baby truck hauling for trackdays

[taylormade21]

Calling all baby truck owners who load up their beds to haul their bike to
trackdays.
I'm curious to see how and what you load into the bed of your baby truck (S-10, Sonoma, old taco, etc).
I'm using a single cab 4cyl S-10 with a 6 foot bed for my Trackdays, and below is what I haul.
I've been curious to see what others do who drive a small truck, what they pack and how they load everything. I'd love to see photos to see if I can improve my packing or streamline some things. (Since I'm not tech savvy, I don't have photos for those visually inclined.)
-bike
-huge bi-fold ATV ramp
-12x12 canopy
-2 fold up chairs
-gear bag with all my gear,
-stands
-5gal gas jug
-medium size ice chest
-case of water
-small mechs tool set in cab
-small duffle bag with misc. tools and chemicals/cleaners/oils
-wife's overnight bag when staying in a hotel
I know a ton of you trackday junkies us large trucks and also haul trailers...this post is for those whol load everything in the bed of their small little baby truck.

 

[Junkie]

Short bed S10? That is a tiny bed.

I take it you're trying to fit your wife too, so you can't put much in the cab. That's gonna be tight.

 

[Crispietogu]

Keep it simple in terms of what you really need. Do you have warmers ?, You don't need stands if you are not gonna use warmers. Get a small gas container if it's just for your bike.if your going to thill east then you won't need canopy but for Sonoma and thill west it's useful. I don't bring chemicals . I clean my chains before trackdays and I go over important bolts on my bike before heading out.

I also have a single cab 4 cylinder Tacoma

 

[Sharky]

Don't forget your bike key....
Seems idiotic right? Someone will forget.

 

[Colorado Mike]

2nd gen (15-18) Colorado with 6 foot bed, crew cab. I installed one of those swing over bed extenders

I like to put the bike more offset to the right side of the bed and pack everything else on the left since the driver/me, and the fuel tank is on the left side of the truck I figure the weight would be fairly equal side to side. I can fit everything just fine.

Front and rear stands (bike is kickstand delete)
Two ramps, one small, one regular.
2 5 gal jugs
Front and rear spare wheels/tires
Canopy
2 folding chairs
Small toolbox. 26in handle kind
Hand carrying tool bag with extra pats/bolts etc
Regular size igloo cooler
2 man tent/sleeping bag/air mattress
Small 3 gal pancake air compressor
Folding table
Generator

I put all the gear and misc. in the back seat

Don't have a picture but I'll take one in a couple weeks when I go to Chuckwalla

 

[stangmx13]

that stuff is a piece of cake.

heres a good example from years ago in my 5' bed Taco

- theres a 6' table underneath the bike
- on the bike's left side, theres 2 stands, generator, generator gas, small toolbox, green tub w/ spares and chemicals, cooler, and 2 gas jugs
- on the bike's right, theres an EZ-up, ramp, tire warmers, folding dolly for tires, and that orange clothes bag.
- my gear bag is in the back seat of the truck here and there are no spare wheels

ive actually done better since. the latest/best plan is...

bike's left:
- the green tub goes in front.
- Craftsman rolley-chair on top of tub
- stands next w/ front stand hanging over tub
- then generator.
- then huge gear bag standing up. front wheel next to the gear bag.
- then cooler.
- then extra rear wheel behind everything holding it in.
- tie down goes through the rear wheel, through the bike's rear wheel and to the other side of the truck.

bike's right:
- ramp
- Ez-up
- tire warmers
- clothes bag
- small toolbox near front
- gas jugs at tail

a few other tips:
- get a Baxley. seriously, just get it.
- use soft-ties around the lower triple clamp. much more secure than a canyon dancer and won't break your throttle tube.

 

[taylormade21]

Short bed S10? That is a tiny bed.

I take it you're trying to fit your wife too, so you can't put much in the cab. That's gonna be tight.

It's tight,...but we make it work

 

[taylormade21]

Keep it simple in terms of what you really need. Do you have warmers ?, You don't need stands if you are not gonna use warmers. Get a small gas container if it's just for your bike.if your going to thill east then you won't need canopy but for Sonoma and thill west it's useful. I don't bring chemicals . I clean my chains before trackdays and I go over important bolts on my bike before heading out.

I also have a single cab 4 cylinder Tacoma

Good call on the smaller gas can.
I've gone to T-Hill east and needed the canopy and have lent out the stands a few times to my pit neighbors, so it's nice to have.

 

[spdt509]

everything listed will fit into a 6 ft. bed. for a peace of mind, find a used bed extender on CL, they pop up now and then....

 

[thedub]

Here's the set-up I used from about 2010 - 14.

Going off that picture plus memory I have loaded up:

Bike (+1 on the Baxley chock)
Small toolbox and tire pump.
Spare set of wheels
2 5gal gas cans
a folding chair
stands
ez-up
pit carpet
tent
cooler
bicycle ('cause walking around the paddock sucks.)

street clothes, gear bag, and sleeping supplies go inside cab.

