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How far past the bed of a pickup can a machine extend?

Spud

Diamond
Joined
Jan 12, 2006
Location
Brookfield, Wisconsin
My truck is a 2500HD Silverado, with the 6' 6" bed. I might need to transport steel square tubing that might be around 9 or 10 feet long and cross-section of around 3" x 5". I can close the tailgate. With tailgate down the truck bed is around 7' 6".


My question is how many feet past a closed tailgate is allowed? Is there a federal rule governing length of equipment past tailgate?

I have transported trees that extend 2-3 feet past the top of a close tailgate, with the required red cloth tied to the end.
 
I don't know if there is even an official rule (I'm in Canada anyway) but over the years I've hauled lots
of stuff that hung past the end of a lowered tailgate be three or four feet and never had any issues.
Just make sure your stuff is tied in good and has a nice visible flag on it and seriously doubt you'll
have any issues.

If in doubt contact your state highways department and get a definitive answer. Local police could
probably help, too...
 
I've hauled a pair of 60 foot long W14x48 beams on a 20 foot trailer behind a 93 Dodge 3/4 ton 2wd. Nobody seemed to mind.

I know the drivers that haul the power poles for the local pole mill regularly have 40' hanging out past the last bunk.
 
I have a similar truck and have no problem hauling 10 foot sticks as long as they are strong enough to not sag. I've also hauled 12 foot vinyl siding but had to have a couple of 2x10 planks under it to keep it from sagging and falling out.

Several years ago I made a support that goes in my trailer hitch and supports things about 10 feet from the front of the box. I made a T-Bar that slides into the vertical in the back and also made a couple of other ones with plates on them for a pipe vise and a regular bench vise. Wish I had built it 30 years earlier.

And I've always heard that anything that sticks out over 4 feet from the back bumper needs a red or orange flag on it so I keep them in my tie down kit. Never been pulled over for hauling anything.
 
I have a similar truck and have no problem hauling 10 foot sticks as long as they are strong enough to not sag. I've also hauled 12 foot vinyl siding but had to have a couple of 2x10 planks under it to keep it from sagging and falling out.

Several years ago I made a support that goes in my trailer hitch and supports things about 10 feet from the front of the box. I made a T-Bar that slides into the vertical in the back and also made a couple of other ones with plates on them for a pipe vise and a regular bench vise. Wish I had built it 30 years earlier.

And I've always heard that anything that sticks out over 4 feet from the back bumper needs a red or orange flag on it so I keep them in my tie down kit. Never been pulled over for hauling anything.

Why would anyone buy a truck without an 8' bed? I have a lift gate on mine witch gives you a 9' floor and I wish it was longer.
 
Spud? Your first-ever truck?

Among other tricks of the trade is to use diagonals.

- corner of bed, low, front corner to corner OVER tailgate, high, opposite corner.

- tailgate, low, over support bar at front to clear the roof. Diagonals as well.

My handymen friends all have racks for their ladders, pipe, roofers's "planks" and such.

It just isn't that hard.

A "soccer Mom" MOPAR "Caravan" has EIGHT feet by 50" with the tailgate SHUT, take TWO 48" square pallets. Those can handle ten foot stock between seats and into the lower console ... or 12 foot driver's side rear diagonally out passenger side window, front.

Cheap rubbery doormats from the poor-lady store protect the vehicle.

If that's too hard?

Take-on an hourly rental pickup from Big Box. Those have saner EIGHT foot beds instead of krew or Whore-house cabins. Ten foot stock is no big deal.


Yes it's my first truck, but rented Enterprise half and 3/4 ton HD dozens of times before I got this truck 4 years ago. And rented Enterprise F550 stakebeds a few times after getting this truck.

I do lay long stuff diagonally but can not in this instance because a machine will get in the way. So lengthwise is the only option. I don't have those overhead racks that secure to the pockets on the top of the bedsides, that folks use to transport ladders and other long stuff

Why would anyone buy a truck without an 8' bed? I have a lift gate on mine witch gives you a 9' floor and I wish it was longer.

I went for the shortbed (6, 6") bed for the turning circle and parking issues.
 
I have a similar truck and have no problem hauling 10 foot sticks as long as they are strong enough to not sag. I've also hauled 12 foot vinyl siding but had to have a couple of 2x10 planks under it to keep it from sagging and falling out.

Several years ago I made a support that goes in my trailer hitch and supports things about 10 feet from the front of the box. I made a T-Bar that slides into the vertical in the back and also made a couple of other ones with plates on them for a pipe vise and a regular bench vise. Wish I had built it 30 years earlier.

And I've always heard that anything that sticks out over 4 feet from the back bumper needs a red or orange flag on it so I keep them in my tie down kit. Never been pulled over for hauling anything.


When you moved that stuff, was it with tailgate down or up?

This part won't sag, too much cross-section material of adequate thickness for that. I am guessing it is better to haul such an item with the tailgate up, so that the bar is tilted up, which decreases the danger of it poking a vehicle if it rear ends me?
 
Why would anyone buy a truck without an 8' bed? I have a lift gate on mine witch gives you a 9' floor and I wish it was longer.

One reason is that if it also has a quad cab it won't fit in my garage. I have a car hauler for the times when I really need to haul a lot of something long like lumber.

There's also the issue of parking a longer truck. My brother has the same Duramax that I have only with a long box and I'm not inclined to switch. But they also tow a conventional travel trailer and have a cap on the truck so the long bed comes in handy for them.
 
One reason is that if it also has a quad cab it won't fit in my garage. I have a car hauler for the times when I really need to haul a lot of something long like lumber.

