Loading/unloading a 450 lbs safe from truck bed

[HammaMan]

Biggest issue is if you have tailgate step -- sliding things out the back tend to catch on it so be mindful. 450lbs is a non issue for the gate itself. As other said, the door likely will come off so move it in parts and save yourself a lot of trouble.

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[Calson]

I would check with the seller as to the cost to have it delivered to your house. Then you can compare that cost to the potential damage to yourself and your truck. I would question the ease of dropping the safe to the ground in a controlled manner and not damaging the safe or your driveway.

 

[Brimee]

I would check with the seller as to the cost to have it delivered to your house. Then you can compare that cost to the potential damage to yourself and your truck. I would question the ease of dropping the safe to the ground in a controlled manner and not damaging the safe or your driveway.

this is what I thought as well, I know my limitations and this sounds like one of them. If you really still want/need to do it yourself consider atv ramps to slide it down. I have a retaining wall at my house that works like a loading dock for the larger items, anything like that on your property?

you also need to consider equipment to roll it into your house as well.

 

[Lricaud81]

Be careful where you get the weight from. I bought a Canon safe and online it said 400# well after almost killing ourselves and using a tractor to get out bed and on porch the owners manual said 750# heaviest 400# I ever dealt with lmao

 

[madsend81]

If you are able to, try removing the door from the safe first. That will cut around 150-200# from the overall weight of the safe. That's what I did when I moved with my Bighorn safe. Made it a lot easier to move the safe and kept the weight within the capacity of my 500# hand truck. If the hinges are external, the door should just lift right off when opened.

 

[Rinn69]

I'm glad I bought a Zanotti Armor safe. It weighs 750 lbs when assembled but breaks down to 6 pieces that are easily handled by 2 guys. It does help that I live about 75 minutes from their shop, but they do ship.

https://zanottiarmor.com/

 

[imnuts]

I've lifted and moved a lot of heavy stuff before I got my truck, and a couple things since getting it. I'd be hesitant to try to move a 450# safe with a clone of myself unless it was only 10' away. Lifting 200 lbs is one thing. Lifting and carrying it is something else entirely. I'd want at least 3, if not 4 people to move it safely.

 

[Davexxxx]

With my 2001 F150, I honestly don't remember if I removed the tailgate or not but probably did.

Anyway, 850lb fire safe. Loaded upright, with a forklift.

At home, my brothers and I walked it down off the pallet, laid it down, then slid it on cardboard off the truck, onto cardboard, back to being upright.

Then used 1" steel pipes to roll it into place, after having to make a ramp over the door threshold.

We handled it without problems but both told me that I'd be selling the house with the safe, or hiring movers

When the time came, I hired movers.

 

[bcb97]

My safe was 500 lbs. Just be careful and take your time and you can get it down slowly. That's what I did. No reason to over think it.

 

[ks54703]

This is how FORD handles the issue.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/articles/fords-f150-stowable-loading-ramps/

 

[Ziggy73]

Hey all,

I'm picking up a safe and planning to bring it home in my F150 Platinum - how much weight can the powered tailgate take in the open position? Can I safely slide the 450 lbs safe and tip it out over the opened tailgate onto a dolly without damaging the tailgate? I plan to use 3/4" plywood and some carboard to spread the load and protect the edges.

I'm sure you could, but that's a lot of money on the line if it's not capable, if it were me I would find a utility trailer, or rent one, that's only a foot and a half off the ground, you can also strap it a lot easier. You could probably rent one for about $60, be a lot cheaper than a new tailgate.

 

[Davexxxx]

This is how FORD handles the issue.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/articles/fords-f150-stowable-loading-ramps/

Hadn't seen that before. Looks pretty steep. And spendy.

I used to fairly frequently need to load a garden tractor that between it, attachments and me, weighed in the neighborhood of 1300lbs. I bypassed the tailgate by buying a set of arched ramps that span over the tailgate. You need a loading area with a little height to it but used it many, many times, with no damage.

 

[thudnblunder]

I got it done last night with no drama. It was about 400 lbs, not 450 lbs (I bought a slightly smaller one in the end).

Did not take the door off. The tailgate took the weight with nary a creak. I used a section of 3/4” plywood to protect the edges of the tailgate.

I thought about how to control the descent of the safe without being in the path of it and ended up sliding a 2x4” through the pallet base (had it been heavier I’d have used a 2x6 or two studs screwed together).

Then I pulled the safe out to where it was just about balanced on the tailgate, and lowered it using the 2x4 onto a piece of plywood on the garage floor. The 2x4 gave us plenty of safe grip while keeping us out of the way. In fact it worked really well because we could brace the 2x4 against our thighs while adjusting hand grip. You can see the slot in the pallet base we put the 2x4 through in the picture below.

I did this with just my 16 yo and myself and it was very easy.

 

[powerboatr]

I got it done last night with no drama. It was about 400 lbs, not 450 lbs (I bought a slightly smaller one in the end).

Did not take the door off. The tailgate took the weight with nary a creak. I used a section of 3/4” plywood to protect the edges of the tailgate.

I thought about how to control the descent of the safe without being in the path of it and ended up sliding a 2x4” through the pallet base (had it been heavier I’d have used a 2x6 or two studs screwed together).

Then I pulled the safe out to where it was just about balanced on the tailgate, and lowered it using the 2x4 onto a piece of plywood on the garage floor. The 2x4 gave us plenty of safe grip while keeping us out of the way. In fact it worked really well because we could brace the 2x4 against our thighs while adjusting hand grip. You can see the slot in the pallet base we put the 2x4 through in the picture below.

I did this with just my 16 yo and myself and it was very easy.

smart and safe, safe
may safe had those same pallet things
took the off and used them on another project

 

[Supercub]

There’s never truly 450 lbs on the gate. The moment (pun) you tip it, the majority is on you, a bit still on the gate. Prior, 50% at best.

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