Transporting Paneling

[GN2018]

Is there a preferred way to transport something like a sheet of plywood in these small beds you get with a crew cab.  I think mine is the shortest, like 5-1/2ft.  Obviously I’ll have to have the tailgate down and a strap to hold it in but I’m wondering if there are any tricks I’m not aware of.  I’m thinking that maybe there’s some way that I can put blocking in the bed so the paneling lays flat on top of wheel wells?  Just wondering - need to help a friend transport some paneling from the store to his house and don’t want to make it any more difficult than it has to be.  Wish I had an old long bed that would hold a full sheet laying flat - the good old days.

[NavyVette]

If I recall correctly, the width between wheel wells is 49 inches, so you should be OK there.

[GN2018]

4 hours ago, oldKarl said:

If I recall correctly, the width between wheel wells is 49 inches, so you should be OK there.

I guess you can tell I don’t use my truck as a truck very often.  Sure enough, I went out and measured. Closer to 50 inches.  Just didn’t occur to me that there was 4ft between the wells.  Thank you!

 

Of course I also measured the distance of the length of the bed with the tail gate down and the step in the multi function tail gate up - thinking that would be 8ft.  Nope - just a couple inches short.  Who designed something like that and doesn’t think of a sheet of plywood fitting?  We’ll see when I get a panel in there - maybe I measured wrong.

[DarkSkyX31]

It will fit between the wheels to lay flat with the tailgate down. Put a ratchet strap around the panels to sandwich them together, then strap from that back to the tie down hooks on both sides so it doesn't move.