground.
Just re-stating the "loading heavy things on the tailgate thing". I really don't care for the new style tailgate cables everyone uses these days. I liked the old school 2 piece folding metal flat stock.
GM had a problem with the S-10 (and maybe other) gate supports in the late 90's and early '00's. They were steel cable that was coated with "shrink wrap". Moisture would seep into the crimped eye on the ends and wick down the cable. They would rot and break at the mid point cable bend with no warning whatsoever, then the gate would fall against the bumper and leave nice creases in the gate. GM now uses stainless cables but it still leaves a bad taste. I want my old metal hinges back.
The ones on my S-10 snapped one day. I was sitting on the gate (175) and when my GF (125) flopped down to have a lunch snack the cables both snapped, boogered up the tailgate and dumped our butts on the ground.
Yes, absolutely should pile heavy stuff on the gate. I am only looking at having things on the gate that already have 3/4 of their length supported by the truck bed.
stephiedoll
Burning Hunk
I find the bark on wood very good at keeping it where you want it.Even with the plastic bedliner. I would think just putting a couple straps on pole wood would keep it in the bed until you want to unload. Here's one of many loads I've had on my truck.
pyroholic
Member
Just re-stating the "loading heavy things on the tailgate thing". I really don't care for the new style tailgate cables everyone uses these days. I liked the old school 2 piece folding metal flat stock.
GM had a problem with the S-10 (and maybe other) gate supports in the late 90's and early '00's. They were steel cable that was coated with "shrink wrap". Moisture would seep into the crimped eye on the ends and wick down the cable. They would rot and break at the mid point cable bend with no warning whatsoever, then the gate would fall against the bumper and leave nice creases in the gate. GM now uses stainless cables but it still leaves a bad taste. I want my old metal hinges back.
The ones on my S-10 snapped one day. I was sitting on the gate (175) and when my GF (125) flopped down to have a lunch snack the cables both snapped, boogered up the tailgate and dumped our butts on the ground.
They did recall the old cables and were replacing them with ss for free. When I found out I had already replaced mine so I asked the dealer if I could have them for next time they break. No problem, they handed them to me. It was a safety recall, and I don't know if this recall is still valid, but maybe with a shot.
Jack, have you considered going "up" instead? Maybe make a set of slip-in sideboards (like the ones in Stephidoll's picture above). I'm going to make some for my truck, that can slip into the stake pockets and I can take them back out when not loading the ol' girl up to the gills......
Just an idea. Either way, I don't think you will compromise the tailgate with a load of wood, you'd probably be fine with the bed extender. You DO want to keep an eye on the tailgate support cables, however. I've seen them rust through and fail.
Just an idea. Either way, I don't think you will compromise the tailgate with a load of wood, you'd probably be fine with the bed extender. You DO want to keep an eye on the tailgate support cables, however. I've seen them rust through and fail.
Yep, i sure have. I need to see if i can get at the pockets, previous owner (poorly) installed a after-market drop-in bed liner that i am pretty sure wasn't mean for this truck.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
This is what I do.
Btw... Going up, as Scotty suggests, has an advantage of keeping the weight forward. Putting a lot of weight aft of the rear axle is rarely a good idea on a 1/2 ton truck.
ewdudley
Minister of Fire
Tell me about it. When I was about 11, went with my dad to get 2/3 of a yard of concrete to be hauled home in the back of a 1967 1/2 ton short box GMC. As we headed up the first knoll the front wheels started skyward as the concrete flowed to the back. No problem, he accelerated back down to the bottom of the hill, turned around, backed up, turned around, drove down, turned around, ... all the way back home.
basod
Minister of Fire
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