How much wood will a pickup truck hold?

[brider]

I know a chord of wood is 4 x 4 x 8 ft, but will this amount typically fill a standard 8-ft pickup truck bed?

A local guy will sell wood by the load, I just wonder if a full bed will be more or less wood than a chord.

 

[fossil]

Yes, a cord of wood is 128 cubic feet of neatly stacked wood, or 4' x 4' x 8', or 2' x 4' x 16', or however you want to put it. Let's say a pickup bed without fences is 4' x 8' x 2'. That's 64 cubic feet, or 1/2 a cord. BUT (and this is a very big but, safety-wise), a cord of wood, depending on species and moisture content, weighs right around two tons. So, how much wood you can safely carry depends more on the load capacity of the vehicle in terms of weight than in terms of volume. Rick

 

[burntime]

Full size pickup is approx half a cord, small ranger type is a face cord but, as rick states the weight may be the issue. If it is dry I think it is a lot less then 2 ton...I think he is quoting wet???

 

[fossil]

I was using a value of 30#/cu.ft., so a cord of wood is something around 80% of 3840 lbs, or ~3070 lbs. If it's green, it's heavier than that. If it's dense hardwood, it's heavier than that. Here's just one of a zillion links to some information:

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/wood-density-d_40.html

I guess my point is that if the guy shows up in an unmodified half-ton pickup with splits tossed in a heap in the bed, and tries to tell you he's brought you a cord of wood (or even a half cord)...he's full of it, and you should send him away. Rick

 

[Tfin]

Just for general reference....my half ton X-cab with the 6' bed could hold roughly 1/3 cord of wet/cut/unsplit oak. I would load it until the rear spring were level and then say that was good.

I could of held more volume wise, but the weight was at the point I didn't want to over do it.

 

[burntime]

Makes sense Tfin, if it was not oak I bet you would get a half cord in it though...

 

[jabush]

I figure I'm getting a little more than a face cord in my long bed Toyota T-100. With the toolbox the bed is about 6' 6 " long and is 4' between the wheelwells. I also load until the springs are almost flat.

 

[fossil]

Sounds about right, jabush...this is not a very precise science. That would make for about a 1000# load, give or take. (What kinds of dogs are those cuties?) Rick

 

[Carl]

Just for general reference....my half ton X-cab with the 6' bed could hold roughly 1/3 cord of wet/cut/unsplit oak. I would load it until the rear spring were level and then say that was good.

I could of held more volume wise, but the weight was at the point I didn't want to over do it.

Run on empty with the gas tank and you can carry a few more pieces of wood.

 

[fossil]

Run on empty with the gas tank and you can carry a few more pieces of wood.

There ya go! And leave the spare tire & tools at home, and empty all that junk out of the glove box you never need anyway. And those useless floor mats, too. :lol: Rick

 

[jabush]

Generally I have "room" for more wood in the bed, but it depends on the species. I don't like having the truck bogged down so much that it handles poorly. 1000# give or take is just right for haulin!

Oh...Golden Retriever on left & Shepard Beagle on the right...good boys!

joel

Sounds about right, jabush...this is not a very precise science. That would make for about a 1000# load, give or take. (What kinds of dogs are those cuties?) Rick

 

[Carl]

Run on empty with the gas tank and you can carry a few more pieces of wood.

There ya go! And leave the spare tire & tools at home, and empty all that junk out of the glove box you never need anyway. And those useless floor mats, too. :lol: Rick

Now you're cooking with wood Rick.

My small cessna 172 airplane is very weight sensitive so the weight of fuel is calculated when loading it. Running on 20 gallons in the tanks instead of 40 gallons gives an added 120 lbs of baggage or hamberger eaters to carry. Cooler weather will also create more lift than hot humid air.

 

[fossil]

...I don't like having the truck bogged down so much that it handles poorly.

You're a good boy too, Joel. Driving's scary enough even when I can steer and stop. :bug: Rick

 

[fossil]

...My small cessna 172 airplane is very weight sensitive so the weight of fuel is calculated when loading it. Running on 20 gallons in the tanks instead of 40 gallons gives an added 120 lbs of baggage or hamberger eaters to carry. Cooler weather will also create more lift than hot humid air.

I never got my license, but I did solo 150's a number of times. Just don't forget that the airspace in your fuel tanks is one of the three most useless things to an aviator, Carl. And never, ever forget GUMPS! :cheese: Rick

 

[Adk Patroller]

I have a 1990 Chevy 1-ton pickup with racks that make the sides 4' tall. If I stack the back end I can just abut get a full cord thrown in the bed. If'n I stack from front to back I figue I get 1.25 full cord to 1.3 full cord.

Maine law defines a loose thrown cord as: "Fuel wood, when sold loose and not ranked and well stowed, shall be sold by the cubic foot or loose cord, unless other arrangements are made between the buyer and seller. When sold by the loose cord, the wood in any cord shall average either 12 inches, 16 inches, or 24 inches in length. When so sold, the volume of the cord shall be: a cord of wood 12 to 16 inches in length shall mean the amount of wood, bark and air contained in a space of 180 cubic feet; and a cord of wood 24 inches in length shall mean the amount of wood, bark and air contained in a space of 195 cubic feet."

