Hello,
So after 3 years in business I’m now able to buy a work truck and sectional ladders.
I haven’t bought either yet. I have an opportunity to buy a Honda CRV. Would sectionals fit in the back easily? Any of you guys use small SUV’s (CRV, Rav 4, etc.) and haul sectionals just fine?
Get a ladder rack made for SUV’s
Don’t have sectional ladder but do use CRV for work and it packs a lot for a mid size SUV. I’m sure a sectional will fit just fine.
I think sectionals can be about 6.5 feet with levelers on. So as long as there is room to put them flat or at an angle.They barely fit in the bed of my tacoma. But with levelers on i have to put them sideways.
I have seen 3-4 stack set fit into a 90’s JETTA.
Also, a mid 2000 Toyota Highlander. You can fit a 7 footer in the middle, 3 6 footers, step ladder (4 footer), and 2 little 4 foot sectionals (a bottom and a middle, sideways)-- also all your tools, and a crate for your DI tank…oh yeah, and your 2 WFP-- AND 3 PEOPLE in it…comfortably and workable!!!
Mid 2000s Nissan xterra SUV-- Plenty of room, but best with a ladder rack. You can fit quite a lot if you can fold the seats down in ANY SUV, believe me!
I have a Nissan pickup. Great truck. If I could do it over, I would find a good truck with an 8 foot bed-- but am loyal to Nissan and will continue to be for decades… In my truck I can fit 5 pieces of ladder (four 6’ and 1 8’ head), a 6 foot step ladder on the bottom, a 4 foot step ladder, a 2 foot step ladder (Stacking on them), a 75 foot hose, my Tucker pole, and my Garelick 24’ pole, as well as my little 12 foot Ettore stick. I keep 2-3 buckets in the back for my tools and extra fresh water, and all of my rags and anything else in my cab behind me.
Once I get a newer Nissan, I will buy a ladder rack that I can remove as I please-- I don’t like driving with the 8 footer hanging off 2 feet-- I use tie downs and a lock but if something ever happened that 8 footer is going into someone’s skull lol.
I underestimated what a pain in the butt it would be to work with sectionals until after I got mine. extension ladders are so much easier to work with!
Really? How bad is it?
Thank you everyone for your input too.
not easy, normally If I’m using it I’ll need 4 sections. some guys can stack on ontop of another while the ladder is vertical. The only way I’ve been able to make it work is if I have both hands on the sections above and a foot and knee keeping the bottom section vertical so they will all connect. It’s a pain. With an extention if you want to raise it less than 6 ft at a time you can do that, I’ve found it difficult using the section in a lot of cases because I need a different height that the 6 ft sections offer. The reason why I have to have a sectional is because I have a ford ranger with a canopy but no ladder rack so an extension won’t fit on top.
O Man yes !! Years with a Ford Ranger an A 6 foot bed. Sucked big time. I use to get so pissed when I saw my friends pick up with his ladders fitting in straight.
I use to either have to put them in diagonally or have them sticking out of the bed. It use to drive me nuts.
8 foot bed a must with sectionals. Or a ladder rack , or a topper.
I bought the Fold-cover too . I should if bought a topper. Oh the mistakes 
.
Those days are over though !!
Yep haha. Beats having them in an SUV or car though, the rattling will drive you nuts unless you put some thick towels between the sectionals. I don’t like the ladders sticking out (even a couple inches off the tailgate) for safety reasons, it’s been over a decade and no issues but let’s not push it. That wouldn’t be good, even locked up the 8 footer can do some damage if hitting behind.
I ran into one of the pool cleaners where I work, I am friendly with him and have seen him where I work for over 12 years. I noticed he got a newer truck, single cab and 8 foot bed. I’m pretty sure it was a GMC Sierra 1500 WT, 2016 or so. Asked him how it’s been, said zero problems for about 3 years. Not that many options for 8 foot beds, I don’t want a full size truck-- just the bed! LOL
One of the reasons I decided to put a flatbed on my new Tacoma. It’s long enough to hold my sectionals 
Nice you put that black pad down. You have an 8’ bed right ?
7’ish+
Hah, I’ve never thought of doing that before. Toyota reliability and a 7 foot-ish bed-- you can’t go wrong!
I thought you meant this literally! 
Very, very few 2 stories where I live, a foldable 12 foot is rarely used. I only use a small 5 foot Cosco for fan transoms on one stories. Both will fit in a small SUV no problem.
Hahaha, no no no lol. I was doing the back of a home and he came to clean the pool. I’ve known him for about 12 years, he does a lot of the homes I service. He had a ranger before that, said the GMC Sierra is such a good one for work with the 8 foot bed. I agree.
