Check out the Yakima Fit My Car site to find the perfect fit. Build your custom roof rack system and choose a cargo box, trunk rack, or hitch rack. Your selection will be transferred to your Amazon Shopping Cart, so you can checkout or keep shopping the Amazon Yakima Store. Yakima Crashpad Truck Bed Pad Buy "Yakima Crashpad Truck Bed Pad” from Amazon Open-Box & Used and save 10% off the $89.00 list price. Truck Tailgate Pad 54 Inch Wide, Designed for Compact and Mid Size Trucks. 30 x 17 x 6 inches ; Item model number: 8002455-p #53,610 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors) in Automotive > Exterior Accessories > Cargo Management > Cargo Racks in Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation 5 star56%4 star30%3 star6%2 star3%1 star5%See all verified purchase reviewsTop Customer ReviewsWhat a life saver. This is a top quality ...|Great product however it needs to be taken off when ...|Great solution and much easier than a bike rack.|
Get one if you have a pickup| Most Recent Customer ReviewsSearch Customer ReviewsWe're sorry, but we could not fulfill your request for /moving-resources/loading-tips.asp on this server. An invalid request was received from your browser. This may be caused by a malfunctioning proxy server or browser privacy software. Your technical support key is: 3697-bb05-1756-6707 You can use this key to fix this problem yourself.Though not difficult, it's important that you load and secure your kayak or canoe safely onto your car. Watch our video example for basic instruction, and read on for more details. Kayak or Canoe Loading Tips Lay out the straps on your vehicle beforehand if applicable. Place the kayak next to your vehicle. Grab the kayak at each end and use a standard 2-person overhead lift (as shown in our video). Once you've lifted it over your head, place the boat so it's directly above the rack, then set it down gently on whatever rack attachment you've mounted.
Reverse the procedure to unload it. Some kayak saddles feature rolling wheels, so the solo paddler can simply set the bow of the boat into the rear cradle, pick up the stern end and roll the kayak forward into the front cradle. Integrated lift systems, such as the Thule Hullavator, do the heavy lifting for you and are the ultimate option for solo paddlers. Most mounting attachments come with the straps necessary to secure your kayak. These straps feature self-locking cam buckles that are easy to use and quick to cinch down, providing excellent overall grip. Straps typically will have some sort of padding directly underneath the buckle (where it contacts the kayak hull) to minimize hull damage during transport. Tie off the extra length of strap directly above the buckle once it's been cinched tight. This adds security should the buckle release while you're driving. Unless you're super-confident in your knot-tying ability, use tie-down straps with cam-buckles.
They are reliable and easy to use. If rope is all you have, make sure it's non-stretch and water-resistant. It should be "seasoned" (brand-new ropes tend to stretch), non-slick (slippery ropes tend to come untied) and non-elastic (even when pulled tight, elastic lines and bungee cords expand under pressure and can let go of a boat). No matter what type of tie-downs you use, follow these basic procedures whenever you secure your kayak to a roof rack. Once your boat is on the rack, be sure to center it fore and aft. Use at least 2 lines or straps to hold the body of your kayak in place. These lines should run across your car width-wise. Secure both ends of the kayak to your vehicle's bumpers. There are bow/stern tie-down sets that feature easy-to-use ratcheting systems, or you can simply use a standard tie-down strap. If your vehicle and boat will be out-of-sight for a while, lock it to your rack. The ideal solution is to use a long cable lock designed for boaters.
Note: Avoid over-tightening any of the straps holding your kayak in place. Too much tension can deform plastic hulls and crack fiberglass. Always make sure your boat is securely fastened to your rack before heading out. Check it occasionally throughout your drive. Road vibrations can cause straps to loosen slightly and some boats soften up when exposed to the heat of the sun. To check your kayak, grab hold of either end of the boat and shake it from side to side. If the kayak is secure, the entire car should shift instead of just the boat. Inspect both bumper lines each time you check your boat.Kayaks can affect the handling of some cars in high winds or at high speeds, so keep your speed down. Make sure your boat is centered on your vehicle properly so that it doesn't impair your view of the road. And always be mindful of your spacing between other cars if the ends of your kayak extend beyond the ends of your vehicle. Shop REI's selection of canoe and kayak racks.
Contributor: Judy Moyer, REI Seattle store kayak specialist.At first glance, shopping for a pickup truck might seem a lot like shopping for a car. Pick a color, engine, trim and you're set, right? But once you consider all the special uses for pickup trucks and the growing number of styles and options, you can quickly get lost in a maze of choices. Here, then, is how to make truck shopping easier. If you understand the big picture and narrow your options logically, you can more easily find the right truck for you. Step 1: Prepare for Sticker Shock and Budget AccordinglyThey are utility vehicles that can come with many of the creature comforts you'd find on premium cars. So if you've only owned cars in the past, the jump in price will be jarring. The average selling price for a midsize car in the first half of 2016 was $25,706, with an average monthly finance payment of $452. Those numbers skyrocket by nearly $20,000 if you're buying a truck. The average selling price for a large truck, which is the most popular size, was $45,320, with an average monthly finance payment of $640.
With these higher prices in mind, it's a good idea to review your budget before you begin choosing specs for your truck. If you're buying the truck for personal use, follow the 15 percent guideline that applies to car shopping: Your truck payment shouldn't be more than 15 percent of your total take-home pay. And in order to get the payments down, you'll likely have to make a sizable down payment: Plan on about 15 percent. Additionally, it's a good idea to obtain preapproved financing from a bank, credit union or online lender even if you plan to finance through the dealership. Getting preapproved will set a baseline for what you can afford and what interest rates you can expect. These were the most-researched trucks on Edmunds in 2015. The 2016 models are getting lots of attention, too. If the truck is for work, talk with your company's financial adviser and set the budget for the truck based on growth projections for the business. That way, the truck will still meet your company's needs in the years to come.
