I have access to a 1998 ranger in order to haul a tall appliance (a side by side refrigerator). But the appliance and ranger are in a different state than I am. What would I need to bring to secure a refrigerator to the bed of a Ford Ranger. Note this fridge is used, so really needs to be transported standing up, and the states in question are Tennessee and NC, so I will be travelling thru the mountain pass on I-40 (lots of turns, lots of incline/decline).

Can anyone provide any advice? I realize I will need an appliance dolly, something to set the fridge on (maybe a mover's quilt), and ramps. But how can I tie the Fridge down effectively? Are there ties and straps that would work best?

 

duct tape and some ratchet straps.

 

Ratchet straps would work fine. If you put 4 on there that thing won't move if you drive through a tornado.

 

Ratchet straps should do it. The higher their weight rating the better in this case. If it were me I would place the appliance as close as I could to the cab, with atleast 2 straps (or one really strong one) over the top, with one going around the front to prevent sliding.



Or, since it is a side by side fridge and should be big enough, strap it from the front left --> back right, and front right --> back left thus creating an X over top of it.

Above all, drive safe man. You will probably have a pretty high center of gravity and you may have a good bit of body roll.

 

Can you show me a picture of where the ratchet straps attach to the bed by any chance? Are there evenly spaced tie down hooks or anything stock on a ranger?

 

hell i just lay fridges down. never had an issue at all. i had a full size fridge in my ranger and we just layed it down. also, ive moved quite a few people home from school and lay all those fridges down. those small ones. but thats so i can keep the cover over the bed. honestly not one issue

 

Your not supposed to lay them down. At least you weren't. I think the newer ones are fine though.

 

You still are not supposed to lay refrigerators down. The refrigerant oil will drain out of the compressor into the condenser coils. If you have no other option, then let the refrigerator sit upright for a few hours before you plug it back up.

 

Stand the refrigerator up only, x2.

Does the truck you are borrowing have a backrack or even bed pockets.

Your talking maybe 4+ ft above the bed rails, so it needs to be tight and checked every so often.
Put a piece of plywood against the cab end of the bed and secure as high as possible in both directions and pulled tight against the plywood/end of bed with a third strap.
Hooks from Straps should go in the holes in the pockets not the tight downs.
If there is a BackRack see if you can additionally secure against that too, to reduce the sway at the top.


DRIVE SLOW !

Also, I accept no responsibility if you use my ideas and they do not work, these ideas are just me thinking out loud and something I might do if I were in your place.

One more thing, you could rent a U-Haul High-Side Trailer and tow it home that way.

 

i didnt know it was that big of a deal really ive had no issues.

 

This.

What I did was left the fridge on the dolly and gave my self a lower point to strap a ratchet strap to and not have it fall to the ground. I think I also put one strap across the rear top corners to pull down and forward.

 

Done the same... leave the dolly on and strap to it as well. Shouldn't be too big of a deal at all!

 

It also helps with creating a "invisible wall" I guess you could call it. It can't tip forward since the bed and cab are there and it can't flip back as the tires from the dolly and being strapped in dont alow it to.