ok here's the deal. I'm going to pic up this chassis on my way to school. i'm in LA, picking the chassis up in Sacramento, then driving to Boulder. This is what i'll be traveling with...
http://members.aol.com/offroadr3535/images/bronco%20on%20trailer%20002.jpg

and this is what i need to load...
http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/d583b5fd/bc/tube+chassis/__hr_chassis2.jpg?bc8jUY9A7OrKCLER

How would you do it? I don't have exact dimensions of the chassis but it is a 4 seater. The trailer deck is 16ft plus a 3ft dovetail. The truck is a short bed F250.

-Steve

Back your Bronco up 6" and then stand the Buggy tube deal on its ass and strap her down. Thats the best way I can figure.;)

Use the slots in your bedliner and lay some 2x4's in there and strap that tube chassis in the bed of the truck :p

you mean put the ass on the trailer and rest the front on the bumper of the bronco? that's an idea i was thinkin about. i was also thinkin about moving the bronco forward and then having the chassis hang off the end of the trailer a little. I know that could potentially present a problem with tongue weight but i have a class V hitch rated for like 1500 lbs tongue weight. oh, also that front bar thing on the trailer is removeable.

keep the suggestions comin.
Thanks,
Steve

Originally posted by DRM
Use the slots in your bedliner and lay some 2x4's in there and strap that tube chassis in the bed of the truck :p

i'm not sure i understand you. can you explain?

-Steve

Originally posted by offroadr35


i'm not sure i understand you. can you explain?

-Steve

Do you have a plastic bedliner? if so, most have slots to lay 2x4's in there to load stuff on. If the tube body will fit, strap that sucker on top of the bed of the tow rig where the load will be positioned like it should be.

In summary - PUT IT IN THE BED OF THE TRUCK! :p

anyone else just seeing a big ol red "x"?

if its just a tube bugy frame.. will it fit in the bed of your truck width wise if you built a 2x4 frame above the cab of your truck so you could put it in diagnolly from the back tailgate to over the roof? Then just tow the bronco like normal.

i don't have a bedliner yet, bought the chassis with my bedliner money. putting it in the bed is obviously the best solution. i never thought about building something so that i can carry it over the bed, that seems like it could be the ticket.

-Steve

Originally posted by offroadr35
you mean put the ass on the trailer and rest the front on the bumper of the bronco?


nonononono.. just stand the chassis straight up and tie it down.

or ... unload the bronco.. load the chasis drive the bronco up on a few of the tubes.... air down to 0 PSI so that the rim centers on the tubes... tie it down.. air back up to about 5 psi thus tightening the straps. This sounds hokey but it works good.. freind of mine runin full-widths on a skinny car-hauler with side rails.. drives it up both sides -airs-down, ties down, airs up a bit... good to go 75-80 mph.:D

i have plenty of ratchet straps so that won't be a problem.

the pic of the chassis works if you right click and then click "show picture"

Originally posted by offroadr35
the pic of the chassis works if you right click and then click "show picture"

no dice... probably a firewall problem on my end.

Didnt work for me either and I have control of the firewall. I'd be willing to bet it works for you cause you've got it cached. Either way I've hauled buggy chassis in my bed

here

Load it in the bed and sinch it down with ratchet straps. Unless its so long it'll hit your trailer

it's def not long enough to hit the trailer. However, it could be too wide to fit in the bed.

-Steve

buy a big contractors rack for it. you know the knid that is all steel and goes to the front of the cab at cab height, and all the way back to the back of the bed. strap it down up there. after one trip you could probably sell the rack and get at least half your money back.

or strap it to the cage on the bronco.

I believe it will fit in the bed if you angle the nose down towards the cab. The rear rails on the chassis angle up, to make room for an axle(once it's under there). Rest those rear rails on the tail-gate, and put a rubber mat btwn it to keep your paint nice. It will hang out the back of the bed a few feet, but who cares? Just tie it down well, and no big deal.

Originally posted by 9V
buy a big contractors rack for it. you know the knid that is all steel and goes to the front of the cab at cab height, and all the way back to the back of the bed. strap it down up there. after one trip you could probably sell the rack and get at least half your money back.

or strap it to the cage on the bronco.

no money to buy stuff other than possibly 2x4s. how much does one of those things cost and where would i buy it? would it install without drilling into my truck? the cage thing might not be a horrible idea although that would be pretty high up. The bronco is already really high as it is.

-Steve

ok.. here's what your gonna do.

Take some 2x4's and several 10,000lb ratchet straps.

U-bolt the 2x4s perpendicular to the length of the chassis. then take the chassis and set it on the bed rails. The 2x4's should help in protecting the bed rails a little, though they'll still get scratched. but... it is just a truck, it was meant to get scratched. :p

then take your ratchet straps and tie it down diagnolly from the bottom of the chasis the opposite side on the bed using the hooks in the floor of the truck and the side by the tail gate so the chassis can't move side side. Then do the same the long way.

You sitll may have to figure a way with a couple 2x4's to run the chassis over the bed, but I bed you could put it on there backwards and let it hang over the back of the truck. Just make sure your bronco is far enough back on the trailer to stay out of the way.

i dont' care about scratches at all. The bed rails have plastic caps on them. The bed itself is unprotected but i'm gonna get a spray in bedliner eventually so i don't care if it gets scratched. Do you think the 2x4s would be necessary structurally or just to prevent scratches. I'd love to be able to just use the stuff i have. I have 1600 miles of driving ahead of me in the next 2 days so i'd like to be able to put as little effort into this as possible.

-Steve

btw, i'm asking so many questions because this is the first pickup i've ever owned, the first trailer i've ever owned, the first chassis i've ever owned, and the first time i've ever tried to haul so much stuff at once.

Thanks a lot for your help everyone, keep the suggestions coming. I'll be sure to take some pics when i finally do get it all together.

-Steve

I was thinking 2x4's cause they are cheap at $2-2.50 each. that chassis only weighs what... 600lbs at most? even at that, I would only think 2-3 2x4's if you can put it on the bed rails of your truck without having to go over your cab. Figure in some 2" exhaust U-bolts to hold the 2x4 to the chassis, a drill bit or two. you could probably crate the thing for under $30 or so. I would definately use HD straps though.

Your trucks CG will be a little higher so corners I would take slower.

I have towed a trailer and had an off-road trailer in the bed of my 1/2 ton and it did fine. its all in making sure the load is tied down TIGHT so it can't shift on you.

I took a lumber rack for my dads truck down to Santa Barbara using the 2x4 and ratchet strap method. Worked great, and I didn't have to haul a trailer around the entire time I was down there.

I only used 2 2x4's across the bed rails, but you could probably use 4, and you'd be fine. And if it falls off you can always drop it off here in Nevada, I'd take good care of it for ya! ;) :D

i don't even think it weighs over 350. he said two guys can lift it easily. I have 4 extra 10k ratchet straps so i should be fine in that department. i don't think it should be a problem, i'm just trying to prepare as much as possible here because 400 miles into a 1600 mile trip is not when i want to be panicking.

-Steve