My #1 tip is to use a bed extender. It gives valuable extra space that you can toss things in and not worry about lashing everything down with straps or bungies for fear of losing it on the freeway.
The one pictured below is the Ready Ramp. It's super slick because it's the ramp for the bike that turns into the bed extender. So you get the added bonus of not using bed space to store the ramp.

I think in 2014 I upgraded to a 6x12 cargo trailer cause I started racing and needed to haul more shit than I could fit in my Taco.

 

[taylormade21]

Thanks for sharing the pictures!
A tailgating extender is also a good idea. I'm just not confident in myself loading the bike on such a narrow ramp by myself, but definitely something to keep in mind.
So far, I'm noticing one huge difference with all your guy's baby trucks,...I only got my single cab vs. an extra cab to pack stuff. Ain't no back seat for me.
Thanks again for all the replies. Keep the pics coming. Seeing the locations of how it's packed is a great visual!

 

[Triple R]

Had the same setup w/ 04 Taco reg cab short bed. Moved onto a cargo van and will never look back! It's like a trailer and truck rolled up in one!

 

[thedub]

I'm just not confident in myself loading the bike on such a narrow ramp by myself, but definitely something to keep in mind.

Practice makes perfect.

 

[stangmx13]

I can fit everything in a 5’ bed, enough to race for a weekend. I just don’t have a recent pic of my new packing method. U don’t need a back seat, esp w taking less stuff for trackdays.

For loading, I use my cooler as a step as I’m walking the bike up. Or that green tub or a regular chair. A second ramp works well too. It makes it a lot easier to balance the bike when u don’t have to take a huge step in an out of the bed. Also, by walking the bike up, I mean clutching it up. Ya I start the engine and clutch it up while walking beside it. Advanced skill for sure. As others have said, u just gotta practice.

Oh, bed extenders don’t work for 5’ beds. Double check how long your bed is b4 buying one.

 

[Slow Goat]

If you’re jammed in the back, you can put racks on top and fit some of the light stuff up there.

 

[PASTAPWR]

Thanks for sharing the pictures!
... I'm just not confident in myself loading the bike on such a narrow ramp by myself, but definitely something to keep in mind.
...

If you live in a house, the trick to loading is to back to the driveway and leave your rear tires in the gutter. This makes the tailgate step up height. I load a Chevy Silverado 4X4 by myself this way.

At the track, I just get help from pit-mates.

 

[Colorado Mike]

Shit, I just ride it up the (8'x18") ramp.... :ape

 

[taylormade21]

I can fit everything in a 5’ bed, enough to race for a weekend. I just don’t have a recent pic of my new packing method. U don’t need a back seat, esp w taking less stuff for trackdays.

For loading, I use my cooler as a step as I’m walking the bike up. Or that green tub or a regular chair. A second ramp works well too. It makes it a lot easier to balance the bike when u don’t have to take a huge step in an out of the bed. Also, by walking the bike up, I mean clutching it up. Ya I start the engine and clutch it up while walking beside it. Advanced skill for sure. As others have said, u just gotta practice.

Oh, bed extenders don’t work for 5’ beds. Double check how long your bed is b4 buying one.

I got the clutch walk down pat with the long/wide ass ramp I use. Sketch city being 5'4" 110#'s clutch walking up a single narrow ramp and using an ic chest, chair etc. to step up.

If you’re jammed in the back, you can put racks on top and fit some of the light stuff up there.

Are you talking about a rack that goes over/around the bed, or is there a roof rack that is made for the single cab?

If you live in a house, the trick to loading is to back to the driveway and leave your rear tires in the gutter. This makes the tailgate step up height. I load a Chevy Silverado 4X4 by myself this way.

At the track, I just get help from pit-mates.

Same here. Works great. But that whole thing of the single narrow ramp scares the hell out of me trying to load at the track. And my pride of asking for help is a HUGE obstacle. I'm humble on track and not looking to win 1st place at a track day,...but when it comes to handling my crap and loading...I'm too stubborn and prideful to ask for help. And it's funny,...I'm usually the one asking if people need help...something I need to work on I guess....

 

[FXCLM5]

oh i thought this thread was who has loaded the most crap onto a compact truck

i have seen double bikes + all the other regular stuff listed strapped literally on top of the bikes in a old 90s taco

all the pics here with 1 bike make it look ez

 

[taylormade21]

oh i thought this thread was who has loaded the most crap onto a compact truck

i have seen double bikes + all the other regular stuff listed strapped literally on top of the bikes in a old 90s taco

all the pics here with 1 bike make it look ez

Hey,...if you've loaded more crap in a small truck please share. I was trying to get 1st hand experience on what/how they packe for a track day with a small pick up.
Although, now I'm curious to see that photo you mentioned...