I was wondering if anyone on here has solutions or suggestions for quick and easy changeover from a work rig to a fun rig. I was thinking along the lines of a complete shell canopy that could lift off or a tool slide that could slide out and disconnect.
Has anybody done anything along these lines?
I don't have pics at the moment, but I did something along those lines. I have an Undercover for the bed. I took my box out made a slide out.
I used a piece of 3/4 plywood cut to fit between the fender wells, I then attached double 2Xs (3") along the edge of the sheet the length of the bed. On top of the 2Xs are casters placed at 1' intervals. I then built a shallow tray using another 3/4" sheet and framed it with 2Xs for compartments. The upper tray can "roll" in and out with ease for removal. I did have to put a lock on it as it rolls really easy... Don't park on an incline with the gate down! Easiest way to get the box out if you want. Anyway, I'll take some pics but it's worked for me for a couple of years now.
I built a roll out box on heavy steel wheel roller and track system. Works great. Jp
Jp7191, post: 337480, member: 1617 wrote: I built a roll out box on heavy steel wheel roller and track system. Works great. Jp
JP, that looks pretty ingenious. Do you have some sort of mechanism to lock it in place in the bed to keep it from banging into the tailgate and front of the bed? Does it slide completely out so that you can store it on a couple sawhorses or something similar and then easily slide it back in on Monday morning?
I want one of these...
I have a 6ft truck box running the length of driver's side of the bed and a rail on the lid fitted with gun rack for poles, tripods and such thru the day. Various sizes of Plano plastic boxes filled with setups for traverse in one set and GPS days in another.
Large box of basic socket sets, wrench and misc tools that also contains 18volt drill, saws-all and side grinder.
Split 6in PVC holder for rods, pipes and shovels and a 6ft digging and tamping bar in middle of bed.
At the tailgate are laths, 4ft bubble level and a my newly found orange 3/8in fiberglass monument stakes.
2gal water can and 7gal ice chest.
It takes very little time to pull it all out and stack in a shed.
For the big stuff I pull a 5x10 trailer with an Rancher ATV, post hole diggers, tpost, drivers and cones. Trailer has a rear bumper with a 2in receiver hitch and a boat winch on the front. I had that added so I could pull a flat bottom boat to those special water covered projects.
My wish book contains one of those Highway Products, Inc Surveyor Pack inserts.
Here is what I have now. It's rather simple from previous incarnations. It's easy to slide in and out, it isn't heavy and I can do it by myself in about 5 minutes.
20 years ago when I was in college, I worked for a Civil Engineer as a party chief and my personal truck was the field truck. I would back into the office garage bay under this rack and pully system he had designed. We would hook up the four corners of the shell (that he built himself that would fit in any truck bed) with the equipment still in it and then use a ratchet like device to crank the cables and lift the box out of the bed of the truck. It was pretty ingenious to me at the time.
eapls2708, post: 337512, member: 589 wrote: JP, that looks pretty ingenious. Do you have some sort of mechanism to lock it in place in the bed to keep it from banging into the tailgate and front of the bed? Does it slide completely out so that you can store it on a couple sawhorses or something similar and then easily slide it back in on Monday morning?
I actually found the roll out bed on CraigÛªs list but here is a site that sell new ones BEDSLIDE Cargo Management. Yes it has a latching system. Yes it slides out and I did make a couple of heavy duty sawhorses that are the same height as the truck. I can roll out my survey tools in a matter of minutes and go to the dump, lumber yard or camping and return to a work rig Monday morning. Jp
My Brother (Carpenter) has what you describe. They're not too common but you see them around a bit.
They're called a "JackOff" tray here. Lift off Ute Trays - Liftoff Service Bodies - Alloy Canopies - Liftoff Campers - Ute Toolboxes - Ute Covers
