I've moved several times and had to put my bikes in the back of a Uhaul (but you aren't supposed to, they get pissy).
Bear in mind you need to drain the tanks or ALL your stuff will smell like gasoline from it being sloshed around and becoming vapour.You need:
- one 2x4 foot 7/8" thick plywood sheet (if you get a 4 x 8 you can make 4 pallets)
- one bike chock (see photos, i got mine for $15 off ebay)
- 4 3/8" 4 inch long eye bolts with 2 fender washers and 2 nuts each.
- 1/4" bolts and nuts to secure chock
- 2 12" pieces of 2x4
-2 4 or 6 foot pcs of 2x4 for cross-ties
- 2 1/2" #8 wood screws (at least 10 per pallet)
-3/8 " carriage bolts, washers and 3/8" wingnuts
- 3/8" bit
- 2" flycut bit
The assembly is a little complicated but after the first one you'll get it.
The eye-bolts and side pieces are the trickiest part. You need to relieve the space under the 12" 2x4" for the eye bolt using the 2" flycutter bit, and then attach the eye-bolt to the sides of the plywood from the bottom with the wood screws. That way, the weight of the bike is pulling UP and the screws are holding from the bottom.
If you are making a single pallet, you need to make some cross-pieces from 2x4 at least 4 feet wide and put some feet on them to make up for the 7/8 thick plywood. I mounted mine with carriage bolts and wingnuts so I could remove them easier.
if you are making multiple pallets, you attach the pallets to each other using a cross tie. In the photos below, I have 3 pallets and they have 2 cross ties, one a the top and one at the bottom. There are carriage bolts inserted from the bottom.
This cost me about $30 each + time and tools to make. I sold them on Craigslist after the last move for $60 each.
