Roll-Up Door for Drom Box

[bmzero]

I'm looking to build (or hopefully buy) a drom box for my truck to go between the two exhaust stacks. I would really like to have a roll up door on it so that the contents of the box would be somewhat accessible with a vehicle loaded on the bed platform.

 

I have seen some photos on here of this type of setup, so I know it has been done, but for the life of me, I can't find any information or photos on that now. Any suggestions?

[bmzero]

Found this place - http://www.romcorp.com/products/compartment-access/rom-roll-up-doors

 

They speak of fire trucks, which is practically "government work", so I'm sure they're pricey.

[Piedmontexpress]

This is what I would like to do too. I think STRONGHOLD cabinets has some info. They will do custom. Maybe you can glean some info from them!

[Jack Mayer]

JW put a rollup door on Bob and Sue Guthrie's drom. It is quite nice....but pretty pricey.

[bmzero]

JW put a rollup door on Bob and Sue Guthrie's drom. It is quite nice....but pretty pricey.

 

That's what I'm afraid of.

[SuiteSuccess]

Brit,

 

Bob Guthrie has one on his drom. He will be at ECR and he can probably give you some info. I will email you JW Morgan's email. He built his drom and might be able to help also.

Edit: Jack beat me to the post. Will still email you.

[bmzero]

Maybe I could build the cabinet so that the doors just slide straight up. I don't think I have ever parked in a spot where vertical clearance is an issue. That would be cheap, easy, and water tight.

 

Brit,

Bob Guthrie has one on his drom. He will be at ECR and he can probably give you some info. I will email you JW Morgan's email. He built his drom and might be able to help also.

 

Thanks

[RickW]

Suppliers for Fire Apparatus are going to be your best bet. Yes they will be pricey but good quality. The roll up doors work great in urban areas where a swinging door can be an issue but because of price some departments still spec swinging doors.

[Pat & Pete]

Maybe I could build the cabinet so that the doors just slide straight up. I don't think I have ever parked in a spot where vertical clearance is an issue. That would be cheap, easy, and water tight.

 

 

Thanks

 

You might consider a multi sectional slide up door . That should negate any concern of clearance .

[bmzero]

 

You might consider a multi sectional slide up door . That should negate any concern of clearance .

 

My current train of thought is to use traditional hinged doors with vertical sliding access panels in each of the two doors. When the vehicle is not loaded, access would be with the traditional hinged doors. If access is needed while the vehicle is loaded, one of the access panels could be slid upward. Keeping it water tight is my only concern, which shouldn't be difficult at all.

[maveric]

We have used a couple different door companies on our fire trucks over the years. The ROM doors are by far the best. The other ones tend to bind on the tracks over time and make it difficult to open/close.

[rpsinc]

Not sure if a commercial style roll up door like what is used in warehouses would meet your needs but they can be pretty cost EFFECTIVE.

 

Try Overhead Door, Porvene or Janus. Might have to buy through a dealer but these are what is most often used in those applications. I work in those environments so I have seen them.

 

I also know that an 8'X8' can be had for around $350 new. CL might have NOS or overstock doors that can be bought for ~$100-$150 depending on size. Be careful to consider the barrel size when the door is completely open. This is assuming that the barrel would be installed inside. These are typically called sheet doors. Sectional doors would not work as you expect for you application.

 

Marcel

[Pat & Pete]

 

My current train of thought is to use traditional hinged doors with vertical sliding access panels in each of the two doors. When the vehicle is not loaded, access would be with the traditional hinged doors. If access is needed while the vehicle is loaded, one of the access panels could be slid upward. Keeping it water tight is my only concern, which shouldn't be difficult at all.

 

I can see that . Fairly inexpensive and effective .

[Star Dreamer]

Look at some compartment doors on travel busses. Many use a lift up door for their luggage compartments. Maybe borrow the hardware from a wrecked one.

[rickeieio]

Side door from a retired beverage truck. You'll need to make your own track, and the term "waterproof" might be applied loosely. But, it would be cheap, and would prove, or dis-prove, the concept.

 

Dang, I just scrapped out an old Dr. Pepper truck a couple of years ago. It had six regular doors and two wider ones over the drive axles.

 

Oh, they're aluminum, so you'll need Charlie to come buff 'em for ya.

[Star Dreamer]

Check out Visone RV parts in KY. They show some used parts that might be modified or reverse engineered.

 

Maybe a good day trip from the ECR as it looks to be about 3 hours away.

[ray.service]

I researched this a few years ago. ROM have the best selection/options. They were all very expensive and take up a lot of room inside the box. I may still have the quote around.

[Steve from SoCal]

If you can live with the width, a roll top bed cover would be a good substitute for a tambor door.

