My new hauler is here!

[jharkin]

Well, its not the ultimate wood hauler, but Im pretty happy with it Only had to wait two whole months to get one on factory order




The kids approve too




Yes I know Ill only be able to get a face cord or less at a time... But we dont burn all that much. My town dump has a log drop off spot next to the brush pile thats usually full so I should have access to almost unlimited free wood when I want it, just get a little bit each week

If I decide I want to haul more I can always get a trailer.... I made sure to order the full tow package for that.

 

[Z33]

That's my dream truck....When ever I can bring my self to spend 30K on a vehicle which I don't suspect will be anytime soon!

Good luck with it! Take care of it and I bet you will see 300K out of it easily!

 

[bassJAM]

I like the color!

Do you have a tailgate extender? I haul wood with a Frontier which is pretty much the same size. I normally use my trailer but when I can't, having the extra space on the tailgate makes a world of difference!

 

[jharkin]

Thanks guys.... I love it!


I have the Amp research tailgate extender and an access tonneau and bedrug to go in it... probably tomorrow. Saturday we will take the first road trip with the kids down to the Cape for a beach day with their grandma... Maybe drive it out onto Sandy Neck bearch if I dont have to pay $$$$ for a pass.

 

[johnpma]

I thought the truck was a boy toy and the wife and kids were "the hauler" Very nice!!

 

[flyingcow]

Nice pickup, and 1/3 to 1/2 cord or just about the right amount of work for me.

 

[AK13]

Nice pickup, and 1/3 to 1/2 cord or just about the right amount of work for me.

Nice pickup yes. But 1/3 to 1/2 cord?? I don't think so. MAYBE 1/3 with bed extender piled high. My Ranger with 6' bed will hold 1/4 cord basically flat with the bed rails. It would hold a bit more with the bed extender (which I have) but I don't use it because it because its fully loaded with 1/4 cord of green wood.

I love that truck, but I think I'd have to go with the long bed. Did you try driving the long bed? If so did you take the SB because of cost or maneuverability? I just got a 5x10 trailer so I don't HAVE to have the long bed, but I have trouble with the idea of owning a truck with less than 6' of bed.

 

[bassJAM]

I know the question was directed to the OP, but I’ll give my take since I had the option of getting a long bed as well. For one I didn’t like the looks of the long bed, and the other big factor was it hurts gas mileage between 0.5-1 mpg. I came from a Ranger as well with a 6 foot bed, these midsized trucks hold as much with a 5 foot bed as the Ranger did with a 6’. And 98% of the time it’s used commuting back and forth to work hauling air, so I didn’t see the point of getting the extra length. With the tailgate extender, I can haul as much as the springs will take in the bed.

 

[AK13]

With the tailgate extender, I can haul as much as the springs will take in the bed.

That is a good point for wood hauling. I don't use my extender when hauling wood because the springs can't take it anyway! But I like the 6' bed because then with the extender I believe it fits a 4x8 sheet of plywood or sheetrock.

I like the long bed look much better and 0.5-1 mpg won't bother me at all. But the lack of manueverability might. I've heard that the long wheelbase makes them really hard to drive.

For my text hauler I'm trying to decide between a Taco/Frontier crewcab vs. a first gen Tundra double cab (05-06) or maybe a Ford F150 Ext cab.

Sorry for the hijack OP, sharp truck!

 

[hossthehermit]

Purty ...............

 

[jharkin]

to answer all the questions....

No it definitely will not haul a half cord. Wasnt me that said that. At best, with the extender I could probably get a face cord in their tightly stacked. And that would have to be a face of seasoned pine for hte springs to take it. By weight, probably a 1/4 cord of green wood is tops (load rating is about 1200lb including passengers).


Why did I get the short box? Well, reason is that this is going to be my daily driver and I want to garage it. (if I had the luxury of buying it as a 3rd vehicle I would have gone extra cab + long box rather than double cab) For the kids I needed the double cab to fit their car seats and going double plus the long box makes it as long as a Tundra... something like 220+ inches. Too big for the garage and a pain on some of the cramped roads and parking lots around Boston. Gas mileage is a wash.... Tacomas are gas pigs, a V6 F150, Ram or Silverado probably does better. Really if one wants a double cab long bed compact pickup, you are better off all around just getting a fullsize... You get a lot more for your money.

I would have liked the longer bed for hauling lumber but even then a 4x8 sheet of ply would have to sit on the wheel arches and strap down to the top of the bed extender. I can do the same on the short box, it will just hang out a little farther.


Probably 60% of my driving will be commuting, 25% making lumberyard and dump runs and other light hauling like gong to my RC field. Maybe 10% family trips if we decide to take the truck like for camping. Firewood runs might be 5% of its use... and for that I'll just have to take a couple trips each run.

 

[Ashful]

Nice pickup, and 1/3 to 1/2 cord or just about the right amount of work for me.

It's a nice truck, but with regard to the load capacity... are you stoned, or just joking? Gub'ment estimates 1 cord at 85 cu.ft. of solid wood. Now, assuming he's not seasoning his wood three years before hauling it, 1 cord of green oak weighs roughly 5350 lb., putting 1/2 cord right around 2700 lb. The total load capacity (passengers + fuel + load in bed) runs 1200 - 1300 lb. on that truck, depending on exact configuration. Putting a half cord of green hardwood into that truck would pancake it immediately.

 

[begreen]

Jeremy originally said it would hold about a face cord or less. If green oak that is still heavy, but 1783# using those numbers. Might need some Timbrens or air shocks? Or like he said, just get a little at a time from the yard waste pile at the local dump. I have a 1/2 ton Ranger with Timbrens and have hauled a fair amount of green wood with it for short trips <10 miles. I just drive slowly and carefully.

