My Bed design

[trimster]

Got it. Thanks.

Brain fart...or old fart brain.

[trimster]

Sub-frame for bed all finished. We had 3 days in the 40's. Tolerable. Next weather break is a week away if one believes the weather dudes on the tube.

Decided not to do a beaver-tail. I think it's a good decision all around.

Next up... the 2x2 cross members. I'm having a fabricator look at the stuff I need them to do. The ramp boxes, rear tool/generator boxes, tread plate deck and the finish plate work across the back and over the tires.

More info and photos as I progress. Didn't think I would enjoy the welding part as much as I have been. And so far, I have been able to save a good chunk on the steel by finding rems. Not going to be able to save on the 2x2 however. Need to much of a certain length to find it in a Remanent pile.

[trimster]

whoohooo... load of steel to start the cross ribs and bed rail.

Nothing like the smell of steel in the morning!

[trimster]

Good weather today so the steel came out of the shop and got tack welded to the subframe. So far, stuff is going together as planned.

One more cross member and some bits for the tail end, and it's ready for the fabricators to finish off. It will end up being 101" wide when the outside C-channel railing is attached. 

[trimster]

Update...found a way to make the ramp boxes removable. They will bolt in and slide out when unbolted. This solves the maintenance access to stuff below the bed.

The deck plates will be screwed down, like my last truck bed decking. So lots of drilling and tapping in my future.

[SuiteSuccess]

Looking good.  I wish I would have learned some fabrication skills.  Some of you guys are true artists.  My dad was like that but I was too academically inclined to get dirty,  Now I love projects but most are amateurish.  But I have learned the critical skill of at least leaving a little blood on every mechanical project 🤫

[trimster]

 

....and blood has been spilt on this project. 

Thanks for the good vibes. 

[Randyretired]

That looks really good!  It will be worth it when you are enjoying it.  Working outside this time of year can be trying.

[Chad Heiser]

Looking good.  I've got some ideas for my new bed that I have been building (in my head) for some time.  I don't think I will be doing the actual work myself though.  I wish I had the skill and the metal working tools to do it myself, but I guess it is good to do my part to keep the economy going and pay someone else to do it too.  😁

[trimster]

Fully understand.  I'm learning on the fly. Building a few metal working tools. But I found my limit. I'm having a fabricator do the parts way out of my tool shed & skill set. 

The savings so far have warranted the learning/failure curve. Being retired helps.  Keeping out of the wife's hair...priceless. 

Next week, if I can find a time schedule at the fabrication shop (they're really busy here) the credit card gets a big hit. 

[rickeieio]

Bob,  Couple of tips I picked up from a past poster here, JW Morgan.......

To bend heavy flat stock, cut a slot where you want the bend.  Leave un-cut places to act as a hinge, bend to desired angle, then weld slots shut.  I usually use a Milwaukee metal cutting circular saw, or a plasma cutter.

For nice radiused corners, split a piece of heavy wall pipe and weld your flat stock to it.

Rather than tapping holes, drill a little oversize, pull a flange nut in from behind until the flange is seated and secure with an old bolt/washer to leave access to the area where the nut meets the hole.  Weld around the outside of the nut.  Unscrew the bolt leaving clean threads.  

Loving your project.  Keep it up.

[trimster]

Question(s).... to support the 3/16 deck plate...how many supports should I put between the 2x2 cross ribs? Spacing?

I was thinking 2x2x thick angle between, spaced every 15 to 20".

Also, I need a source for rubber strips.  2"x 1/8". This will go between the bed ribs & the deck plate to stop rattles. 

Bob

[Parrformance]

54 minutes ago, trimster said:

 

Also, I need a source for rubber strips.  2"x 1/8". This will go between the bed ribs & the deck plate to stop rattles. 

Bob

The local grocery store often discards the rubber belts they use at checkout.  These are tough sturdy belts.

They can be cut with a good razor knife into strips.

Any chance there is a grocery headquartered near you?

[trimster]

...and we take a break while mother nature makes a statement...

[trimster]

With the snow flying, I started fabrication of the wheel chocks. They will get powder coated and the rachett assembly mounted. I had a few 5"x5"x ¼ chunks of angle kicking around. 

[trimster]

Question about deck plate. I'm changing to 3/16" aluminium.  My design has full bed-width sections removable for access. I calculated the weight of steel deck plate per sq foot. Sections come out just too heavy to be easily managed. 

I was concerned about deflection where the Smart car would set. That area under each tire, would be 8"x20" supported on 4 sides. Seems like the deflection would be <1/16 at 800 lbs. which is more weight per wheel than the Smart will exert. 