 

[Highbeam]

Are all truck sides 2' tall? I'm pretty sure that mine is not 2 feet. I hauled 7 loads of nice doug fir in my half ton short bed truck. I have some suspension mods for tractor hauling so the rear end will never sag too much but I neatly stacked wood 6-12" above the bedrails each trip. I won't know for sure until I stack it up but I am guessing just over 0.5 cords per truckload. The doug fir was heavy but not green so I could max out on volume.

The ad for that fir was on a "per truckload" basis so I made sure that the "truckload" measurment meant that I could load up as full as possible which was much more than level with the bedrails.

Wood is supposed to be sold by the cord but if a guy has a good price for a "pickup load" at least be sure that the pickup is loaded the way you want it to be so that you know what you're getting.

 

[Carl]

...My small cessna 172 airplane is very weight sensitive so the weight of fuel is calculated when loading it. Running on 20 gallons in the tanks instead of 40 gallons gives an added 120 lbs of baggage or hamberger eaters to carry. Cooler weather will also create more lift than hot humid air.

I never got my license, but I did solo 150's a number of times. Just don't forget that the airspace in your fuel tanks is one of the three most useless things to an aviator, Carl. And never, ever forget GUMPS! :cheese: Rick

You did this in your spare time off the carrier? ROTF

I learned in a 152 but way off subject.

 

[fossil]

Are all truck sides 2' tall?

I'd bet they're not, highbeam, I just tossed that number out as a starting point for some order of magnitude estimates on what hauling wood around is all about. Bed dimensions, side fences, suspension mods, rear axle replacements...there's almost no end to the variables involved in the actual safe load capacity of any specific truck. I just know that a lot of people who never have discussions like this overestimate it. Rick

 

[RedRanger]

Well boys: pickup trucks can be deceiving. hmm. got a cord and a bit yesterday from what appeared to be a PU> it really was a 1 ton tandem with the dump box. It was dumped and I stacked it in a single row and measured and I got approx. 140 cu.ft.

Best of all, the going price hereabouts right now is $180 per cord (csd). and this cost me 150/.. And this is going to become a regular supplier. apparently he lost his customer list because of the 5 month strike last year, so he had to advertise for the first time in 5 years.

Know what though? I will still buy at least 2 cords a year from my longtime suppplier at 180 a cord. and will try and split my needs evenly between the two, even though it is tempting to go with the cheapest. I`m thinking it is kinda like the employment thing-never burn bridges,, takes too damn long to rebuild them.

 

[fossil]

A modified 1-ton dually with a dump box will haul a cord and a half, no problem...that ain't yer father's pickup. One of my trusted wood suppliers can safely bring me a cord and a half in an old modified 3/4-ton, with a dana 60 rear axle, non-stock suspension & brakes, and 4' reinforced expanded metal fences around the bed. His son can bring two cords at a time in his modified dually. These are guys who've learned the hard way by trying to haul more wood out of the forest than the rig could handle, and figured out what sort of equipment they really needed to get the job done. A truck's got to know its limitations. Rick

 

[billb3]

If it's a Tacoma TRD not much !
The springs are already bent backwards.

Trailer.

 

[Carl]

If it's a Tacoma TRD not much !
The springs are already bent backwards.

Trailer.

Don't let that fool you. They are quite capable trucks. I use a tacoma to haul my trailer with and it is rated to tow 5600 lbs. Also have loaded the short 6' bed down with shingles, wood, and other things with no problems. It handles quite nicely loaded.

Put both sides of this sheds old roofing on it and took it to the free dump day for our township.....almost like free wood.
(broken image removed)

 

[Dix]

FYI..always load with the thought of having to STOP if some asshat cuts you off going 50 down the highway then hits the brakes.

You must be able to stop, to much weight, and the load is going to propel you, regardless of your weight limits.

I drive an F250 8' bed, and tow a 2 horse goose neck trailer with a 10' extended dressing room (Long Island Sound ferry measurements are 38' long) in all kinds of traffic.

You have to be able to stop. It is mucho importante !!

 

[billb3]

I have a 2000. V6. 4WD TRD suspension package.
I haven't strained the hitch nor drivetrain yet.

When loading the bed with wood I've been tempted to remove the bilstein's and substitute a few splits.
It took me ten years to wear out the springs in the 88 to look like these.

Keep saying I'm going to put some real load carrying springs in it some day. Now that I have a tractor to go in the woods with that will never happen.
They [trd package] handle speed bumps and pot holes well.


I've filled the bed with fresh cut cherry. Those straining springs are not a pretty sight.
The springs in the trailer are bent the right way.

 

[Carl]

FYI..always load with the thought of having to STOP if some asshat cuts you off going 50 down the highway then hits the brakes.

You must be able to stop, to much weight, and the load is going to propel you, regardless of your weight limits.

I drive an F250 8' bed, and tow a 2 horse goose neck trailer with a 10' extended dressing room (Long Island Sound ferry measurements are 38' long) in all kinds of traffic.

You have to be able to stop. It is mucho importante !!

Good thought but I don't call others names very often. We all make mistakes for one reason or another and I am sure you have made your share to. Once in a while I will lose it calling a name while driving but my wife reminds me the other person is just like me and I realize there was no call for the name calling.

It doesn't matter what you drive as long as you have control of your vehicle. I have never had any problems stopping my Toyota full loaded. The tandom axle trailer I tow has surge brakes on it so when that is behind the truck it is vary capable of sharing the stopping load.