When moving items in the bed of your pickup truck, it’s important to secure them safely in place.
Items that aren’t secured may slide in the truck bed, becoming damaged. Or, worse, they can fly out of your truck causing dangerous debris on the roads.
Even heavy items should be strapped down, as there is no guarantee their weight will keep them stable in the back of the pickup truck bed.
Watch our helpful video or read the tips below to ensure your items are safely stowed before you hit the open road.
How to Move Large Items with a Pickup Truck
Check the weather
Because pickup trucks have open beds, it is important to check the weather before you schedule your move. A rain shower, while you are on your road, will soak and damage your items.
Covering sensitive items with plastic tarps is not suggested. Tarps can slip and blow backward as you drive down the road. Plus, they don’t protect from water pooling in the truck bed.
Understand your payload capacity
Your pickup truck’s payload capacity is the amount of weight that can be carried in the cabin and truck bed. Anything in your truck, including cargo and passengers, counts toward the total payload.
Most household items, including furniture, will not exceed the maximum payload of a standard pickup truck. Take care with heavy items, including cement pieces, construction supplies, farm supplies, and other large loads that may exceed the limits. Never overload your truck as this can endanger passengers and cause mechanical damage to the vehicle.
Use moving blankets
Protect furniture and other items with padded moving blankets prior to strapping them down. If you don’t have a moving blanket, use an old quilt, comforter, or towels.
It’s important to put this layer of protection on before tying down items, to prevent the straps from scratching or denting the item.
Securely strap your items down
Secure your item in place using high-quality ratchet straps. For large items, use multiple ratchet straps to secure the item in place. Make sure your ratchet straps are securely connected to the bullrings or tie-down anchors in your truck bed.
If you are moving boxes, firewood, or other stacked items, a cargo net may also serve to secure the load.
Do not rely on bungee cords. Bungee cords stretch, allowing the item to move and slide when you are in motion. This could cause damage to the goods you are moving.
Check your tie down
Don’t forget to tug on your straps to ensure the item is secure. Your cargo should not be able to slide or move around. If anything feels insecure, take the time to re-secure it prior to getting on the road.
Additional Resources
If you found this article helpful, please enjoy these additional posts for moving tips and tutorials.
FAQs
Securely strap your items down
How do you put heavy items in a truck bed? ›
Heavier items should go towards the front of the truck bed, closest to the cab, and it's best to aim to have the weight equal from side to side as well. If you load heavy items too far behind the rear axle, there might not be enough weight on the front to maintain full contact with the road.
How to move furniture in a pickup truck? ›
You will need to get some ratchet straps and some cargo nets to fully lock it in. The ratchet straps will hold down objects to the bed of your truck. Make sure you attach two ratchet straps in separate places per object you need to hold down. This will keep it from shifting during transport.
How to transport a large TV in a pickup truck? ›
Keep your TV Moving Box upright at all times, especially when it's loaded onto a truck. This will reduce the likelihood of your TV screen being damaged by the turbulence of the road. Position your TV Moving Box in between two flat, sturdy objects while moving to further limit any jostling during transportation.
How to transport a pickup truck bed? ›
A flatbed trailer is the primary equipment used for transporting a truck bed as a standalone component. It provides a stable and secure platform for the bed during transit. High-quality tie-down straps are essential for securing the truck bed to the flatbed trailer.
Where is the best place to put weight in a truck bed? ›
Are you wondering where to put your weights for your truck bed in the winter to keep your trips from Seward to Omaha safe? The goal is to put more weight on the tires so they have better contact with the road. Therefore, you should focus most of the weight over the rear axle in between the tires.
How do I increase the payload of my truck bed? ›
One of the most obvious determining factors of a truck's payload capacity is the length of its bed. Depending on the size of a truck, it will either have a shorter or longer bed. While you can't necessarily increase the payload capacity of your truck, you can maximize its existing payload by extending the truck bed.
How do you transport a 65 inch TV in a car? ›
Ideally, you should use straps to keep the TV propped up in a vertical position, as that will provide additional support and help protect against sudden turns that could unmount the TV from its position.
How to transport a 98 inch TV? ›
Oversized boxes, big screens, or large cargo
Lay down a moving blanket to protect, create a cushion and prevent damage. Carefully lift the television and place it on the blanket. Keep the television box upright at all times. Place it firmly against the side of the truck bed.
How do you transport a 50 inch TV? ›
Use a double-wall corrugated box since anything else could be punctured easily or damaged in transport. Use packing tape to seal the base of the box, then line the bottom with Styrofoam peanuts or bubble wrap to cushion the TV. Cover the TV.
Invest in a heavy-duty cooler for transporting groceries, with the added benefit of keeping cold foods chilly until you can get them in the fridge. Keep them in your truck bed for small bags or other loose items, too. Consider using a pad lock and chain or a simple bike lock to keep them secure.
How to transport a king size mattress in a pickup truck? ›
Cover It Up
First, cover the mattress with a tarp before loading to protect from damage from flying road debris. Wrap the covered mattress in rope or cord to secure the tarp from billowing or flying off. You might also consider purchasing a mattress bag from a local bedding or mattress store.
How to move a truck bed without a trailer? ›
This is what I did: I put two sturdy sawhorses in the bed of my truck, put a big used tire on top of each sawhorses, and then strapped the new bed upside down and backwards (tailgate towards the cab). Worked well for me.
How can I add weight to my truck bed? ›
Some pickup drivers leave their fifth wheel hitches in the bed during winter, which can add roughly 250 pounds. There are also reusable, water-bladder traction aids for all types of vehicles that range in price from $70-200. Even just keeping a full gas tank can help. A filled 16-gallon tank can add over 100 pounds.
Where do you put heavy items in a truck? ›
Any large or bulky items (like beds, furniture, whitegoods and mattresses) should be placed at the back of the truck first, and then along the walls. This creates an even load and makes the vehicle far more comfortable to drive.
How much weight can I put in truck bed? ›
Subtract your truck's curb weight from its GVWR—that's your payload capacity! For example, if your truck's GVWR is 9,000 lbs and it weighs 5,000 lbs empty, then your payload capacity is 4,000 lbs. You can put 4,000 lbs of people and stuff in your truck.
