Truck bed extender Q
 

Plan to use Harbor Freight extender to load PA 14 into my truck. Can I slide bow of yak onto and across horizontal bar of extender into truck, or do I need some sort of cushion to protect bottom of yak? Has anyone been doing this for couple years w lots of trips that could comment? I dont care bout scratches - just dont want big gouges or dents over time. Thanks!

i would use some sort of cushion for 2 reasons... this can range from foam insulation, to pool noodles, to a towel.

1. prevents any more scratches. (the more you can prevent, the better)
2. keeps the yak in place. (i've seen yaks slide during transportation due to no friction under them.)

so all in all.. you could always zip tie a towel onto the bed extender. i've even duct taped pool noodles to it before. the extra padding helps out A TON for transportation

Pool noodles fell apart for me.

Take a piece of old carpet and run some duct tape in a few places. Going on three years.

I use a set of Yakama Hully Kayak rollers. They are mounted to a piece of that smooth white cutting board stuff and then that is clamped to the crossbar with hose clamps. The cutting board works as an interface plate since the mounting holes in the rollers are wider spaced than the width of the rack cross bar. It also works to keep the Revo from getting scratched until it is up on the rollers but that's likely not a problem with the wide PA.

Lift one end of the kayay up on the rollers, lift the other end up and push it into the bed. On and off the beach in just a couple of minutes.

I fish a lot at night, hence the trailer lighting.


http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...500/rack-1.jpg

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...500/rack-2.jpg

I have a big foam mat that I lay on my rhino lined bed. Get it from Harbor frieght and it covers the whole bed. Once the kayak gets on the extender, the foam liner makes it super easy to slide the kayak all the way to the back. The kayak really never even touches the bed extender except when I first load it on and during transport.

PescadorPete,
Good idea on the trailer light!
Can you put up some pic of your trailer light if you don't mind?
Thank you!
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Uhh, if you can't see the trailer lights in the above two photos, then please don't drive behind me at night on the freeway! :)

The big problem with the HF bed extenders is that they are made so cheaply. I bought one to use and quickly stopped using it. It flexes and bounces so much that whenever you go in or out of a driveway or hit a dip in the road, it bottoms out. I'm talking any and all dips no matter how small or how slowly you go over them. It's cheap and it shows it.

The fact that its cheap makes me love it more for its bash ability. Mines beat to crap but unless you rolled your vehicle the things not gonna break. I pad mine with surf pads and some mattress foam.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...psf1dc1881.jpg

Haha, just wanted to see some detailed photo of the trailer light mount you fabricated :D
What is the thing on the bottom of the wood that contacts the kayak? Looks like a foam or rubber
Thanks,
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You should be fine. I use one and only put foam/tape on each side of the PA to keep it centered and padded when tied down. It slides on the bar most of the way up. Have been doing this for a few years now.

My HF bars are still holding up, a little bent at the hitch receiver but hasn't scared me yet. I probably have more weight on mine than most. The front of my yak goes up over my fifth wheel hitch and sits on the top of my toolbox. The good thing about those HF bars is that you can buy like 5 sets for the price of the name brand ones. If needed you could reinforce them for pretty cheap too.

Here is the only pic I have of it in the truck
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps704258ec.jpg

Okee-dokey, trailer light detail, strickly MacGyver.

Custom 2x3 mount:

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...ta/500/tl1.jpg

Custom kayak saddle mount (rubber door stops):

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...ta/500/tl2.jpg

Custom trailer light mounting brackets (rain gutter PVC end caps):

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...ta/500/tl3.jpg

The lights are LEDs from Pep Boys, very bright. Much more reliable than the bulb/socket ones. People actually see them and stop before the kayak nose is over their hood.

Great!
Thanks so much! I carry trident 15 on f150 short bed and it extends out quite a bit. I was thinking about getting trailer light to put on. Time for Home Depot
Thanks again,
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