Hauling a Haflinger

[Tennmogger]

Can a Haflinger fit in the bed of a full sized pickup without risk? (tied down well of course). Measurements say yes (2004 Dodge, 8 ft bed, 3/4 ton SRW, Cummins, NV-5600). That's with overhang out the back and truck tailgate off or down. Searching failed to find any indication anyone has done this.

If that's been done safely, then what about the next step, pulling a trailer, too? Our fairly light travel trailer puts only a few hundred pounds on the hitch and the total rear axle weight numbers look ok. That total weight is significantly less than the equipment trailer I pull all the time. There might be clearance problems between the overhanging Hafi and the front of the trailer. Will have to try it to know for sure.

You can see where I'm headed, hauling the Hafi as a run-around vehicle when out traveling, going to shows, NWMF, etc. And, it'll look really awesome!!

Bob

[HaffyHunter]

Hi Bob,

I've had a Haflinger in the back of a Chevy pickup (8ft box) and had no issues but the front wheels of the Haf sat on the open truck tailgate as I placed a pair of old tires between the Haflinger and the truck cab to give a bit of clearance. It didn't seem to harm the Chevy's tailgate but it was a short haul of about 25 miles on good road. With the tailgate down it will likely cause clearance issues if you are also towing a trailer.

I've also towed Haf's in U-Haul enclosed trailers and on landscapers style open trailers and find the weight distribution balance is better with the Haf loaded facing the rear of the trailer.

Cheers,
Steve

[heinkeljb]

Make your self a mini transporter with a pair of ramps that go up over the cab! You could also have sliding ramps to connect to the ground and then just push them back up under the fixed ramps. i.e. a sort of telescopic system. That way you could get the Haf all the way on and have the trailer.

John

[walderse]

Bob,
Several years ago, Sean(brother) purchased a 1971 Canadian NA truck from a fellow in Montana. We built a fixture out of stacked 2x6s to allow the Hafligner rear wheels to rise over the bed wheel wells of our 1992 Dogde 3/4 ton extended cab 4x4 P/U. With ramps in place and four strong assistants pushing, it was an easy rear end first load...until the Haflinger's rear bumper intruded ont the trucks rear window. A bit too much muscle and enthusiasm for a situation that simply needes a bit of finesse. The trip from Helena to NW Oregon was otherwise unremarkable. Later trips were made more safe with the addition of a pair of 2x6 cross boards bolted to the front posts of our contractor's rack as a quite functional headache rack.

If you back the Haflinger in and want to close the tailgate, you will need to raise the front wheels 3-4" to get the gate to clear completely. There are times when one wishes for a nice wide and long flatbed instead of the standard P/U bed but it still works well. Now carrying a longer wheelbase 703 Polycab is a whole different story...

Take care.

Jim Molloy
Waldersee Farm
http://www.northwestmogfest.com

[AustHaflinger]

I cannot speak about American pickups but I carry my Haffie around in my 8' x 5' box trailer.





When I get some ramps made I will put it on the back of my Landrover 101 as a haffie will fit with the hood off - I have a canvas truck cab as well to the back can be left open.



Garry

[Tennmogger]

Thanks everyone for the details on hauling. Jim, I have some 2" x 12" rough-cut oak that will make great ramps, plus an internal structure for the pickup bed. Great ideas. No headache rack so I'll have to be very watchful of the rear window. however, that window opens on my pickup.....maybe will pass the rear hitch, ha ha.

John, perhaps a combination of your sloping hauling ramps and Jim's elevation build-up idea: a sloping ramp in the bed to lift the rear of the Hafi up toward the top of the rear of the cab, allowing the Hafi to be further forward thus clearing the tailgate, maybe.

Garry, that trailer is Perfect! I have an 18 ft equipment trailer but it is serious overkill. I sure do like your Landrover FC 101.

Bob

[heinkeljb]

Just spent a couple of minutes trawling the web for a picture of my idea, could not find anything. I have seen some actual lorries with a ramp system for carrying two car, but with the ramp system in position for loading the first car, they fit what I was thinking of (a bit like this:-

poss Hafi transporter idea1.jpg (8.63 KiB) Viewed 21180 times

or this

poss Hafi transporter idea.jpg (16.84 KiB) Viewed 21180 times

)

It could be built with wooden boards and battens or for more permanence Metal box sections and U sections.

Just try and visulise it inside the pickup panels of your Dodge.....
John

[Tennmogger]

Hello John,

I have been doing a bit of visualizing, and measuring, and sketching too I believe your's is the most logical solution. Building the ramp such that the rear end of the Hafi will just clear the top rear corner of the truck cab is my goal. Problem is, without a good proportional drawing of this Hafi I most likely can't build the ramp ahead of time. Little variables like tire diameter, actual measured outside to outside dimension of the mounted tire width, and height of the subframe of the hafi above ground are unknowns. But with a little pre-planning I can have the parts along with me to build what is needed. After all, it'll be just boards and bolts.

This solution even negates the problem of clearing the wheelwell humps in the truck bed, and protects the rear of the cab. The ramp will be just above the humps.

Bob

[heinkeljb]

Do you need the measurements in feet and inches or in metres and centimetres? I would say make you ramps to the width of the rear bed and long enough to go from the front edge of the wheel humps inside the bed to above the cab and long enough for the wheel base of a "Long wheel Base" version of a Hafi.

That way, you can back the Hafi into the rear bed, rear wheels go over the wheel humps, then up the ramp until the front wheels go over the wheel humps. Bingo, your Hafi is "locked" in place and you'll only need a few straps. Biggest issue will be getting the Hafi up there if it doesn't run - you'll need a winch or lots of muscle!

