Can you haul a 4'x8' sheet of drywall?

[Buffalo Bob]

What's the big deal? I can get three 4'x8' sheets of drywall into my Pure if I soak them first and then put them in a blender.

 

[Buffalo Bob]

I loaded about 20 bags of topsoil into the GT. The guy at Home Depot was like “are you sure you want to do this” before throwing them in . Put a blanket down and slung ‘em in.

For you quick mathematicians… yes I know it was like 800 lbs.

Did you by chance try Dirt Launching? Could be interesting.

 

[Knucklehead]

From my buddy in Vegas...
View attachment 25943

Thank you so much for providing this. It is exactly what I was looking for.

What this means is a 4x8 sheet of drywall won't fit unless you load it diagonally. But actually, it might not even fit diagonally. If it does, the depth isn't long enough so it will stick out the back.

Bummer.

I can't believe we're discussing putting construction material in the back of a $100k vehicle.

I like to fix stuff around my house. Specifically, this time one of our bathroom exhaust fans was not working, and my kids didn't tell me. So when I went up in the attic, I discovered the drywall around the malfunctioning fan was contaminated with mold. To fix it properly, I needed to cut out the section of damaged drywall and then put the new fan in. I wanted to use moisture resistant drywall, and that only comes in 8x10 sheets.

Anyway, I need the Gravity to be useful when something like that happens. It doesn't have to be, but that is what I want. And I don't mind putting a piece of drywall inside a @120k vehicle, because a vehicle is a tool. And no matter what it costs, it needs to be useful. Or I am not getting it.

So I am very disappointed a 4x8 board won't fit. I would like to understand what happens if you put it in diagonally, and if the Gravity will move if the hatch is open. It needs to.

 

[Tâm]

Does anyone know the dimensions of the rear hatch opening, and if a 4x8 sheet of drywall will fit?

How about a roof rack? Not as convenient but could that be an alternative?

 

[Tâm]

I can't believe we're discussing putting construction material in the back of a $100k vehicle.

I spend money on an EV with some criteria:

1. No emissions: I am not interested in cheaper or more expensive gasoline vehicles.
2. Long range: 265 miles used to be the longest in the 2012 Tesla Model S, but no more.
3. Practical: I spent more than $100,000 in 2012 for the Tesla Model S, and it was practical as I could haul fertilizers, lumber, garden rocks...

Now, Lucid has the longest range, so I would not hesitate to spend money just to do practical tasks like hauling lumbers...

 

[PoZulu]

If you can afford a 120k SUV, you can afford to rent a truck from HD or Loews for 50 bucks. Also renting a trailer from U Haul is super cheap and convenient.

 

[Tâm]

If you can afford a 120k SUV, you can afford to rent a truck from HD or Loews for 50 bucks. Also renting a trailer from U Haul is super cheap and convenient.

None of U-Haul, HD, and Lowes are long-range EVs.

 

[Knucklehead]

If you can afford a 120k SUV, you can afford to rent a truck from HD or Loews for 50 bucks. Also renting a trailer from U Haul is super cheap and convenient.

This is true, but that is not convenient at all.

In the specific situation I described above, I was in a hurry to get the bathroom repaired so my kids could use the shower again. I have a trailer and could have unfolded that, but that would have added an hour of extra, unproductive time. Same for renting a truck. I just wanted to get one sheet of drywall, come home, cut it and put it up.

For bigger jobs, like cutting bushes and trimming trees, I would definitely get out the trailer. Last year I stacked 80 bags of mulch into it. I would not need the Gravity to hold 80 bags of mulch, nor would I want to try to put 80 bags of mulch into it. It would create a huge mess inside which would be hard to clean up.

How about a roof rack? Not as convenient but could that be an alternative?

That is possible, but putting a 4x8 sheet of drywall on the roof is asking for trouble. It would need to be tied town really, really well. And air could still get under it, lift it and break it. Drywall isn't very strong.

The roof would work well for a few long pieces of smaller wood, like 2x4s. But think of the range hit!

 

[037]

This is true, but that is not convenient at all.

In the specific situation I described above, I was in a hurry to get the bathroom repaired so my kids could use the shower again. I have a trailer and could have unfolded that, but that would have added an hour of extra, unproductive time. Same for renting a truck. I just wanted to get one sheet of drywall, come home, cut it and put it up.

For bigger jobs, like cutting bushes and trimming trees, I would definitely get out the trailer. Last year I stacked 80 bags of mulch into it. I would not need the Gravity to hold 80 bags of mulch, nor would I want to try to put 80 bags of mulch into it. It would create a huge mess inside which would be hard to clean up.



That is possible, but putting a 4x8 sheet of drywall on the roof is asking for trouble. It would need to be tied town really, really well. And air could still get under it, lift it and break it. Drywall isn't very strong.

The roof would work well for a few long pieces of smaller wood, like 2x4s. But think of the range hit!

How about crazy stuff like have it delivered or ask a friend?

 

[Knucklehead]

How about crazy stuff like have it delivered or ask a friend?

I wonder if Lowe's or Home Depot will actually deliver one 4x8 sheet of drywall? That is an interesting question.

 

[Buffalo Bob]

Any of these stores would cut the drywall into smaller pieces for you. For minor repairs, you may not need a full-size piece anyway, and you may be able to predetermine the sizes you need cut. Even if you can't, or if you do need a full size piece, would it be that big a deal to have a few more seams to tape and mud?

 

[PoZulu]

In the specific situation I described above, I was in a hurry to get the bathroom repaired so my kids could use the shower again. I have a trailer and could have unfolded that, but that would have added an hour of extra, unproductive time. Same for renting a truck. I just wanted to get one sheet of drywall, come home, cut it and put it up.

