How to Protect a Pickup Truck When Using It to Move to a New Home
Moving day is usually long, tiring, and exhilarating all at the same time. Careful consideration and planning will help you protect your pickup from scratches, bumps, and worse when you move all of those big, small, and potentially hazardous items from one home to another.
Install a Truck Bed Liner
Even if you carefully follow all of the above guidance to protect your truck and truck bed from the types of items you will need to haul when moving, you can’t really get the best protection for your cargo bed without a bed liner. Your bed liner from a good truck bed liner provider will last for the rest of the life of your vehicle. It will protect your cargo bed and the railing area from scrapes, bumps, scratches, spills, and anything else your busy lifestyle can throw at it.
Get Help Moving Large Appliances and Items
You may be thinking this first idea is just to protect yourself. You can get a life-changing injury if a large appliance or dresser falls on you. You can also lose control, and larger items can damage the side, bed, or tailgate of your pickup as well. Play it safe and wait until a friend can help you move the big stuff.
Take Your Time
It is important to not be in a hurry. You are moving to a new place. You don’t really know the area very well. Driving your vehicle or trying to move things out too quickly can end up with you or your truck damaged. Slow down. Move and drive deliberately. Give yourself adequate rest and food breaks.
Cardboard and Moving Blankets Can Lessen Friction
You can likely get some larger pieces of cardboard from a local appliance dealer for free. Those and moving blankets are great for lessening friction as you push items into your pickup’s cargo bed. They both can be used as a cushion between items and between the items and the bed floor for transit.
Use 2x4s to Distribute Load in Cargo Bed
You can cut 2×4 lumber to divide different portions of your load either lengthwise or crosswise in your truck bed. This helps keep loose items from rattling around. It also helps secure more dangerous items, like your barbecue’s propane tank or gasoline containers. The 2x4s need to lay on their smaller side lengthwise to get their larger height (around 3.5 inches). For some loads, you will want to secure two 2x4s together or use a 4×4. You need to get the 2x4s really snug against each side of the bed or the bed and tailgate with just the right cut.
Rent and Use a Dolly and Ample Ratcheted Straps
An appliance dolly will help you safely move dressers, couches, and refrigerators to your pickup for loading. Ratcheting straps keep the load from sliding around your truck bed and causing damage. Ratcheting straps also need to be utilized to secure appliances, dressers, and other large items to the dolly for safety on stairs, walkways, and near your truck.
When you are using your pickup truck to move to a new abode, take your time and have enough helpers to safely heft bigger items. Procure and utilize mover’s blankets, ratcheting straps, 2x4s, and an appliance dolly to protect and secure the items you are moving. Get a bed liner if you don’t already have one because you will use it long after the move is over, and it protects the investment you have in your truck.