Thoughts &/or concerns welcome. 

[jenandjon]

Remember when you tie down you will have the weight of the car plus whatever force the ratchet puts on. Also bouncing down the road will put more weight on than sitting still.

[GlennWest]

I would make them longer. Doesn't always go up in same place.

[trimster]

Sober day. Got a quote for the 3/16" aluminum tread plate. Because of the odd sizes needed (read lots of waist) it will take 5 sheets to cover the bed.... at $852/sheet. WTF. It's 6061 T6, 48 x 96. There in lies some of the problem... the width. Because the bed is 101" wide, the area to be covered with tread plate is 97.75" wide. Ya, 1.75" wider than a standard 4'x8' sheet. There's 10' sheets out there. I need to find the supplier locally.

So that hits the old budget at $4600.00.  Waaaay out of line I think.

I'm looking towards aluminum due to weight. 2.8lbs/sq. ft vs. 8.6 lbs/sq. ft for steel. One steel section across the bed would be 200#. Not something I can imagine handling if needs be...and there will be needs.

I could go to 1/8" steel tread plate and cut the weight down to a mere 140#... and that is still hefty.

I'm now looking to breaking the plate layout pattern into smaller segments. Most in the roughly 33"x33" size. That allows me to get 36 x 48 pieces and cut them to fit . It will be less weight (if I use steel) per panel... about 50# each which is manageable.

I think I need to re-visit the plate layout. Maybe a different layout will work better. I have focused on 'across the bed'. It might be less waist and easier to do it lengthwise, down the bed. I'll need to do a layout plot.

[Lance A Lott]

A couple of thoughts, from me they will be worth every penny they will cost you. Aluminium and steel dont play well together, stainless bolts are a must and so is isolating them from each other, my opion atleast.  I felt that there was realy very little that I couldn't get to with the bed in tacked so I only made access openings behind the cab so I could get to the cab airbags and shocks.

 

I wonder how many have realy found they would have gladly paid the price and the work to have access after they built the bed and not just thought it would have been handy?

[trimster]

So it looks like I can break the deck into 12 panels. If I do steel... about 50#/panel. Manageable. It also reduces the 4'x10' sheets of tread plate to 3.  It still leaves a 1.75" gap in the middle of the deck. Not sure how to deal with that. This is going to be a whole-lotta drilling and tapping into the 3/16 x 2 x 2 tubing. Maybe a good job for the grandson...hmmmm.

Note: these plates will be supported more than what is shown here. For example, plate #1 has a 2x2x 3/16 square tube running the width in the middle of the 34" span. So the unsupported span is more like 16" x 32".  Plate #2, 6, 10 and #4, 8, 12 (where the Smart Car or Can-Am will drive on) have an unsupported span of 23" x 16". NOTE: each plate is simply supported all around the edges. Under the tires in parked position will be the  deck plate + angle iron supports welded to the cross ribs. That will be plenty strong I think. I'm just concerned about the deflection when driving the car onto/across the deck. My hunch is that 1/8th will work.

Edited February 16, 2021 by trimster

[jenandjon]

So use steel in most places but aluminum in places you are most likely need to remove them. I guess I am not understanding why you would need to remove them but everyone build is unique. I guess it old be nice to access air lines and such from the top but its not like you will be under there every other day.

[Parrformance]

I do have access to the top of the drive axles from above, but have used it once n the four years I have owned the truck.

I will however say, that the natural light the access from the top provides whilst working under the truck, provides for much easier maintenance and repair. 

[Lance A Lott]

With a tandom I think you are going to want a heavier deck.  A couple of removable panels would probably be enough.  There is almost nothing outside the frame rails that you would need access too from the top and stuff like air leaks might take longer to remove a panel then to just fix. For the time and money you are contemplating spending you could pay someone to go under there and fix it for you and not have to front all that money  lol.

I put stake pockets on the sides of my bed so I was able to use 8 feet of steel and still get too 8 feet 6 inches. If you ran 16 inch wide panels, or 2 8", lengths of your choise, down the middle of the deck you would have access to almost every component under the truck. The rest could be welded in place. I did this across the front as my bed is 11 feet long so I made up the rest with a smooth plate at the front. 

[trimster]

2 hours ago, Lance A Lott said:

With a tandom I think you are going to want a heavier deck.  A couple of removable panels would probably be enough.  There is almost nothing outside the frame rails that you would need access too from the top and stuff like air leaks might take longer to remove a panel then to just fix. ....

Good points. I'll rethink the panel layout. Like the idea of the center sections being removable.