need ideas for fitting kart in pickup

[Brian Cole]

I need help designing/building something to insert in my pickup to help with transporting my kart. I need a stand, of sorts, that would allow me to place the kart above the wheel wells. I have a '94 Ranger, and the kart will fit perfectly in the truck, only it has to be above the wheel wells, because that point of the truck is too narrow and I need to place things under it (kart stand). Also, I need to be able to do this my self. Perhaps some sort of ramp to roll the kart up to get it over the rear wheels. My kart stand and the truck's tail gate are the same height so getting the kart on to the tailgate is fairly easy. Some one please help!!!!

Other details:

Pendaliner in the bed
want to keep the front corners open to put things in: fuel jug, etc

Thanks.

Brian Cole
dapkart@hotmail.com

[Jake Thompson]

I have a ranger as well. I found that if you take out your sidepods the kart fits perfectly... and we just tie strap our stand on top of the front of our kart (above the front bumper). We dont tie the kart down, we just put an old tire under each wheel. No ideas on how to load it on your own. Hope this helps.
Jake Thompson

[Jeff Welch]

Brian,

We used to haul two karts in the bed of a pickup. One was small enough to fit in between the wheel wells. For the other, we laid a pair of 2X4's across the bed right behind the cab and set the kart on top of them and lashed it down. Only trouble is, you need two people. From my experience, you can ask anybody at the track and they'll be more than willing to help you lift your kart up and down You may also try taking the bodywork or nerf bars off the sides of the kart to make it fit between the wheel wells.
Hope this helps.

Jeff Welch
Weltek Racing Online

[Jon Goodale]

I solved the same problem by building a plywood deck to fit above the wheel wells. I put a piece of conduit from wheel well to wheel well so it tilts down to the bed level when the tail gate opens. I have legs in the front so after I slide the kart on the tilted platform I can level it out and I slid my cooler (happened to be the right height) under the back to keep it level. Wish I had a camera for pics. Works good because I can slid all my spares in rubber made tubs underneith and no one can see them with tail gate closed.

[Terry Tilton]

Four milk crates, one under each kart tire. Lifts the kart up over wheel wells, slide everything underneath, fuel bottle goes in seat. Cheap, easy, one man job.
Terry "One man race team" Tilton

[Gord Sipko]

I have a plywood deck that sits on the top of the box rails and the kart gets tied down on top. This deck as been used on a Mazda 2000 and now on a Chev S-10.

It does take two to load the kart, but the entire area under the deck is available for storage.

[Phil Clements]

I built a rack out of 2x4's and 2x8's for my S-10. Used 2 2x8's for the runners(difference in trac width from front to rear). Used 2x4's for cross braces and legs. Gets the kart on top of the bed(allowing full use of bed for storage) while allowing you to get at any of your equipment no matter where in the bed you packed it. Whole thing cost less than $45. And when I got a shell for my truck, everything still fit. If you get creative with your kart stand, you can even losd it by yourself.

[Jeff Mulvihill Jr]

I have a "platform", which consists of one 10" x 10" plywood piece for each rear and one 8" x 8" piece for each front (that I strap each wheel to...), that is at the same height as the top of the bed and connected front to back with 2 x 4's, BUT does NOT touch the top of the bed, but rather has vertical legs that support the weight from the bottom of the truck bed. I have ramps that allow me to push the kart right onto the platform off my kart stand. I've built it in such a way that the plaform spreads wide to locate the thing side to side and have two cross peices that connect the two side rails. This is my second platform, it's not perfect yet, a little bulky, but stout as a house. I built it high so I'm able to roll my kart stand under it as well as my tool box, tent w/ weight bags, folding chairs, etc. There is still room in the front corners for a fuel jug on each side and my nitrogen tank. Takes me, alone, 30 minutes to load everything I own that goes to the track with me... I start to run out of space when I have to take luggage for overnighters... Which will fit in the cab when the wife doesn't come along...

Cost less than $25.

[ August 16, 2001: Message edited by: Jeff Mulvihill Jr ]

[David Mayhew]

I used to have a Ford ranger. I once had 3 karts in it going to a race one time, don't remember how but had karts and all the things needed to race with, it was amazing, and it all made it there. When I would carry one kart I made some rails that went from one side of the bed to the other. I used 2 pieces of square tubing welded to a piece of angle iron that would hold it on the bed rails. One for the front tires and another for the rears and then everything just slides underneath the kart so you basically have the whole bed for parts and stuff. Not sure if that is explained very well but if you have any questions just ask and I will try to explain a little better. Good luck.

David Mayhew

Ps. the best way I found to haul karts in the back of a truck is do what I did and buy a bigger truck, much easier.