 

Steve

[Dollytrolley]

When the Dollytrolley became part of the "horse-support-motor-pool" it came with a 4 ft full height coffin sleeper mounted backwards so that the cab opening was at bed level and side sliding double barn type doors that were 6 ft H X 6ft W that are very nice for loading all manner of large cargo.......BUT by far the best loved feature are the two side doors that are 42" W X 76" H that are so nice to access at street level for various truck and RV items needed for quick camp setup or break down. The curb side side door has a 10 drawer full size top chest tool box and both sides have 110 VAC , 12VDC and truck compressed air chucks and LED work lights that flood light both sides of the truck and trailer for night service work ( or stealing diesel form other trucks at the truck stop late at night).

 

Now the downside.........a 8ft X H X +8Ft W X 4ft Deep DROM is a very tempting space for friends to ask for space to haul such things as HD Sportsters , Honda Quads, TWO 300 HP Merc Varados and the list never ends. Of course there is also Dolly-the-paint-horse.....of course as horse has plenty of "NEEDS" like 1,000 of feed , 500 lbs of tack, a 330 gal tote of water and whatever additional do-dads any pretty nag needs to impress the rest of the nags.........one upside is that the floor of the DROM has a trapdoor access to the truck batteries but the downside is if 1,000 lbs of horse feed and 330 gal of water is setting on the trap door it's a bit of a bummer........

 

Now if we are scheduled for a longer "Dolly-Expedition" we sling the 8ft X 12ft flat bed and coffin-sleeper-DROM off and slide Morgan GVMD109 X 20 ft long Cargo Van (Ex-Ryder) with a 8ft W X 103" H roll up back door and a 40" W X 100" H curb-side door......The upside of this cargo box is that we can haul every thing that the coffin-sleeper can haul AND our 1980 Full Size GMC Jimmy plus a whole lot more junk and the best part is that when we set-up Dolly camp and unload the big box we now have a +8 ft W X +9ft H X 20 FOOT LONG room that makes most toy-haulers look pretty wimpy

 

Now the DOWNSIDE of too-big-of-a-box...........all of a sudden the friends of your friends of your friends want to be.......your friend......trust me you do NOT want to get into the haul-business with a Motor Home plated HDT it just aint cool and likely the 20 ft box could not hold enough Dr Pepper to get you out of the ticket book.....(well 20 ft of Dr Pepper is a lot of pop)........anyhow just stand firm and give the "friends" the U-haul or Ryder rent-a-truck number...........

 

Morgan are nice folks that will build a nice box even custom side door Smart-car garages for a fair price and they include the doors of your choice.........

 

As you know from your race days enclosed space has as lot of merit......

 

Drive on..........(Doors, doors and more......doors)

[bmzero]

That's what I like about these trucks, the flexibility to make them work for everyone's specific needs. A LGT does not provide that flexibility.

 

For my needs, I would not need a very large drom box. I may not need one at all, but I hate wasted space. I'm going to build the brackets for the exhaust stacks into the side of the drom box. Basically, I'll be replacing the exhaust stack cross brace with a drom box. It will sit pretty tight against the back of the cab (with room for cab to move, of course). It should be about 12-14" deep, and 6' tall. It looks like I'll be making it all myself since finding one that is perfect isn't going to happen.

[Rick & Alana]

For my needs, I would not need a very large drom box. I may not need one at all, but I hate wasted spac

 

Build it you will fill it!

[Jack Mayer]

I look forward to what you build....you always come up with some exotic and VERY cool stuff. Things I would not think of. So I look forward to your drom....maybe I will model my next one after yours.....

[lappir]

For my needs, I would not need a very large drom box. I may not need one at all, but I hate wasted spac

 

Build it you will fill it!

Don't we know it Rick.

[phoenix2013]

JW ,ran quite a thread during that build discussing the roll up doors. Besides the cost, his general comment was that if another customer wanted these he would never under any circumstances agree to install these again. Apparently it was a bear, with the wrong parts (or hardware) supplied, lousy instruction, they took too much space when rolled up, etc. He was not a happy camper, indicating that it was not a good product installing it for a customer in a reasonable number of hours, for which you are going to get compensated.

Now, for a one off "challenge", where number of (free, uncompensated) hours is immaterial, these are great!

[SuiteSuccess]

Nice that we have " young guns" like Brit that are so creative but I must say losing JW Morgan was a blow to this community. When he was involved with most of his projects cost was the number one consideration. Think we have morphed to a new group of HDTers where cost takes a second seat to function and quality as evidenced by those purchasing new, tricked out trucks. With a more liberal budget, would be interested to see what creativity he could have brought to the table. I'm glad I get to window shop the new trucks, additions, and bed designs.