Also, consider if you want to buy a new or used truck and whether leasing might make sense. Step 2:� Know What You Plan on Carrying or Hauling How you plan to use the truck will steer you through many of the ensuing choices. Your answers also will narrow the field by helping you choose between two- and four-wheel drive. For example, if you are towing a boat or Jet Ski, you might need four-wheel drive to gain traction on slippery boat ramps. If you're a couple who want to pull a very large mobile home, you might need a "dually" (two rear wheels per side) for towing stability. If you just like the idea of driving a truck and don't really plan on hauling anything major, a midsize truck such as the Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado or Honda Ridgeline would be perfect for you. Step 3: Choose from Light-Duty, Medium-Duty or Heavy-Duty Once you know what you'll tow, find out how much it weighs and be sure to include the weight of the trailer, too. This information will help you choose between a light-duty and heavy-duty truck.
In the past, manufacturers rated trucks by their payloads: half-ton, three-quarter ton and so on. Now, it's more common to hear trucks divided into light-duty, medium-duty and heavy-duty categories, identified by numbers such as 1500, 2500 and 3500 or 150, 250 and 350. For example, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and the Ford F-150 both have impressive towing capacities, but they are considered light-duty trucks. 2016 Truck Buying GuideEdmunds editors hand-picked these trucks, from fuel-efficient compact models to heavy-duty haulers. Sizing the truck properly is important. If you skimp on power, the truck might have trouble hauling what you need. Similarly, if you buy more truck than you need, it will cost more at purchase and every time you fill up. Plus, you'll have a harder time fitting into parking lots or tight driveways. Most experts will suggest slightly overestimating your requirements. A good rule of thumb is to have about 10 percent more capacity than you need. If you are unsure about the requirements for towing, manufacturers, including Ram, put spec sheets and towing guides on their websites.
Step 4: Choose an Engine and Axle Ratio For some buyers, choosing the right engine size will be a balancing act between having enough power and still getting good fuel economy. Trucks have long had a reputation for being gas guzzlers. But manufacturers now offer more engine options than ever before, and many engines are more fuel-efficient than they were in the past. A V6 engine now can do the work of a V8 from a decade ago and get better fuel economy. Truckmakers usually offer diesel engines in heavy-duty trucks, except for the Nissan Titan XD and the Ram 1500, which offer diesel engines in their light-duty trucks. Diesel engines are better for towing: They provide high torque for pulling heavy loads at low speeds. Truck owners want the so-called low-end torque because it requires more force to start a heavy trailer rolling than it does to keep it going at a constant speed. Another choice to make has to do with the axle ratio. Pickup trucks can typically be configured with a range of optional axle ratios, and the choice you make will directly affect the fuel economy and towing capacity of the vehicle.
Simply put, the higher the number for the axle ratio, the more you can tow but the lower your fuel efficiency will be. A truck with optional 3.73 gears, for example, will be able to tow more than one with 3.55 or 3.21 gears. Unfortunately, the fuel economy information on the window sticker will not reflect these differences. You just have to know that any axle ratio you see listed on the "options" side of the window sticker will lower the fuel economy rating that's printed on the sticker. Step 5: Choose a Bed and Cab Size Most manufacturers offer three cab sizes. The regular cab is the classic work truck with a single row of seating and limited space between the seats. Crew-cab trucks have four full-size doors and a generous backseat roomy enough for cross-country travel. Toyota and Ram offer still larger "mega cab" offerings with limo-like rear legroom. In Ram's case, this configuration is only available in its medium-duty and heavy-duty truck lines. Keep in mind that the cab size will have an effect on the bed length, which is the next choice you'll make.
In other words, if you want a standard-length truck with a crew cab, that larger cab will take away length from the truck bed. If you want a larger cab and a long bed, you will wind up with a longer wheelbase and a truck that is harder to park and maneuver. The bed sizes vary slightly by manufacturer but are approximately 5.5 feet, 6.5 feet and 8 feet. Though it's nice to have lots of room for cargo, combining a crew cab with an 8-foot bed might mean you can't put the truck in your garage. To increase bed capacity without adding length to the truck, some manufacturers offer an optional bed extender that allows owners to lower the tailgate and use that as bed space. To help you choose a bed length, think of the standard sizes of lumber or other construction materials you might need to carry. Sheetrock and plywood come in 4-by-8-foot dimensions, so you might need a longer bed for such loads. Step 6: Choose Your Trim Level, Options and Packages When you're selecting interior options, you'll notice that some options are bundled into special "editions" such as Chevrolet's All Star Edition, or they're grouped into packages like Ram's Premium Savings package in the Big Horn trim.
Edmunds or the manufacturer's website should list what is included in the edition or package. Keep in mind that just because you can configure a truck on the website doesn't mean it will exist in the real world. This is why it's important to be flexible — unless you'd like to special order the truck from the factory and wait a couple months.� It's smart to make a list of your must-have features or packages. With so many possible truck configurations, the best way to find the one you want is to give the list of your top features to the salesperson at the truck dealership. Explain your preferred color and, if you can be flexible, pick an alternate color. That will greatly improve your odds. For example, you could say something like, "I'm looking for a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado, LTZ double cab with the 6-foot bed, sport package, navigation system and all-weather floor mats. My preferred color is Deep Ocean Blue, but I'd take one in Siren Red if you have one with all my options."