Mounting Wheel Chock To Truck Bed?
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,279
Likes: 12
From: Goodyear, AZ.
Mounting Wheel Chock To Truck Bed?
As posted in an earlier thread, I'm moving across country {TN. to AZ.), and am hauling my scoot in the back of my truck. This is a picture of the wheel chock and straps I purchased to help in my safe haul. This might be a little preliminary, as I don't have their instructions on install yet, but should I mount the chock flush with the front of my truck bed? My front tire is a 21" 140/70 , and I'm curious if the tire will protrude further than the front retaining bar? I'm guessing I'm going to have to mock up the tire in the chock on the ground before mounting? Also; the chock does not come with hardware. What should be the proper hardware setup for mounting this chock to my pickup bed (bolts, washers, etc.)? Sorry about all of the questions, and thanks for any and all help!!
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville FL
Bike on the MOVE!
What kind of truck are you putting your scoot in? Does it have a tool box in the bed? And finally does it have cargo hooks in the corners of the bed?
Without a toolbox, and with cargo hooks in the bed I've rolled from upstate NY to Miami with an FXST in the bed. The wheel chock idea is great although I didn't use it. I used Hawg Halter tie downs from the tripple trees to the front cargo loops on the bed (compressing the lower shocks, and then a single 10K lb cargo strap over the seat on the rear cargo loops. Make sure you put a piece of plywood or other shoring under the rear wheel or you'll possibly bend the tailgate- ask me how I know
If you go this route- even if you don't, make sure after the first 20 minutes or driving, re-check your straps (someone said at every fill-up, good idea) and I duck tape down all my loose strap tails.
I'd post some pics but I'm in Afghanistan. Good luck with the move!
Without a toolbox, and with cargo hooks in the bed I've rolled from upstate NY to Miami with an FXST in the bed. The wheel chock idea is great although I didn't use it. I used Hawg Halter tie downs from the tripple trees to the front cargo loops on the bed (compressing the lower shocks, and then a single 10K lb cargo strap over the seat on the rear cargo loops. Make sure you put a piece of plywood or other shoring under the rear wheel or you'll possibly bend the tailgate- ask me how I know
If you go this route- even if you don't, make sure after the first 20 minutes or driving, re-check your straps (someone said at every fill-up, good idea) and I duck tape down all my loose strap tails.
I'd post some pics but I'm in Afghanistan. Good luck with the move!
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,279
Likes: 12
From: Goodyear, AZ.
Yeah. Sorry. You assumed correctly. It's a GMC Sierra 1500 crew cab standard bed with no toolbox, and has strapping eyelets. What should I use under the rear wheel in regards to distributing weight do it doesn't bend my tailgate?
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 583
Likes: 4
From: Pittsburgh PA
I mounted my wheel chocks to peice of 3/4" exterior plywood ( reinforceing the bolts with steel plate) the plywood was measured to fit in Front of the wheel wells. This way you are not drilling your bed and can remove the chock and store it for the next time.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,279
Likes: 12
From: Goodyear, AZ.
Excellent idea!! Thanks!!
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville FL
I'm deffinitely going to use that detachable wheel chalk method.
As for the rear wheel shoring, I used a 2X8 about 3 feet long that I covered the seem between truck bed and tailgate and the rear wheel sat on top of it.
Also, depending on who you talk to, kick stand up or kickstand down for the trip. I went with the kickstand down and make sure you put a piece of plywood under it aswell (before you tighten it down).
As for the rear wheel shoring, I used a 2X8 about 3 feet long that I covered the seem between truck bed and tailgate and the rear wheel sat on top of it.
Also, depending on who you talk to, kick stand up or kickstand down for the trip. I went with the kickstand down and make sure you put a piece of plywood under it aswell (before you tighten it down).
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 264
Likes: 2
From: Parker, CO
Mounting the wheel chock to a piece of plywood cut to fit the area in front of the wheel wells is an excellent idea. The straps will hold the whole thing down to the bed of the truck.
Just another idea that you might want to consider. Go to Home Depot and buy some heavy semi truck style tie down straps for the front of the bike. This is no time to get cheap! I bought heavy straps, 2.5" wide x 1/8" thick, five years ago and I have never regretted spending the money. I have hauled with these straps 60+ short trips and 5+ long trips. By long I mean from Denver to Phoenix and back. Be sure to also use HD soft-straps around your frame tie down locations. The heavy tie down straps are not all that expensive.
I have broken some of the cheap 1" tie down straps and I will only use them on the rear of the bikes from now on.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Just another idea that you might want to consider. Go to Home Depot and buy some heavy semi truck style tie down straps for the front of the bike. This is no time to get cheap! I bought heavy straps, 2.5" wide x 1/8" thick, five years ago and I have never regretted spending the money. I have hauled with these straps 60+ short trips and 5+ long trips. By long I mean from Denver to Phoenix and back. Be sure to also use HD soft-straps around your frame tie down locations. The heavy tie down straps are not all that expensive.