If your house only has 1 shower your kids can use for the day you shouldn't be wasting what little money you have on 120K SUV. Kinda snarky but I think this thread is ridiculous.

This is true, but that is not convenient at all.

 

[Knucklehead]

Any of these stores would cut the drywall into smaller pieces for you. For minor repairs, you may not need a full-size piece anyway, and you may be able to predetermine the sizes you need cut. Even if you can't, or if you do need a full size piece, would it be that big a deal to have a few more seams to tape and mud?

Lowes will not cut drywall for customers. However, he gave me his box cutter and I cut it myself so I could fit it into my wife's SUV. So yes, that is a viable option and maybe, the cut pieces will fit better in the Gravity than my wife's SUV. That would be good. I just hoped it would be easier, and it could lie flat. Flat means the sides are not marking up the interior.

If your house only has 1 shower your kids can use for the day you shouldn't be wasting what little money you have on 120K SUV. Kinda snarky but I think this thread is ridiculous.

They could share ours, but we don't want to share!

Not that it mattes, but we are talking about adding another bedroom and bathroom. It would have made the situation less urgent for sure.

I agree: it is ridiculous to those who don't like to do stuff around the house.

When we hire contractors, it takes forever, and it often isn't done the way I would do it. And I get a lot of satisfaction out of home projects. In this case, I could fix the problem the right way in faster time than it would take to even find a contractor to do it.

 

[borski]

This is true, but that is not convenient at all.

In the specific situation I described above, I was in a hurry to get the bathroom repaired so my kids could use the shower again. I have a trailer and could have unfolded that, but that would have added an hour of extra, unproductive time. Same for renting a truck. I just wanted to get one sheet of drywall, come home, cut it and put it up.

Wait, hang on, have you tried it? You can rent a pickup or box truck for like... $19 at home depot for an hour. I know, because I just did it. It takes like 5 minutes at the customer service desk. It's super convenient.

 

[Knucklehead]

Wait, hang on, have you tried it? You can rent a pickup or box truck for like... $19 at home depot for an hour. I know, because I just did it. It takes like 5 minutes at the customer service desk. It's super convenient.

I have rented things like a ditch digger and aerator from Home Depot, but not a truck. I do understand how long it takes to initiate the rental and close out the return. At a minimum it adds another drive to and from the store, which is a bit more than five minutes. A five minute pickup up and drop off is pretty optimistic, but I agree it is possible.

Rather than rent a truck, I would just unfold the trailer. But I was in a hurry and really didn't want to waste time with that.

Anyway, everyone pointing out alternatives is helpful and reasonable. It is true I don't need the Gravity to replace my trailer. I was just hoping it would work better than my wife's Grand Cherokee for the project I did last weekend. That's the point of the OP.

 

[Pragmatic]

Yes you can rent and it is quick but in no way is it adding 5 minutes to day your devoting to a project or emergency repair. It's an extra trip to the store. Its leaving your vehicle at the store. All add up to a hassle when you are trying to focus on getting the job done.

I've used a trailer, I've rented a truck and I much prefer using my own vehicle. At a minimum I need 10 foot length for conduit and copper tubing. I've always managed this in sedans with folding seats. Larger lumber can be tricky in a sedan. Hanging out the trunk is usually a no go because you loss length for the front seat (though passing a piece or two out the passenger window works). Sheet goods are aways a problem, but should be a basic design requirement for a larger family hauler. Most (all?) minivans can carry 4x8 sheets.

 

[buddyroe9]

If you can afford a 120k SUV, you can afford to rent a truck from HD or Loews for 50 bucks. Also renting a trailer from U Haul is super cheap and convenient.

Genius alert.

 

[buddyroe9]

Yes you can rent and it is quick but in no way is it adding 5 minutes to day your devoting to a project or emergency repair. It's an extra trip to the store. Its leaving your vehicle at the store. All add up to a hassle when you are trying to focus on getting the job done.

I've used a trailer, I've rented a truck and I much prefer using my own vehicle. At a minimum I need 10 foot length for conduit and copper tubing. I've always managed this in sedans with folding seats. Larger lumber can be tricky in a sedan. Hanging out the trunk is usually a no go because you loss length for the front seat (though passing a piece or two out the passenger window works). Sheet goods are aways a problem, but should be a basic design requirement for a larger family hauler. Most (all?) minivans can carry 4x8 sheets.

Just go buy a $500 utility trailer. Then it's still your own vehicle. I get what you're saying, but it really isn't that big of deal. 99.99% of people who buy $100k vehicles aren't loading plywood or drywall in it. Heck, 99.98% of people aren't putting plywood or drywall in their $40k minivan.

They aren't going to make vehicle that meets the desires of the .01%.

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

I can't believe you folk are still talking about this. Just buy the 4x8 sheet and bust off a piece that will fit in the car. Score it and it will bust like a saltine cracker. How much do you need to fix around the fan anyway ? Sheesh. Amateurs. Heck, you don't even need to bust it...just put it on the roof and it will be busted before you get out of the parking lot. You can stop when it flies off the car.and pick up a piece that fits the job. No worries.

Another tip: buy a couple of ladders and the drywall. Put the ladders on the roof and the drywall on top. Then return the ladders.

Borski has the best idea. I've rented the pick-ups at the home center. It's cheap and easy.

 

[PoZulu]

"Sheesh. Amateurs. Heck, you don't even need to bust it...just put it on the roof and it will be busted before you get out of the parking lot. You can stop when it flies off the car.and pick up a piece that fits the job. No worries."

Brilliant, thread closed!