Sharp looking truck jh,hope you have a lot of good rides in it.

 

[Ashful]

Jeremy originally said it would hold about a face cord or less...

Yep. My post was not directed at Jeremy. Sorry for any lack of clarity on that. It should hold about 1/4 cord of green oak. Scale accordingly, by species green density.

 

[hossthehermit]

A cord of wood is a cord of wood. How much is in a "face cord " of 1" long wood???????????
1/48th of a cord ..........
Still a purty truck, will be fun to drive, make as many trips as it takes to haul what ya need ...........

 

[flyingcow]

OK, i'm at my home computer. I thought it was a 6ft bed. My bad. So i'll throw a 1/3 of a cord on there and ride.

Every pickup I've owned I put 10 ply tires on it. partly because i run the woods from time to time and this helps with the sidewall damage. And when I throw a 1/2 a cord or better in the bed, I'm good to go. last pickup was a 1/2 ton dodge 6 1/2 ft bed. usually would put a 3/4 of a cord, that's a stacked cord. As i've found out a tree length cord(5000lbs) and a stacked cord is different weight. As some of you know, I stack all my wood on 3 sided pallets. I can stack 60 to 62 cu/ft on a pallet. This is rock maple/ beech. And it's green. my tractor can lift 2300lbs at the closest point of the FEL. i can easily lift the pallet. I guess where I'm going with this is a cord of wood weighs xxx amount of pounds, thats in tree length form. I think, and i'm close, that my 60/62cu/ft of maple weighs about 1700lbs cut up and stacked on the pallet.

 

[Swedishchef]

#1- I want that truck. I am a big fan of tacomas and tundras. GREAT vehicles. Yup, jealous I am! Congrats on the great purchase!

#2- Smart move on getting the full size cab. Lots of friends of mine had pickups until they had kids and realized you can't get a car seat in a crew cab. The kid's legs need to wrap around the lumbar of the front seats in order to fit. And while the kids are really young and need to be rear facing, forget it.

#3- If you wanted a true 100% use wood hauler, ya would have gotten something else. I find this a great multipourpose truck. Get a dual axle dumping trailer with brakes if you really wanna haul wood (or rent/borrow one....then you'll be able to haul a real cord ) Get this for hauling large loads of lumber easily (broken link removed to http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Tubes-And-Hitch-Carriers/Adjustable-Hitch-Mount-Truck-Bed-Extender/8318156.p)

Great purchase, you're gonna love it.

Andrew

 

[jharkin]

I know it wont haul much guys, and honestly I'm not too concerned. Today it passed its most important hauling test for my needs

 

[begreen]

Deluxe. Is the bed carpeted?

Does Red Bull sponsor you?

 

[Swedishchef]

OMG Awesome. It's my childhood dream come true. As BG mentioned, are you sponsored? I want to get into RC planes...badly!! I guess your truck already served it's greater pourpose.

Andrew

 

[jharkin]

Deluxe. Is the bed carpeted?

Didn't come that way, its a snap in /snap out carpeted bed mat made by Access Tonnau covers. Cost $80.

Does Red Bull sponsor you?

No they dont sponsor model pilots. In fact there have been stories of them chasing after people for royalties using the logo in contests etc without their permission. I just built it with that color scheme since I liked the look, I dont compete or anything.

 

[jharkin]

OMG Awesome. It's my childhood dream come true. As BG mentioned, are you sponsored? I want to get into RC planes...badly!! I guess your truck already served it's greater pourpose.

Andrew

Not sponsored, not good enough to be a contest pilot. I know people who are (sponsored by hobby ocmpanies, not RedBull that is) and they practice daily year round, its a serious commitment.

If you want to get into them, the "old fashioned" way is to find a local model club and pop in. Most of them have volunteer instructors to help you start out -in canada they would be part of the MAAC

Here is another angle for you to drool over. Ive been at this a good 15 years working my way up to the big ones, best to learn on small/simple models first if you want to start.

Believe it or not the plane is over 7 years old.

 

[ironpony]

Jeremy, You know when you posted "my new hauler is here" you were opening a can of worms. I have a Tacoma exactly like that for light loads, daily driving and my Dodge Cummins for the big stuff. Tacoma has over 200,000 trouble free miles on it. Good luck with your new toy. NIce planes, I fly a little 400 heli.

 

[Dix]

I think that's a sharp looking little truck !!

It'll haul enough for your needs and the wood scrounging opportunities that arise. The trailer would be an added bonus for bigger scores, and moving more "stuff"

Congrats, loved the feeling of bringing my first new truck home the first time. Still have it, and still love it !

 

[jharkin]

OK time to put the truck to work!

I made a dump run today to drop a load of brush and yard waste at the town recycling depot and pikcup up a small load from the log pile while I was there.


You can see the pile. Basically you are free to dump and to take whatever you want. Only rules are no commercial dumping (looking at some of this stuff it looks like that may not be enforced well and no cutting on site. Main limitation is the dump is only open Saturday



I had the kids with me and I wanted to test out how the truck rides with a load so I went very light this first time - some green rounds and a few chunks that where relatively dry already and light. Probably not even a half face cord once I cut and split it.



I looked up the load rating, its 1250lb. Figure with me and the kids onboard I'm good for, what, about 950 lb in the bed? I dont have experience with this guys, help me out whats the best way to judge if Im getting close to or overweight? It rode just fine and I took a look at the springs, nowhere near the bump stops. If anything the rear sat maybe an inch lower than empty.