How to pick up a liquidation pallet: vehicles, sizes and what to bring

Before you go: pay, book a slot, get your code

Pickup on Two Bro Sales is local only, at the seller's warehouse in metro Atlanta, Georgia, so the trip is part of what every lot really costs. Get these five things right before you leave home. New to buying? Read how to buy liquidation pallets first.

Which vehicles fit a liquidation pallet

A standard US pallet is 48 × 40 in (NTG Freight). Three things decide whether a vehicle works: the pallet sits flat between the wheel wells, its stacked height clears the door, and the vehicle can carry the weight.

Pickup trucks: one pallet easily, two with the tailgate down

Ford lists 50.6 in between the wheelhouses on every 2026 F-150 box, so the 48 in side lies across the bed. Two pallets need 80 in of floor: the 8 ft box (97.6 in) takes both with the tailgate up, the 6.5 ft box (78.9 in) leaves the second about an inch past the tailgate line, and the 5.5 ft box (67.1 in) about 13 in.

Weight is the real limit. The F-150’s maximum payload runs from 1,405 to 2,440 lb by engine, including you and your passenger, and two dense pallets can go straight past it.

Vans and trailers: check the door, not the floor

A Sprinter-type high-roof van has about 53 in between the arches, room for two pallets on a 144 in wheelbase or three on a 170 in (EngineerFix). Smaller vans are another story: U-Haul’s 9 ft cargo van has a rear door 4 ft 1 in high.

U-Haul’s 6×12 cargo trailer has a door 5 ft 1 in high and a 2,480 lb maximum load. A pallet stacked close to 5 ft leaves the forks almost no room to lift it over the trailer floor, and a forklift can only set it just inside the door; moving it forward takes a pallet jack.

Box trucks: how many pallets fit

Box trucks take pallets in two rows. Penske’s 16 ft truck (7 ft 7 in wide inside) holds two rows of about four; U-Haul’s 15 ft (7 ft 8 in wide) fits about six, matching NTG’s figure for a 16 ft box. Penske’s 22–26 ft box is up to 25 ft 11 in long and 8 ft 1 in wide: 12 pallets with the 48 in side lengthwise, or 14 turned, because two 48 in sides (96 in) just fit across. A 53 ft trailer holds 26 single-stacked or 52 double-stacked, but that’s a carrier’s rig, not a rental.

Liquidation pallet sizes and weights

The footprint is standard; height and weight aren’t. Plan around these approximate figures:

• Footprint: 48 × 40 in, though some loads come on odd-size pallets or in gaylord boxes. Check the photos.
• Height: most loaded pallets stand 48–60 in, and many receiving warehouses cap loads at 72 in (Repackify).
• Empty pallet: about 30–48 lb for a wood 48 × 40, rated to about 2,500 lb new and 2,000 lb used (Warp).

No public source publishes weights by liquidation category, so these classes are relative, a starting point before you ask the seller.

What to bring

The platform’s own list:

• Your pickup code (released once the invoice is paid).
• A photo ID for the person signing for the goods.
• A vehicle or trailer that fits the load, or your own freight carrier.

Then pack your own kit:

• Ratchet straps, at least four, rated for the load. Bungees are for tarps.
• A tarp for an open bed or trailer. Wet cardboard sells for less.
• Stretch wrap to re-wrap an opened pallet or bind loose cartons.
• Moving blankets for TVs, furniture and glass.
• A tape measure to check the pallet’s height against your door before it’s lifted.
• Gloves, closed-toe shoes, a dolly and a charged phone for photos of the load.

At the dock: loading and etiquette

Some sellers have a raised dock and a forklift, some load from the ground and some leave loading to you. Read the pickup instructions on the lot page, ask the seller if they don’t say, and never assume a forklift will be waiting.

Dock height and your truck

A standard dock is about 48 in high and box-truck beds run about 40–50 in (SafeRack). Penske lists about 46–50 in on its 22–26 ft non-CDL box, so it backs up level. U-Haul’s moving trucks sit lower (33 in on the 15 ft, 35 in on the 26 ft), and pickups and vans lower still (34 in on U-Haul’s pickup), so those need a forklift loading from the ground.