John

P.S. It is something I a planning to do with my Hafi and putting my Heinkel 3 wheel "Bubble car" on the back.

[Rick K]

Thought this pic might be of interest- its from Markus' blog (the chap who got this forum established). He picked his ex-Austrlian Army Haflinger up from Cessnock, about 2 hours north of Sydney, so quite a long drive home with this beast on the back of the ute. Would have made quite a sight.

Cheers

Rick

[Tennmogger]

Hi Rick,

That is a great picture. Just right angle, too. I see from it that loading the Haflinger rear-first would probably not be best because of how the engine and hitch hang down. Loading front first will give better fit for cab clearance. That looks like about 8 ft flatbed on the hauling truck. If the front of the Hafi were raised and moved forward to tuck the top of the headache rack into the notch formed by the front wheel and the bottom of the sheet metal, a tailgate could conceivably close behind the Hafi. I think keeping the rear end low, with relatively heavy engine, would keep center of gravity lower.

John, specs on the NA Hafi have given me most measurements. However, two are not clear. What is the dimension across outside of tires, maximum width? (of course depends of tires, assume typical.) Spec says 44.5 inches but I suspect that might be center to center. The other dimension is from center of front wheel hub to front bumper (or rear wheel center to rear bumper/hitch). That will tell me where, within overall vehicle length, the 'wheelbase' is located (looks about centered).

Thanks for the feedback.

Bob

[heinkeljb]

John, specs on the NA Hafi have given me most measurements. However, two are not clear. What is the dimension across outside of tires, maximum width? (of course depends of tires, assume typical.) Spec says 44.5 inches but I suspect that might be center to center. (Mine has the original 12 / 165 tyres and measure ~ 130cm

The other dimension is from center of front wheel hub to front bumper Badly measured probably, mine is ~ 255cm(or rear wheel center to rear bumper/hitch).Again badly measured, mine is 250cm That will tell me where, within overall vehicle length, the 'wheelbase' is located (looks about centered).

So given that the tape measure "moved" whilst I was trying to get the measurements it might be a couple of cms out at most.

Bob

Hope this helps.

John

[cascade.king]

I'm very interested in this thread, as I'm having a Pathfinder carried in the bed of a 1 ton dualy.. 2300 miles! I'll be sure to have pics from the load-on and load off. Should be interesting...
I think the plan is to back it onto the bed, and lower the windshield to cut down on the drag created by the glass/frame. The bed/gate will be planked for weight distribution.
Hopefully, everything will go fine... Fingers crossed.

[heinkeljb]

Get them to put a tarp over the thing if they are that worrier about wind resistance - although I wouldn't have thought a 6 litre engine would even notice the extra bit of sail!

All I can say is that unless this shipper is way cheaper than others he is using the wrong vehicle to move the Hafi that sort of distance. Could you have got it on to rail car for most of the distance? Surely putting it in a "proper" Truck (enclosed) would have been easier?

I guess it boils down to what's available and cheap at the time you are doing it. Presumably the Shipper already has the 1 ton Dualy and so does not have to spend anything more other than fuel?

John
(p.s. just asking the questions, I am sure it will be fine if it fits in the bed.)

[heinkeljb]

You could always get the Haflinger roadworthy where it is and then drive it home - now that would be a nice drive ~ 3000 miles by the time you add in all the side excursions that would pop up!

John

[cascade.king]

John- The carrier may not be worried about the drag on his Dodge, but I am worried about the drag on the windshield and frame. Sitting high up in the bed, backwards, the frame would catch all the slip coming over the cab.
As for the 1 ton not being the "right truck for the job," it was the right carrier for the situation. Sadly, neither the Hafi or myself is roadworthy for a drive of that magnitude.

[heinkeljb]

If they pt the windshield down, make sure they know they have to fasten is down to stop it from bumping up and down during the journey. Don't rely on the fitted rubber tie downs as they are likely to be old and perished and will probably break if put under any strain for too long.

I would still get them to throw a Tarp over it and tie that down as well, much as it would draw comments from all and sundry as it make it way across the states is uncovered. it will help ensure nothing flies off that you later will ant and wonder where it went to!

John

[Tennmogger]

"The other dimension is from center of front wheel hub to front bumper Badly measured probably, mine is ~ 255cm(or rear wheel center to rear bumper/hitch).Again badly measured, mine is 250cm That will tell me where, within overall vehicle length, the 'wheelbase' is located (looks about centered)."



Hi John,

I'm back to this project and would appreciate a clarification on your 255cm and 250cm measurements. We are obviously not talking about the same measured location LOL. From the center of a wheel to it's closest bumper should not be much more than about 70cm by my estimates. Did you possible measure from the center of the wheels to opposite bumper? Even that measurement being 250 cm would make for a long Hafi.

Measurement needed: Imagine the Hafi driven up against a wall (against bumper, ignore hitch). What is the dimension from the wall to the center of that closest wheel hub? This dimension should be about the same front and back so only one measurement is needed.

thanks,

Bob

[heinkeljb]

My apologises Bob!!!!

brain was obviously not in gear correctly.....

measured overhang.jpg (64.9 KiB) Viewed 21029 times

Should have been 25.5cm and given some error in that I couldn't get it correct first time round, the other measurement at the front came out at 25cm - Maybe there is a difference with a "long wheel base" version, which mine is!?

I will enlist a helper tomorrow and get more accurate measurements.

John

[Tennmogger]

Thanks John, no more accuracy is required! I should have thought to stick in a decimal point and try it LOL.