Has Anyone Made a Pick Up Rack From Wood (1st Choice) or Metal (2nd Choice)

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

I have to make a Pick Up Rack on my 01 Dodge with 6 Ft. Bed.

I need to haul my Pete. 8-27 Mill on the Truck. I'd like the Rack to be made of Wood as my 1st choice. I'd like to be able to remove it in a few minutes when I need to haul something Bigger in Size on the 6 ft. bed.

I have searched the internet but have Not found any plans for something I liked to use for this Pick Up Rack Project.

[LeeB]

Not quite what you are wanting, but it is made of wood.

[terrifictimbersllc]

I made one of oak fitting into stake pockets, steam bent to shape of cab profile, with 1x6's going across.  Seemed like a great idea and looked good but the work to bolt them in the pockets and take them back out, plus the whole thing not being stable to racking was too much it's overhead in the garage now and I have Trac-Racs. 

Is your 827  WPF or ATS?

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

It's a WPF 8-27 with High/ Low option.

I was thinking about the cab corners and what do about them to cut  the air better.

However, I need all the room I can get and it's going to be tall enough to hold my Alu. Cross Bed Box that is 14 in. deep (right above the cab with 3/4 clearance. I plan to taper the nose with some alu. skin I have to close in the front to ramp up to the alu. box at the rear of cab. 

I not 100% committed but thinking about dropping the tail gate and using this portion as well. My bed is only 6 feet and really need a 8 ft. bed to haul the 8-27 with all the gear. I've been working on the design on 1/4" graph paper and it's going to work (at least on paper)

My ideas is to use 1 inch. pipe as pivot point's on the rear to drop the rear end gate of the rack onto the Truck Bed tail gate. When I don't need the rear truck rack gate, I pivot it up & over to lay on the top rail of the wooden truck rack.

Forgot to mention, when I was at Lowe's last week, I was buying (4) of each length) 1 inch. dia. Pipe(s) that were 4" & 5" inches long with twin end caps for each set up. The Lowe's Rep. that was helping me.. asked if I was making a pipe bomb. He was 1/2 serious and I assured him that this was for making a truck rack pivot point, he said.. Ok I believe you. He did not follow me to... check out, Yep... True Story.

Also, I can buy a Steel Rack (like you did) for far less $$$ than what I'll have in this project. However, I won't be able to haul all me gear and the 8-27 without a trailer or tying it on the truck and having it rub against things & scarring things up. I hope the final project turns out decent enough to post picture's, otherwise, I'll keep my mouth shut.

HP

Avery


do

[Brucer]

One of my customers made a rack out of 2x4's. Basically a box-shaped frame with 1x4 diagonals from front to back. He built it so it would fit tightly inside the box -- that prevented any side-to-side racking. Four ratchet straps, one at each corner, to hold the thing securely to the stake pockets. (He cut the excess strap off so no one would try to "borrow" the hold downs for some other purpose).

It looked crude, but it was effective.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Dad made one when I started building with him back in the mid nineties for the old ute we had and was made out of 4x4s and some heavy duty shelf brackets  ;) all my Mates use to joke and rib me about gettn around with a Bed on the back  :D :D :D :D ;) I was only temp for 3 bloody years and we use to be able to lift it of with one of us on each side but that thing could carry some weight  a good size pack of 20' roofing iron or about 300 bft of green pine no worries   ;) :D ;D ;D 8) 8)

I hope this helps Mate

Regards Chris

[terrifictimbersllc]

My steam bent uprights matched the profile of the truck pretty well but the cross pieces were about 2" higher than the cab to keep the canoe off the top.  However they wouldn't allow a WPF frame underneath for sure.  How high is your WPF, assume you have regular frame.  the large frame is 6'2" approx.   Post your drawing would be great.  Take it you don't want to put the rails on top the WPF?

[Magicman]

And when you finish, you can build yourself a front bumper.

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

The WPF with High/ Low option goes in the bed long ways. It wheels in (under 48" wide) on it's transport wheels by using alu. ramps like you'd use to load a garden tractor into a pick up bed.  I'm only 6 feet in my bed so I'm building a truck rack that extends out a little with the tail gate down when the Pete 827 is on board.

