Can I move a 9' GC3 in a short bed pickup?

ok, that's what I'm after. The table is too far away to make multiple trips. It's about3-4 hours away.

It can be done in one trip. Your truck is capable of carrying that much weight.

Slates in the bed first, all the way forward. Frame supports next. Then legs.

Put the rails and short skirts in the back of the cab. Take a plastic bin for the pocket castings and pockets.

The kicker is the long skirts. They are much longer than your bed and need to be secured and protected. I would get some packing foam rolls and put foam between the two outer faces of the skirts, then cover completely with foam, then shrink wrap them together. They should support themselves lying over the tailgate, but you could get a 2x6 to strap them to, then strap the 2x6 to the truck.

In reality? Rent a small moving truck. You will appreciate the room and the ramp. Bring a hand truck.
 
Does your truck bed have a stationary goose neck hitch? This could be a problem for transporting the slates.
 
I would rent a 5 x 10 trailer take a skid and some ratcheting straps ,be careful a tiny piece of something between the slates can break like a folded corner on a moving blanket ! ratchet them onto the skid after loading
The cost is worth not making 2 trips unless you are just down the street.
Slate is strong except when there is a pivot point under it , then a kid could karate chop it and break it.
 
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Since you have an F150. you could also rent a 6x12 enclosed trailer from Uhaul or the like. In my area, they are $30/day.
 
I have a short bed F150 super crew. The person selling me the table says I can move it in the truck. Anyone got any first hand experience trying to do this?
Of course you can. I moved (2) 9 foot GC's from Tulsa to Houston in a 3/4 ton silverado with a short bed. FYI most short beds are around 5.5 feet. with the tailgate down it's a hair less than 8. Proper loading is the key. Slates on bottom, 2 stacks, 3 hight front and back of the bed. Then the frames on top of the slates. Then everything else on top of and in between the grid of the frames. Ratchet straps, blankets, tarps / plastic wrap if it rains.
 
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Since you have an F150. you could also rent a 6x12 enclosed trailer from Uhaul or the like. In my area, they are $30/day.
Just make sure the trailer has hooks for securing the load. They probably have insulation blankets for loan with security straps.
 
Not trying to beat around the bush. Just not familiar with the length of some of the pieces or how they might get damaged hanging out of the truck. I was trying to find folks who have done this. If they did with the tailgate up (and the items propped up on tailgate, or tail gate down. Sorry, not trying to waste anyone's time.
Tailgate down, not propped up. How far are you moving it? Read my post. If you use the frame as a platform you won't have to worry about things hanging over.
 
ok, sorry. I thought this was better. I thought this would allow people to interact with the questions they wanted to and ignore the others. I'll do better. Apologies.
No apology necessary...!

c/o jay Spielberg:

As per our conversation, to breakdown a gold crown 4 you will need the following items.

9/16 socket, 1/2 socket 3/4 socket, 8-12 inch extension for ratchet drive, # 3 Phillips bit, #2 Phillips bit.
tack or staple puller, pliers, 3/Th's wrench 1/2 wrench. 9/32 Allen wrench.

Start by removing Allen screws in the pockets, remove pocket (or gully liners if ball return) Next remove 9/16 rail bolts and studs from rails, these are found under the rails looking up from the bottom. Next remove ball track if ball return and ball ball receiver box. The hardware for the ball receiver box is a number 2 Phillips with a 3/8 nut run up through the two angle brackets and attached under the ball storage area. (ball return only) Next, with a helper lift the rail and apron Assembly off the table and flip upside down. Next remove the #2 Phillips screws from the metal brackets in the corners of the aprons, Next remove the the 1/2 head bolts from the aprons and stack finished side to finished side, two short pieces 2 long pieces. Next carefully remove the 1/2 inch head bolts that go through the castings into the round receiver bolts in the rails, 2 per side on the corner castings 1 per side on the side pocket castings. Start with the castings on the head rail where they connect to the side rails first. IE you will be removing just the short end rail first. Next remove the foot rail casting bolts. Slide the two long rails to wards the center of the table and remove the single casting bolt on both sides of the long rail. and repeat on the other long rail. You should now have 6 separate rails, transport the bottom face to bottom faced avoid scratches to the Formica rail cap.

Now remove ALL the staples from the bed cloth with your staple remover and pliers. make sure you check under and around the pocket openings. With the cloth removed you'll see the bare slate, remove the 12 slate screws with the # 3 Phillips bit. Remove the slate and place flat in your truck wood side down slate side up. You can stack the three slates on top of each other.

Now remove the 3/4 inch bolts from the angle iron between the frame and the pedestal. Now set the frame on the floor and remove the 3/4 inch bolts from the left hand side of the frame. Now do the right hand side (4 bolts). With the bolts removed you can tap on the sides of the frame and separate the short pieces from the long. Stack and load into you truck.

Now remove the 3/4 inch bolts from the leg sections through the center connector (2 on each side) load the legs and center stretcher into your truck. cover the loaded items with packing blankets and load the rails, aprons and hardware box ball track etc...

When unloading into your room, keep the frame components together, keep the legs and center stretcher together, keep the rails and aprons together and lean the slates vertical against any solid wall one against the other in a single stack is fine.

This should get you through the break down process.


Jay Spielberg
Quality done right the first time!
 
I'd use a utility trailer if you're set up for towing. I have my own, but uhaul rents a 6x12 one for about $19.99, that is more than big enough.

Put the slate in the pickup bed and whatever small pieces fit easily. Use moving blankets to pad them.

Put the frame on the utility trailer and strap it in place.

I did it this way with just a 5x8 trailer (that you can put the gates down to make it more like 5x11'.
 
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