I have broken some of the cheap 1" tie down straps and I will only use them on the rear of the bikes from now on.
Just my 2 cents worth.
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 347
Likes: 2
As someone already said, go with the 3/4" plywood. I am taking my bike down to Mississippi with me in May and planning on putting it in the bed of my truck (no, riding is not an option). I only have one of those stupid 5'8" beds in my GMC Sierra, so the entire rear wheel will be on the tailgate. I bent the tailgate of my old truck when I picked up my wife's Dyna and that was a short trip. I plan to bolt a chock to the front against the front of the bed, plus put 2 pieces of 2x4 in the back to create a track for the rear wheel so it cant slide. I am also going to put something under the frame this way when I compress the front forks it just drops to the frame and sits there rigid.
I am one of those people that when I tie something down in the bed of my truck I can roll the truck over and it still wouldn't fall out. I dont want to be held responsible for a 750 lb bike getting thrown from my truck in an accident and killing somebody in another vehicle.
I am one of those people that when I tie something down in the bed of my truck I can roll the truck over and it still wouldn't fall out. I dont want to be held responsible for a 750 lb bike getting thrown from my truck in an accident and killing somebody in another vehicle.
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Road Master
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 827
Likes: 1
From: Covington, Ga.
Do the 3/4" plywood bit -- Absolutely..Homerun idea.
You could lay an old floormat under the board to prevent the chock hardware from gouging the truck bed all the way across country too.... unless the bed is already ugly.....
But instead of all the cutting and hacking, just get a full 4' x8' sheet and turn it longways. It'll sit right between the wheel wells and stretch from the front of the bed right up onto the tailgate and support the rear wheel. At worst you may have to trim an inch off the width at the wheel wells. Depends on the truck.
Yes the front of your tire will protrude past the angle iron..just like in the pic. You need to mock up on the ground before you drill/bolt into the plywood base.
Don't use cinch straps, use ratchet straps..spend the extra $$ and get the good ones.
With a wheel chock you don't have to get too crazy with the rear wheel. You could nail a 2x4 on each side to keep it from walking over, but that's about all I'd worry about.
No need to worry about putting the jiffy stand down. If the bike falls over going down the road, the jiffy stand isn't going to save it anyway.
.
You could lay an old floormat under the board to prevent the chock hardware from gouging the truck bed all the way across country too.... unless the bed is already ugly.....
But instead of all the cutting and hacking, just get a full 4' x8' sheet and turn it longways. It'll sit right between the wheel wells and stretch from the front of the bed right up onto the tailgate and support the rear wheel. At worst you may have to trim an inch off the width at the wheel wells. Depends on the truck.
Yes the front of your tire will protrude past the angle iron..just like in the pic. You need to mock up on the ground before you drill/bolt into the plywood base.
Don't use cinch straps, use ratchet straps..spend the extra $$ and get the good ones.
With a wheel chock you don't have to get too crazy with the rear wheel. You could nail a 2x4 on each side to keep it from walking over, but that's about all I'd worry about.
No need to worry about putting the jiffy stand down. If the bike falls over going down the road, the jiffy stand isn't going to save it anyway.
.
Last edited by Mr Cujo; Feb 9, 2010 at 09:03 PM.
Stage I
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, FL
I’ve never “hauled” any of my bikes, but after recently purchasing a Silverado Crew Cab with a 6.5 foot bed, I began to wonder how difficult it would be. For that reason, I found this tread to be very informative. According to the Ramp Calculator, I’d need ramps that are 9 feet in length. Also, the idea of using ž” inch plywood and a chock sounds like the way to go. With the tailgate down, it’s 8.5 feet from the front of the bed to the edge of the tailgate, so a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood would do the job perfectly. Question for the experienced haulers: When you arrive at your destination and unload your bike, what do you do with the plywood, chock and ramps? Do you simply leave them in the bed of the truck, and then (when the weather is awful) ride around Sturgis or Daytona with the tailgate down? I am leery of leaving a $400 set of ramps in the bed of my truck. I suspect that a 9 foot folding ramp would fit in the back of my crew cab, so I am curious if anyone has actually done that; and if so, did you strap the ramps to the back seat or place them in a storage container? Regarding the chock, I suspect that I could cut the 4 x 8 plywood into two 4 x 4 sections, and then (after the bike has been unloaded) slide one piece under the other to allow the tailgate to close. Afterward, I could chain the chock to one of the rings in the bed. Has anyone attempted that or have a similar idea? Thanks in advance.