There's also the issue of parking a longer truck. My brother has the same Duramax that I have only with a long box and I'm not inclined to switch. But they also tow a conventional travel trailer and have a cap on the truck so the long bed comes in handy for them.

I only would buy a standard cab, I have a truck for hauling things, not the kids.
 
I haven't had a current medical for the pilot's license in ages, EITHER, and never was qualified to left-seat an airliner.

So I buy a ticket. Or rent up to 26-foot-box Penske cornbinder Diesels.

What have you missed or forgotten you could still do?



Same reason I shed the Town & Country Touring... for a short-wheelbase Range Rover Sport HSI Deluxe.... that my five-foot-nothing wife can see well out of, park more easily than the long wheelbase XJ8-"L", and lower to the ground at the touch of a switch.. to get in and out of!

If I had ten foot steel that I couldn't just order "delivered"?
I would go rent whatever I needed.

You are making a problem out of a solution.

Closest you will ever get to a "universal" vehicle is the bare soles of your own FEET.

Start there.
Add whatever the specific TASKING requires.

Can't OWN "everything" .....even if you were Jay Leno!

Now.. another thing.. Google would have directed you immediately to Wisconsin DMV "FAQ" for your question:

Three-foot overhang on front of vehicle: four-foot overhang on back. If longer, you need a red flag (12-inch square).


But WTH. "It's our spud" .. so we'll keep draggin' you along so when the time comes for your gender-reassignment surgery, we get first dibs on the scary photos! Or at least vote as to which direction?

Had no plans for gender re-assignment surgery?

Well, then stop f**king with your brethren and use google, lest they arrange one as a surprise for your birthday!

You know PM. For damned sure we would be unable to agree.

That could give new meaning to "Leatherman Tool"

:D


I am not concrend about Wis , this trip will be out to Cali, so was wondering on how highway patrol in the other states view such transport. Can't order this, as it is not really tubing but a machine part that looks like tubing, closest I can come to describing it is that it is a rectangular and cylindrical rail for a sliding table.
 
I am not concrend about Wis , this trip will be out to Cali, so was wondering on how the other states' laws.
The vehicle codes are all on line, maybe cheaper than a ticket. As I remember, in California over four feet needs a red flag ? Six feet is max overhang ?

Look it up. That's safer than listening to a bunch of old buzzards tell you why you should have bought a different truck.
 
I only would buy a standard cab, I have a truck for hauling things, not the kids.

I was the same way 30 years ago but moved on. I'm surprised that you can even buy a regular cab long bet pickup anymore. The last one that I saw new was one that a friend bought about 20 years ago and he had to special order it as there weren't any on the lot. Very few people buy them.

I also use our truck to tow a 7 ton fifth wheel.
 
I only would buy a standard cab, I have a truck for hauling things, not the kids.

At 6'8" with a Ram quad cab, seat brackets moved back on the floor 2 inches and I barely cad contort my right leg enough to work the throttle. No std cab trucks in my world

Before we moved from California to Idaho I checked in with all the law enforcement folks before moving, they all told me the same thing, that if I was moving my own stuff and it looked relatively secure they wouldn't bother me, In the case of your load there is a ratio based on wheelbase but I would just haul it with the gate down with red flags and I would use a set or those tail lights you can stick to your load with magnets and plug into your trailer light plug.
 
I was the same way 30 years ago but moved on. I'm surprised that you can even buy a regular cab long bet pickup anymore. The last one that I saw new was one that a friend bought about 20 years ago and he had to special order it as there weren't any on the lot. Very few people buy them.

I also use our truck to tow a 7 ton fifth wheel.

They still sell a few. My dad and brother both have one and I just ordered a new reg. cab F250 this spring.
 
I recently bought a 2000 F-350 4x4 just for the $6000 flatbed it had on it. I put a regular pickup bed on it, did some major repairs to the V10 engine and sold it for $6500 within a couple days time.

Right now work trucks- Anything that can tow 10K+ everyday and not breakdown is worth top dollar and single cab pickups are preferred for much of that use.

I prefer a single cab pickup myself, but my crewcab Superduty does most everything except turn tight.
 
IF "ten feet" is your actual.
IF six-foot, six-inch bed is actual.
IF it has to be flat to the deck and aligned on long axis, not up angle, no diagonal?

THEN ..you still have UNDER four-feet of stick-out.

Flag it anyway.

Check the route for each State - on google, not PM.

Fair certain you are 50-state legal.

Or drop a rented car dolly, no car, on the trailer hitch?

:)


Not as if you were the first person as ever had the need, is it?


It can lay angled up , so that one end is resting on top of the tailgate. It just has to be lengthwise (parallel to the long side of the bed). I prefer angled up, so that I can close the tailgate. I would ofcourse flag it.
 
I recently bought a 2000 F-350 4x4 just for the $6000 flatbed it had on it. I put a regular pickup bed on it, did some major repairs to the V10 engine and sold it for $6500 within a couple days time.

Right now work trucks- Anything that can tow 10K+ everyday and not breakdown is worth top dollar and single cab pickups are preferred for much of that use.

I prefer a single cab pickup myself, but my crewcab Superduty does most everything except turn tight.


I needed the crewcab because this is my only vehicle, so I drive family in it too. I would want a crewcab even if I didn't need to drive anyone because on long drives, when I pull into rest-stops, I recline the seat all the way and take a nap. Can't do that with a single cab, and no internal storage space with a single cab. Some things I just don't like storing in the bed.
 








 
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