Pickup trucks serve as an efficient way to transport goods. When you drive a short distance or with a load that perfectly fits in your truck bed, you typically don’t need to worry about securing anything. However, most items don’t fit perfectly into pickup trucks. You can secure your goods using ropes, bungee cords or mesh covers.
Secure large items using a rope. Tie a rope around the item. Tie the other end of the rope to the holes in the sides of the truck. This will not keep items from sliding somewhat, but it will keep them secure.
Secure small or medium-sized items with bungee cords. Place the item on the bottom of the truck bed. Run a bungee cord across the item, diagonally. Run a second bungee cord across the item to make an “X.” Attach the cords to the grooves in the truck bed floor. For additional security, install D-rings into your truck bed floor and attach bungee cords to the D-rings.
Use bull rings and ratchet straps to secure large appliances. Attach bull rings to your truck bed. These will prove very useful if you move large items frequently. Attach the ratchet straps to the bull rings and tie them around the appliances. Tighten the ratchet to secure items.
Balance loads to keep them safe. Place items on your truck so that they are as low to the bed as possible. Do not stack items. Instead, place all items so that they touch the bottom of the truck bed.
Pull a mesh truck-bed cover over your entire load. These covers will not prevent small items from sliding around the truck bed, but will prevent them from flying off the truck.