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Hey guys...Well, Over the last few weeks, I've built a few different things, and managed to sell them and turn a profit. And, feeling pretty proud of my 17 year old self, I decided to make a few more, all at once, and buy all my steel at once, which I've never done before. I figure that I'm going to need 100 feet of angle, and a few other things, and now I just have to figure out how to get them all home. I can always rent a trailer, but if possible, I want to just use the truck. How far out the back can you safely dangle this stuff?? Ive never done it with metal, just bought 30-40~ pounds at a time and put the 10-12 foot sections off the back of the closed tailgate, but i dont want to do that with this much metal. And, with that amount of steel hanging out the back, how do you hold it down?? What arrangement of straps, and where do they go?? I guess its kind of like what people do with lumber. Thanks for the advice.[Account Abandoned 8/8/16 Please Do Not Attempt Contact Or Expect A Reply]. See you on YouTube! -ChuckE2009
Reply:In California  if it sticks out 4 feet it must have a red flag attached.With steel if it flops around it could bend or get twisted.IMPORTANT.... If a piece of steel falls off the truck and kills a motorcyclist, or causesa car crash you will be liable for all the damage.Be extra careful.AWS certified welding inspectorAWS certified welder
Reply:When you're at the steel supply, pick up enough steel to build a lumber / steel rack for your pickup.Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:HiI know most steel suppliers will deliver if the purchase is large enough.With todays prices on steel a few lengths may get you there.Here a 20 ft lenght of 1/4" X 2" X 2" angle is about 30 to 40 bucks.have funTom
Reply:ask about delivery, my local place ships up to 25 miles for free.  you just need to order $250.00 worthBuy American, or don't whine when you end up on the bread line.
Reply:The best solution is to have them deliver it.  Depending on where you're getting steel, and how much you're buying, it'll probably be cheap or free.  If it isn't, call around and get bids from a few different yards.There are pretty clear rules about overhang from a truck -- but they might vary by state.  I know with my Jeep, it was all right to have a load ahead of the vehicle so long as it didn't 'extend more than three feet beyond the foremost part of the front bumper.' For the rear, the code said that the load could not extend to the rear beyond the last point of support for a greater distance than that equal to two-thirds of the length of the vehicle's wheelbase.My short Jeep was able to legally carry 20' lengths, with this rack:Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:For years I've been meaning to build a removable rack for my truck, and for years, I have still put it off, so I'm still running old school.Most of my aluminum comes in 21' and 25' sections.  I have a handtruck that has a cross bar, which, when standing in the bed, is the same height as the cab.  I just put a pad on the cab (short cab, long bed pickup), and then put the material on this pad, and the cross bar.  A strap at the back of the bed, pulling slightly aft, and a strap in the front stake pockets, pulling slightly forward is all I need for the stiffer stuff (tube).  Run a wrap of the aft strap around the cross bar, and it locks everything together nicely.  If something is kinda floppy, I'll run a third down to one of the recovery hooks on the front, or if it is real floppy (25' of .75 aluminum angle, for instance), I'll grab a piece of something stiffer from the house, and carry it w/ me.  I've got a 4' ladder that has worked well in the past, and when I'm getting sheet goods as well, I have a 2+ foot sawhorse, that usually sits on top the palletized sheets (2 pallets, and all the associated cribbing usually puts me even with the top of the bed rails).Who is John Galt?
Reply:Another one for delivery if it works for you. I have access to a truck with a large overhead rack (still working on one for my current truck to fit the new body). I do have a rack that will fit in the rear reciever that will let me carry 14-16' lengths in the 11' bed. I have a set of lights that attaches to the trailer plug and my rear rack for safety as well as using a red flag.As far as tie downs, I usually try to use a ratchet straps front and back minimum as well as one on the hitch rack. I never use bungee cords for strapping. Around here you need a flag if the material extends more than 3' from the rear of the vehicle. They measure that from the tailgate if its down. The tail gate will get you easily 10' lengths with no issues, 12' with say 2' extending. If I am carrying flexable lengths even on the overhead rack, I like to use a stiff 2x under the material for support. I'll go around the material and the 2x once with the ratchet so it tightens the whole load up as well as securres it. I use duct tape as an additional measure to help keek small loads in one bundle. (It's not "structural" but works well with 10 or 12 wraps in 3 or 4 places, to just keep them all together for easy handling) In the pickup sometimes I'll need to toss a pallet or two across the load near the cab and then I'll strap that down. It adds a larger area to keep things from tipping out, as well as raising up the level of the strap to add more down pressure. The front wall keeps it from going forward so all I really need to do is put pressure down in the front to keep it in place. Attached Images.No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Another alternative to strapping your load on top would be to carry it under your vehicle, hung from the front and rear bumpers.  This works better if you have exposed bumpers, high ground clearance, light loads, short trips and slow speeds.You can't beat delivery for safety and service.I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:Originally Posted by nadogailAnother alternative to strapping your load on top would be to carry it under your vehicle, hung from the front and rear bumpers.  This works better if you have exposed bumpers, high ground clearance, light loads, short trips and slow speeds.You can't beat delivery for safety and service.