Pallet pickup without a forklift

• Break it down: hand-load the cartons. Ask the seller first and bring help and a dolly.
• Bring a liftgate: Penske lists one rated up to 3,000 lb on its 22–26 ft non-CDL truck; a pallet jack rolls the pallet on and off.
• Send a carrier with a liftgate truck.

A rental ramp is built for hand trucks: Penske rates the one on its 16 ft truck at up to 1,000 lb, less than many loaded pallets.

Dock etiquette

• Arrive inside your slot with the code and ID ready.
• Park where you’re told, stay clear of the forklift and out of the warehouse.
• Count the pallets and check the wrap before you sign, then photograph the load on your vehicle.
• Unpack at your place, not on the dock, unless the seller says otherwise.
• Strap down before you leave the lot.

Sending your own carrier

Two Bro Sales doesn’t ship, deliver or broker freight, but you can send your own carrier: a freight company, a hotshot driver or a friend with a truck. You hire them and answer for them at the dock.

Driving in from out of town

A long drive pays off best on multi-pallet lots and truckloads. There’s no page for every city: the Atlanta pickup page has the drive-time table from regional cities, the pickup docks and upcoming auction nights.

Time the trip around auction nights

Most sellers schedule auctions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 7 pm Eastern; each auction shows its own times. Lots close 30 seconds apart, so you know what you won that evening. Then:

• Pay the next morning. Cards up to $2,500 confirm at checkout; a bank payment can take up to 4 business days, so don’t book a one-way truck for the day after an ACH payment.
• Book the slot before the truck. The slot form uses your device’s time zone, while the lot page shows the window in Eastern time. Alabama is an hour behind Atlanta, so check twice.
• Skip the seller’s last hour. One slow stretch of interstate and you’ve missed it.

Traffic, overnight stays and rentals

• Pad the drive. The Atlanta drive table uses free-flow times; weekday traffic runs well past them. Check Georgia DOT’s 511GA map and book around rush hour.
• Stay over for an early slot. Pick lodging that allows a box truck or trailer, park in a lit spot and padlock the roll-up door.
• Size the rental: about 6–8 pallets in a 15–16 ft box, 12–14 in a 24–26 ft. Price a one-way rental against the drive back.
• Check the license class. Federal CDL groups start at 26,001 lb GVWR for a single truck (49 CFR 383.91). U-Haul’s 26 ft is rated 25,999 lb, but Penske also rents 22–26 ft trucks that need a CDL.
• Crossing a state line for business? A vehicle rated 10,001 lb or more carrying property in interstate commerce is a commercial motor vehicle (49 CFR 390.5), and Penske’s 16 ft is rated up to 12,500 lb, so check FMCSA’s requirements before you book.

After pickup: the 48-hour check

Unwrap and count as soon as you’re back. On a manifested lot you have 48 hours from the confirmed pickup to file a claim through your order page, with photographs, for a shortage against the manifest, the wrong lot or a condition materially different from the stated code. Shortages under 5% of manifest retail aren’t claimable, and the remedy is a pro-rata refund. As-is lots have no claim window; the manifest guide explains manifested vs unmanifested lots.

Pickup FAQ

How many pallets fit in a pickup truck?

One lies flat in a full-size bed; two fit in an 8 ft box, or a shorter box with the tailgate down. Payload often decides first.

How many pallets fit in a box truck?

About 6–8 in a 15–16 ft box and 12–14 in a 24–26 ft, single layer (the math).

Can a pallet fit in a cargo van or an SUV?

A high-roof van takes two or three; in a small van, check the door height. With a car or SUV, break the pallet down at the dock (ask first) or send a carrier.

How much does a liquidation pallet weigh?

From a few hundred pounds to well over a thousand, depending on what’s on it. Ask the seller before you pick a vehicle.

Can someone else pick up for me?

Yes. Give them the code and tell the seller. They show photo ID and sign, and a carrier’s bill of lading can go on the pickup record.

Is shipping or delivery available?

No. Pickup is local, and Two Bro Sales doesn’t book or broker freight. Full rules are on How it works.

I’m outside Georgia. Can I still buy?

Yes. We accept Georgia Form ST-5 or your state's equivalent (business registration in states without sales tax); ask your tax advisor which document applies to Georgia pickups. See the resale certificate guide.