Truck or van?

[davidtu]

(Umm... a vehicle is a "Tool" right? Anyway, no better forum occured to me, so...)

What do most of you have to transport your wood & sheet goods? Truck or van? What is better? At some point I will buy one or the other, which should I set my sights on?

[BigguyZ]

I have a sedan for all of my lumber and sheet goods.... I guess that's why I don't get sheet goods!



Insteresting question though. I've looked for a super cheap vehicle for projects (landscaping, home improvement, and WWing), and never thought to go with a van...

[drumpriest]

I use a Pontiak Aztek. Best vehicle (versitility wise) I've ever owned, love it. Unfortunately they are not going to be making it any more.

[Hoyden]

I have a 1976 Ford Pu. works for sheet goods, plants and gardening, trips to the Dump, Heavy and tall items. even hauls my golf cart.

that said my brother works his tile business out of a cargo van, the van closes up and locks at night. only thing in its favor I can see.

[LarryG]

I've had both, there are significant pros and cons to each. A pickup with a cab-high camper shell (what I have now) is perhaps the best compromise. The cab has a small enough volume that the heater and a/c don't need two forevers to take hold, and you can be as rough-and-tumble as you want to with the bed of the truck. The camper shell provides weather protection and reasonable security, and if you need to haul something long you can leave the shell door open and extend the long stuff out over the tailgate.

That said, if you don't need either vehicle for any other purpose, like towing a boat or hauling dirt bikes, a small, flatbed utility trailer is the cheapest way to get stuff home from the lumber yard. Just add a hitch to your current vehicle and you're all set.

[DaveStL]

For me, the important thing was to have at least 4' width, and enough length to have a minimal overhang with an 8' sheet. My Ranger with straight sides has just over 4' width, but those with the cool stepside bed don't.

Think about what else you'll want to carry, though. The garden tractor won't fit in the bed w/o dropping the blade deck, because of the truck's narrow wheel wells.

Dave

[mschrank]

Guess it depends on what other uses you want for it. If only for hauling sheet goods & lumber, then a pickup with a ladder rack would be ideal. If you also want to haul bark dust, gravel, garbage...a pickup is ideal.

On the other hand, if you also need a people transporter, or want to haul stuff you need to keep dry (a valid consideration in the PNW) or don't want blowing out, you might lean towards a van. My wife has a new Toyota Sienna mini-van. The back two rows of seats come out/fold down and I can haul full 4x8 sheets in it with the back hatch closed...but she would probably get upset if I used it for a load of compost or manure!

[gmack5]

I have the best of both worlds

I have a Chrysler Mini-Van (Town and Country), with the #2 & #3 seats pulled out, it'll handle a 4 X 8 sheet easily. It has a 3.8 Liter V6 engine.

'Course I also have a 16' X 8' (3500# capacity) Utility Trailer and the Van has a Trailer Hitch on it.

[Russianwolf]

I like a truck. It doesn't have to be new either. I bought my 1970 Jeep Gladiator (full size 4x4 pickup) back in Feb. I paid...... $600. It runs (better than a couple newer cars I've had. and I don't worry about it getting dinged.

I keep a couple tarps behind the seats and lumber can get alittle damp without hurting it for the most part (heck, I think it's maloof that stores his outside, uncovered until the sapwood falls off)

Now if you are looking for a newer minivan that could be a do all, look at the crhyslers with the stow-and-go seats. that way you don't have to wrestle them in and out to get them out of the way.

[WayneJ]

My Ranger pick up is all I ever needed. It has a seven foot bed, a bed box across the front, 4x8s go in under the box and over the wheel wells and rest on top of the tail gate, closed. A tarp will cover anything till I get home.
Wayne

[Hellrazor]

F250 Superduty Supercab 8' bed & a 6.5'x12' Utility trailer. I haul 16' by putting them on top of the trailer gate..

[RayintheUK]

If it's for hauling in the raw materials, a truck may be OK, but for delivering the finished products, nothing beats a van.

Ray.

[TheRic]

I have a Ford Explorer SUV it allows me to move alot of things inside. If it's a little long for inside (about 7', 8' if it rides up to the dashboard) then it hangs out the back, for short distances. For longer trips I hook up the trailer. The bed can handle 4 X 8 laying flat inside.

As someone said before a trailer might be a good choice. If you got the room to store it (I leave mine outside all year round). HF has some cheap trailers of several different sizes. Seems like I remember one that can be setup on end against a wall.

[DaveW]

I have a Chrysler Mini-Van (Town and Country), with the #2 & #3 seats pulled out, it'll handle a 4 X 8 sheet easily. It has a 3.8 Liter V6 engine.

Be careful though - I have the samve minivan (2005), and it appears that with the current generation, 4x8 sheets don't fit. I'm not sure if mine having the "stow-n-go" seating has anything to do with the reduced space. It's an inch or two too narrow.

Don't get me wrong - I love how much stuff can fit in the van (given that all I had before was compact cars).

[Pappy]

I have a Dakota long bed. As far as I know it is the only mid size truck with a full 8' bed. There are also reciever notches on both sides for 2x6's so a full sheet of ply will lay flat.