I'm going up fairly high too, moving the alu. cross (it's 14" deep) box up over the rear the cab. The 827 alu. rails are No problem to haul on any type rack that can haul ladders. This wood rack... I'm buidling is gong to be fairly big and boxey looking but wll haul the world.... so-to-speak.

Yep, I will do picture's and should be done this coming Friday.

H P     

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

Forgot to Post the WPF Head Saw frame size.

It's 37 inches Wide, 7 Ft. Long and just under 5 Ft. High when Kneeled Down for Transport (at the height of top rail).

Without the add-on to the 6 foot bed, I can't haul the WPF 827.

Avery

[terrifictimbersllc]

So you're also making the wood rack higher than the WPF frame, so you can put the rails on top of the wood instead of on top of the frame?

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Im starting to feel for you Mate  ;) :( I don,t have any dramas with fitting  my Lucas in the back of my little ford falcon ute easy  ;D ;D as when i have done portable jobs where i bring the timber home with me in the 6x10' tandem trailer  i just put the head unit and the winch setts in the back of the ute and load up the trailer with between 1000 and 1200 bft whack the rails on top of the timber strap it down n come home  ;) :D  ;D 8) 8) I have got 2&1/5 pipe bent up to build a nice set of racks for the ute and have done for nearly two bloody years now  ??? : :D :D so i can cart it all around on the ute but Im lazy and just take the mill in the trailer if im doing a portable job  :D :D :D Ill have to pull the finger out and get it done so i can take it all on the ute in one hit  if this job comes up with my old boss soon 160 miles is abit for towing the trailer with bugger all weight in it and ill also save a little on fuel too  ;) :D ;D ;D 8) 8)

Regards Chris

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

Yep... Exactly

Building Rack Higher to Slide WPF 827 Rails on the very top of Roof Rack. Also, heavy built to take a lot of weight up there of Long Sawed Lumber (if needed).

I'm looking to carry the 827 on my home made trailer as well but that's another project that is on next month's or the month after that schedule.

Chris.. You have it.. Easy Down Under with the Easy Portability of that Lucas !   

Avery

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Yep... Exactly

Building Rack Higher to Slide WPF 827 Rails on the very top of Roof Rack. Also, heavy built to take a lot of weight up there of Long Sawed Lumber (if needed).

Avery,

Be VERY careful shifting weight up high like that. As you do you will be affecting the vehicle's center of gravity, moving it higher. This will make the vehicle more unstable and prone to rolling.

Another factor will be the tendency of the lumber loaded on top to act like an airfoil. Back in the 70's I used to haul 8 to 12 16' long 1x12 piled and tied on top of a Subaru sedan. I had to travel about forty miles, much of it by Interstate, to get it home. Things would really start getting touchy once I got up to 50-60 mph...

Be careful!

Herb

[terrifictimbersllc]

Please forgive maybe it's just the pessimist in me coming out.  Is it acceptable to use the top of the WPF for your rails only?   If so......

Pretty sure unless  you come up with something really ingenious, that by the time you get a wood frame that doesn't rack or sway, and will carry a lot of weight to boot, that it will not meet your originally stated goal of being easy to remove.  Stake pocket cross section dimensions are small about 1-3/4 x 3 maybe.  you'll want the stakes bolted in and this is a time consuming arrangement.  Anything that just sets in there will need to be strapped to the tie-downs, and I suppose could be lifted off quickly if you have a tractor with forks or a chain hoist hanging from a tree or beam overhead.  But if you don't have this equipment you'll be taking your frame apart to get it off.  Or maybe think about your wife helping you from a stepladder.     

For almost no work (except to earn about $750, less if you shop Craigslist) you can get Trac-Racs which can be easily slid off the rails (removed) or pushed to the front.  Both of them  pushed to the front with your tailgate down should still accomodate the 827WPF, you can even tie it to the WPF at the top front.  This satisfies your non-milling rack needs and helps out a lot if you also use a trailer.

Agree with the sentiment of not trying to carry much weight overhead.  Most of us probably have felt our trucks getting out of control only once , and are lucky and grateful.

