How do you secure things in a truck bed?

The last thing any of us want to do is be featured on a Youtube video because the cargo we were hauling caught some wind and flew out on the highway. But these things do happen (just ask Youtube) and if it happens to you, the best-case scenario is being called a variety of names by a bunch of strangers on the Internet. It would be far worse if the mistake caused harm to others. 

So it’s no question that when we’re hauling stuff around, the safety concerns for securing loads in pickup trucks should be foremost on our minds.  So how do you secure things in a truck bed?

First, know the rules

Before you even begin loading pickup trucks, make sure that whatever-it-is, it isn’t too heavy, too big, too long, or too dangerous for the roads. 

• Check the truck owner’s manual and/or the sticker on the inside of the door for loading restrictions. 
• Look up the state and national traffic laws. Hazardous cargo, like compressed gas containers or some chemicals may be prohibited to be hauled without special licensing or practices followed.
  For bulky cargo that extends beyond the footprint of your truck, there are laws governing how far they can stick out in the front, back and sides.  For instance, if you want to know, how far can lumber hang out of a truck, the answer is usually only 3-4 ft from the front or back of the truck, 6 inches or less on the sides. You may be able to mark an oversized load with a red flag or sign, but in this case, asking permission first would be better than asking forgiveness later.

How to secure cargo in a pickup truck

Presuming that you know that you can haul it, back to the business of making sure it’s secured. 

Take inventory of your truck and accessories

Depending on your truck, you should have cleats or tie downs installed in the box or along the top rails. If you don’t have anything to attach straps, you should get them – there are plenty of options.  Without them, it will be impossible to safely haul anything in your truck unless the box is enclosed by a tonneau cover or topper. While you’re at it, if you don’t already have one, you might want to buy yourself a bed extender. It’s a really great way to make more usable space in the bed.

Use Ratchet Straps

Possibly the most important rule of safely transporting cargo in your pickup is to use adequate tie-downs. This means securing your load with heavy-duty ratchet straps. Bungee cords work fine if you’re just keeping a couple lightweight loose items from moving around, but are not adequate for a load of any significance. Your loads should be secured in preparation for quick stops, swerving or even an accident. Furthermore, store your ratchet straps in your cab or a weather-sealed box to keep them in good condition and ready for use.

Keep your load organized inside the box

If you have a combination of different shaped and sized items, such as sheet lumber and long boards, put the flattest stuff in first, followed by the longer stuff on top of it, and lastly the small stuff. But keep in mind the small stuff may be better off in the cab. We’re assuming that whatever is on the bottom won’t be damaged by the weight of the stuff on top, if it would, you may have to haul them separately. If everything fits within the box with the tailgate closed, you need only tie down anything that’s light enough or shaped in a way to get caught by the wind. Sandbags or weights will also help keep lighter objects from sailing away, but only if they stay put.

Keep your long boards snug

But what about how to haul long lumber in a pickup bed that’s shorter than the lumber? Most of us have found ourselves hauling wood in our pick-up at some point. Hauling lumber on truck beds is tricky if it doesn’t fit inside of the bed. Here are some suggestions we’ve seen and tried on how to tie down lumber in a pickup truck.

• Group up the boards – loose boards tend to get themselves into trouble by vibrating or bouncing around as you’re going down the road. Solve this by taping or shrink-wrapping them together. Shrink wrap is easier to remove later after you unload.
• Leave the tailgate up, or put the tailgate down – if the bundle of boards isn’t too big or heavy, it may be more secure to put one end down in the front of the box and the other end up on the closed tailgate. Bigger, heavier bundles should lay flat on the bed with the tailgate open to prevent damage to the tailgate.
• Keep as much weight toward the front of the bed as possible – this keeps the load closer to the center of gravity of the truck, where the truck and the load will be most stable.
• Use plenty of strong tie-downs, and make sure they’re tight – it might take you a few minutes longer to throw on an extra, seemingly unnecessary strap on the load, but it’s an ounce of prevention you shouldn’t skip. The load will typically remain secure as long as it is not allowed to move around.
• Make sure there is at least one tiedown that directly prevents the load from sliding backwards – it may be a little trickier to loop it over the end, but it’s a more direct safeguard than cinching the bundle of boards from the sides.
• Use plastic wrap to wrap loose boards together and prevent them from wiggling loose during transport.
• If your tailgate has a step handle, it is a great feature to use when hauling sheet goods that are wide. The handle will prevent them from moving backwards, but the sheets should still be ratcheted down at several points.

Secure All Loads

Even the lightest load can cause an accident. Don’t be casual about small loads and neglect to properly secure them.

If you’re going to be hauling items that are loose and could blow away while driving, make sure to use a cargo net or close your tonneau cover or truck topper. Loose items flying out of the back of a pickup present a significant risk to others driving along the highway and causes hundreds of accidents each year.

Final thoughts: take it easy on the road

At the end of the day, no matter how well you know how to secure the cargo in your truck, don’t forget what’s back there.  It’s easy to slip into autopilot and drive the truck as if it were empty. High speeds, fast stops, and bumpy rides could unsettle things. If you see something moving or hear something suspicious, pull over and check it out. You may get one chance to fix it before it takes off on you, so it’s worth your time make sure – the people on the road behind you will appreciate it.