Do you think its worth driving 20 mile for wood?

[burntime]

Check on the tow capacity on those full size pick ups, you may be able to tow a lot more than you can load in the bed? Just a thought!

 

[Henz]

anyway of splitting it there and leavign it and then going abck with a bigger truck? you can haul alot more wood when it is split believe it or not, just stacks better, less voids

 

[Wet1]

Rent a big as uhaul for a day. They aren't that much if you're staying local and you can put a sh!t-load of wood in them. You can also rent their trailers.

 

[Wet1]

It's worth it even with a 1/2 ton pickup. It would help if you know someone with a 3/4 or 1 ton truck. I just bought a woodstove this year and I'm already kicking myself for purchasing a 1/2 ton pickup last year. Just picked up about 1/2 a cord of free oak from a neighbor last night. Got to love free heat.

Put some add-a-leafs or air bags in your half ton and that bably will hual a hell of a lot more... and safely.

 

[sapratt]

All the encouragment I need. The chainsaw will be coming back to life this weekend maybe even tomorrow.
I'm definetly going to keep driving up there to cut. If I can get enough for next year that would be great.
Because of limited space I'm not sure if I can get store more than 2 seasons worth. If I split and stack all the rounds I have I will probably
have 6 to 7 cord total.

 

[Highbeam]

Check on the tow capacity on those full size pick ups, you may be able to tow a lot more than you can load in the bed? Just a thought!

Absolutely. My half ton can legally haul 400 lbs of cargo but can tow 4000 lbs of cargo on my 2500 lb trailer. Not both though since tongue weight counts as payload.

 

[Highbeam]

anyway of splitting it there and leavign it and then going abck with a bigger truck? you can haul alot more wood when it is split believe it or not, just stacks better, less voids

Woops, the closer it is to log length, the denser your wood will be. So log length gives more lbs/CF than rounds. Rounds gives more lbs/CF than split. Every time you chop your wood into smaller pieces makes more air spaces which mean the log gets bigger as you cut.

Bottom line is that you will be able to fit more wood into your truck if you leave it log length or rounds than if split. Finely split wood is the least efficient way to transport it.

I had to try it to believe it.

 

[Highbeam]

It's worth it even with a 1/2 ton pickup. It would help if you know someone with a 3/4 or 1 ton truck. I just bought a woodstove this year and I'm already kicking myself for purchasing a 1/2 ton pickup last year. Just picked up about 1/2 a cord of free oak from a neighbor last night. Got to love free heat.

Put some add-a-leafs or air bags in your half ton and that bably will hual a hell of a lot more... and safely.

Ack! You can indeed haul heavier loads more safely with these devices but none of them will legally raise your rated limits. You will more safely haul within the ratings which is why I installed heavy duty tires and overload springs (timbrens) on my half ton hauler.

 

[mtarbert]

Load up some rounds and stuff the voids with splits.
Mike

 

[Dix]

Always remember your weights, especially with a fully loaded truck & trailer.

You have to be able to STOP safely, and quickly if necessary. Better to be safe and make 2 runs, than be dead, or take some one else out with you.

 

[gator1]

Thanks for the info. I will probably put helper springs on eventfully. I had them on my 3/4 ton and they worked real good. For now I just make a couple trips. I have been pretty lucky so far. I just pickup some hickory from a neighbor you couldn't get your arms around the first 8 feet of the trunk on this one.

 

[LONDONDERRY]

I live iN londonderry, NH and was offered to take as much wood from a friend of mine that lives in Hill, NH that 50 miles each way. So i've been logging for the last 3 weeks. the old saying if its free take as much as you can

 

[Wet1]

I hope to be getting a couple loads of hickory in the coming weeks myself. I'll have to drive an hour each way (90 miles round trip), but I'm hoping to get close to a cord on each trip. I plan on loading what I can in the back my Dodge (2500 diesel) and then do the same on my 6'x12' landscaping trailer. Unfortunately, my trailer is only a single axle so I'll be limited on how much I can throw on the trailer. I don't know what it will actually hold, but I routinely carry about 1400 pounds on it without any issues. The truck I know will carry a lot more than the 3/4 ton rating.

Funny story... I accidentally overloaded the truck on day when I needed stone. I went to the quarry and told the operator I wanted a full load. He looked at me strangely and then proceeded to overfill the bed of the truck with 1/2" & 3/4" processed. I threw the guy some money and headed down the road. The truck handled the load pretty well, but it didn't like the corners all the much. 20 miles later I got home and looked at the ticket... he gave me well over 3 tons of stone (I think it was 3.6 if I recall correctly) OOOOoooppppppps. The next time I needed more stone I decided to play it safe and told him I only wanted 2 tons... LOL. Both times were a prime examples of stupidity.

So anyway, yeah I'd drive more than 20 miles for good wood!

 

[Rockey]

I definitely think it is worth driving that far for wood. As others have mentioned a trailer makes it more worthwhile but not necessary. I find myself driving about 20 and at times 30 miles to pick up loads I find on craigslist.

 

[Rick1]

I drove many trips the last 3 weekends for Oak that was 35 miles one way, it was worth it for me!

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I was given access to 5 acres of woods its 20 miles away. I went up there twice and got about half a cord of Oak and Walnut.
I was told what ever is dead or down I could take. The wood I'm taking will be for next year. Do you guys think it worth driving
that distance for wood with gas prices so high? I'm still in the greed part of collecting wood and keep telling myself if I don't
take it I may not have enough for next year?

Only you can decide if it's worth it.

I personally wouldn't bother driving that far for 1/2 cord at a time, but I live in a target rich environment. I'd drive 20 miles for a full cord.

 

[vwboomer]

I certainly would. I don't have my own supply of free wood so even if I had to pay some, I'd drive. Depending on the weight, I can put better than a cord in my trailer so it's worth it. With a pickup bed only? probably not.

 

[TreePapa]

My last haul was about 14 miles door to door, green (but bucked) pine and eucalyptus. My Ranger has a cross-bed tool box, so it holds a little less than your S-10. Even so, I know it was overloaded. The wood was very fresh cut and heavy, and I had quite a few 10 to 14" rounds in there. I drove slow and easy on surface streets and always left plent of room to stop. I have an old truck-bed trailer, but the house where the wood was is on a steep hillside street, with a steep driveway, so the trailer was out of the question. If I had to stay within 5 miles of my house, I wouldn't get very much wood. OTOH, I generally won't p/u a heavy load of wood if I have to take a freeway back - there has to be surface route, otherwise, no go.

Peace,
- Sequoia