Thread: Carrying long lengths of steel on a ute.

I've carried an 8m length once and that was on top of a mitsubushi express van. I had about 1.5m overhang at each end. I wouldn't want to do that oftan. 6m is ok though.
Your best bet is to have a rack attached to the front of the vehicle in addition to your racks front and rear of the tray. If you have a good strong roo bar you can attach a removeable rack to it. I've seen it done using U bolts in the past.

Best method I know of for achieving this is depicted below !!!

If you need more clarification let me know !!!

The boss has got a nudge bar on the front of his ute with mounting points for driving lites. Quite a sturdy ally job, so I bolted a piece of angle to it, welded a RHS upright to it and ran a "T" across the top. Essentially a cut down version of a roof rack. Remove 2 bolts and its gone.

Would not load it up too much, but its fine for lite stuff of 6 mtr length and has stuff all overhang. Set up so the cage on his cab chassis is at the same height.

Dont have a bar on my own ute. Tub job, so not as long as the boss's tray unit. Simply put a single roof rack (sedan type) on the cabin roof. Lines up with the cage and is good for 4 - 5 mtr lengths, depending on rigidity of the load. Crap like PVC pipe --- I just tie off to a length of timber.... ahhh the wonders of duct tape, wouldnt leave home without it.

At least in Vic one can be done for too much overhang at the rear. From memory think its about 1 mtr overhang at the front.

If you are really keen the main roads board in Vic should have something on their web site. Our RTA in NSW has a neat little brochure with pics of vehicle showing loads with ticks and loads with crosses. I sometimes bring home 6mt lenghts of steel or PVC pipe and was tieing it to my 3 X 1.5 trailer and letting the load go over the vehicle. I would bunch up the load and run a rope down to the front bullbar to stop it it flapping around. After reading this little brochure I found it is allowable to have 1.2mts over hang at the back with red flag even if you have a trailer

In SA your allowed 500mm over each end of the vehicle, rear most point must have a signal rag tied to it.

If this is just for occasional use, why don't you tie an extension ladder to the racks to support the metal? The front of the ladder could be tied to the front bumper bar.

This can be quite a curly situation, just because you have seen it doesn't mean it was safe, ideal or even legal (See Strom's attachment). Ultimately it will have to be legal, you will need to consult your local Road Traffic Authority first. Overhang limits do vary but it is from where they are measured from which is important ie is it from the edge of the vehicle when originally manufactured, or from a permanently fixed additional part of the vehicle or from the backaxle (singleaxle), midpoint of twin axles, middle axle of a triaxle. Even what you tie down it with may be important, some traffic officers insist on load rated strapping ie NO ropes. There may also be the time of day you will be allowed to transport the items, this will also determine the type of signal placed on the over hung part.

Thanks for the ideas, I think I may just get away with using a pipe clamp or scaffold clamp and some pipe.

I tow a boat that has a minimum of 2metres beyond the rear of the trailer which is also 2 metres from the axle.

You see the same catamrans all over the world with the same set up.

Onesteel have a 'customer pick up' brochure on there website. It explains just what your allowed to overhang. For a ute it seems to be 1000mm and a flag from the rear bumper and 1200mm out from the front bumper. Vicroads has something on their website too.
Cheers.

I welded up a bar for the front of my hilux, bolted to the chassis below. NSW RTA allows 1200mm at the front and an overhang of 60% of the wheelbase past the rear wheel, which adds up to about 1000mm off the back rack. I've taken 7800mm lengths on the ute but not really legal. Great for 6 to 6.5 metre stuff like reo, trench mesh, PVC pipe, timber etc.

Cheers
Pulse

thanks for the hint strom , wouldnt work here the roads are too narow . cheers

This is a photo of what I did to carry 6m saw mill rails I sort of copied Burnsy but modified. I just lift the front rake out when not needed and leave the larger socket pipes clamped to the bull bar. They have pins at the bottom that go in holes drilled in the bull bar. They are clamped on with 2 long u bolts and exhast clamps across the two.
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f132/t...10/index3.html

In NSW the local steel mob wont let you out of the gate if you don't comply with RTA rules of 200mm overhang on the front and 1200mm at the rear. Evidently they have been fined for loading people with over length loads.
Dave