Loadhandler?

[velvetfoot]

I was thinking of getting a Loadhandler, (broken link removed to http://loadhandler.com/lh3000.php) , to increase the utility of my new to me truck.
Any experiences?

 

[Montanalocal]

Yep, I have got one. They are handy IF you do not try to use them for too heavy a load. I use mine for lighter stuff, like compost, hay, leaves etc. They would probably unload a load of firewood chunks too, though I have never used mine for that. If you are attempting to unload a full load of gravel or soil, it aint a gona happen.

You need to have the bed as clean and slick as possible. Mine was rusty so I painted it. If I had to do it over I would get the slippry bed liner they sell as an accessory.

I have to, when hauling compost, flop the tailgate open and shovel or drag as much of the back part of the load out as possible. Then you can pull the front half of the load to the back so you do not have to shovel the front half twice. It will still leave some up front you have to clean out by hand.

I boxed in the area in front of my wheel wells so the load does not get jammed in front of them.

 

[jatoxico]

Friend of mine has one. Does exactly what they say it does. I know they list it but wood might be tough on the material though if that's what you're thinking.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

My brother had one and tried to unload a bunch of gravel. He said it crunched his tailgate/hinges. Be careful how much weight you put on it.
I could never get away with it because 8,000 lbs on a tarp is not going very far.

 

[MaintenanceMan]

I've got the Harbor Freight version and have yet to use it. Guess I should take the time to get it out of the box and attached to the truck...

 

[Isaac Carlson]

Let me know how or if it works. I have heard both ways and it seems it depends on the use.

 

[Montanalocal]

It just so happens I am currently using my Loadhandler to bring in a load of compost to my garden. I have 3 yards on that weigh a little over one ton. The pictures show the sequence from unloading from the back to dragging the front out.

 

[velvetfoot]

Nice. Those boards over the wheel wells really help.
Is the compost left in front on the last picture because it was a high pile? Is there a way to get around that? I read a tip on the web: something about folding the fabric on itself, but I didn't understand fully.

 

[Corey]

I have one and for a $50 piece of fabric, it works relatively well. I've unloaded thousands of pounds of dirt, gravel, sand, mulch, etc. Some caveats apply:

1) It works best with a slick bed...paint is OK, a plastic bed liner is better. Rhino-liner or similar will likely be way to 'gritty' and would cause the fabric to get locked in place when a load is put on it.

2) Likewise, use it on a clean bed and be sure to mop up the prior load. I once put the fabric out over the remnants of a prior load of dirt, then got a new load on top. This locked the fabric in place and not only that, I did not have a nice smooth plastic liner to slide the shovel across to unload the new stuff. Made quite a hassle.

3) I usually unroll the liner, drape it through the truck bed, up the front and tuck a foot or so down between the cab/bed gap. The extra fabric in front helps grab the 'spills' and helps get more of the load out.

4) The wheel wells are some issue. You can either build the fancy wood planks as seen above or just deal with the spillage around the wheel wells. Either work as long as you're dealing with a load which won't 'lock in' around the wheel wells. I've been hesitant to try the load handler with things like firewood as I feel it would 'lock in' and I wouldn't be able to move the load handler. I suppose if you stacked the wood with the rounds pointing 'east-west' and were careful to avoid the wheel wells, it might work, but I've never been willing to give up that much bed capacity for an 'easy' load.

 

[Montanalocal]

Yea, you have to really clean and wash off both the bed and the fabric between each load to lessen the grit. The more extra fabric you extend up the back of the bed, the more of the leftovers in the front you can drag, which I did not do in this instance.

 

[velvetfoot]

I have a fairly grippy sprayed on bedliner (Bullet).
To make it slippery, rather than buy their reversible mat, I figure I could put down a piece of 5 mil plastic. Use once, throw away.
What do you think?

 

[jatoxico]

*edit* sorry Velvet posted in wrong thread

 

[velvetfoot]

I doubt it, but Harbor Freight sells a knockoff for less than 50 bucks.