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

It's a little too late to reverse engines for all my different need's for this P U Rack.

I need to extend the hauling area out to 8 foot with the tail gate down. I've looked at a lot of  P U Racks on the interent and they are nice but will not work for all my needs. H. Frt. has a nice Rack for the price $ 23X.XX with coupon & considered... modifying this rack.

Hauling the WPF 827 is one item and Not a Big Deal and using the existing 827 rail system to carry the suppor rails is Ok & work able with me.

Most Important ~ What I did Not Tell You All..... it's (also) Traveling Dog Box for 2 Med. & 1 Big dog(s) with the sides closed in & removable when needed. I need to travel to Penn. this weekend and going 1000 one way.

I'm Not worried about being Top Heavy on the  3/4 ton HD chassis.  If I do load heavy, it will be for a short distance, I will keep the speed down(as needed). Other wise, I'll hook the trailer up (as suggested) and haul a big load and will not be losing a lot of time worrying about tying the load down & coming off along the road.

Also, my Dad built a HD Rack & had it on his 3/4 ton Chevy. We hauled cattle, beams & just about everything under the sun. This rack was not built out of >>  2 x 4's, built with >>  2 x 6's in the corner's and bolted & braced to take a beating (crazy cows) & kept on ticking for years.

Avery

[terrifictimbersllc]

That's what we get lobbing these posts at each other.  maybe need a quarterly pig roast with 4 different locations.   :D :D :D
Sounds like you've got it thought out but hope our comments are helpful, that's all they're intended to be. 
Want to see how this ends up and how you get it on and off easy. 

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

I took All your Advice as Well Intended.

I like to get everyone's input to see if I'm missing something and other ideas too.

I see this HD Rack riding in place as a semi perm. deal. I have other (van & cars) vech's. for other things. The Dodge Pick Up is the Work Truck and 95% commited to work hauling or pulling trailer.

H P

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Avery Everythings Easy its just the way we look at things that makes them hard sometimes Mate  ;) :D :D ;D 8)  I Just need to put more hours on it Mate  :( :( :'( I'll be starting  My Log Home soon so Ill be whacking a fair few hours on the clock with that and be getting my fix  ;) ;D ;D 8) 8)

How heavy is a Peterson  Wpf head unit anyway  ???  ill have to look up how heavy the Lucas is i know they weigh around 300kg/600 odd lbs for the whole mill  ;)

Regards Chris

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

Meadows Miller

Hey There Mate,

The WPF 827 weigh's:

Main Carriage   230 kg   //  507 lb.
2 Tracks          102 kg   //  225 lb.
2 Skids, 3 Uprights & 2 Levelers
                         64 kg  //   141 lb.
___________________________

                       396 kg  //  873 lb. (No Gas, Dry Weight)

Cheer's Mate

Avery

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Thanks Avery  ;) ;D I found the weights for the 10-30 today the 8"s head unit is lighter again too Mate  ;)

10-30 Lucas

Head Unit                 180kg / 396.8 lbs

two 20' cut tracks     61 kg / 134.4 lbs

Winch Frames           81kg  / 178.5 lbs

Sawmill total            322 kg/ 709.9 lbs

Thats a 74kg/163.1 lb difference and a bit bigger than i thought it would be between the two millls Mate  ;)

Regards Chris

[terrifictimbersllc]

Got it from Peterson yesterday that the 507 pounds posted on their web site is for the large frame 8" 30hp wpf (not the small frame 827).
The large frame 1030 WPF is 607 pounds for the carriage unit.

[jbeat]

Not wood but serves me well transporting ATS rails. I welded a used Reese type receiver to the front frame of my truck then purchased two hitch extenders which can be used vertically to clear the cab. Also welded a 2000 lb. winch to a piece of tubing that can be inserted in the front receiver (near battery). That little winch will roll an amazingly large log up planks and onto the  mill bunks. Bought the extenders and winch at Harbor freight. Probably $125. for all and works well. Also quick and easy to set up and remove. Might add I have the extended rails. If you have the standard length this set-up may be too long.