DIY pickup bed cover that will carry a load.

[strantor]

The OP asked about the weight rating of the bed sides. That's all I was talking about.

Got it, and I am the OP.

The Diamondback SXS carriers are carrying the side by sides on top of the truck. It's not crushing them, so apparently whatever the bed side is rated for is enough. I don't know if they have any other support that extends down to the bottom of the bed.

You're probably right but my point was that there is room for the scenario where they make a good strong bed cover and advertise its impressive weight rating to attract buyers, without mentioning (maybe mentioned somewhere in fine print) that the rating of their bed cover greatly exceeds the capacity of the bed rails so carrying the advertised weight is therefore not achievable without modification to the truck. Kind of like how they market bolt-on superchargers that add 250HP to your engine but they don't tell you that along with that extra HP you'll need to beef up your driveline or else destroy it - that's something they just expect you to already know.

 

[oosik]

I drooled over Diamondbacks for a while. Then I realized - the only way I could get at anything is climb up into the bed. My Taco Wagon is just too high to be reaching over the sides. I got a LOPRO.

The Op's top is hell for stout. And a really great job. I see no reason it wouldn't carry the same weight as a Diamondback.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I wouldn't be surprised if it can carry more, which was the point I was trying to make. If the DB covers and a truck together can shoulder a 1200+lb SXS, I'd think at the very least this one can handle that much!

I'd hate to find the extreme upper limit the hard way though.

 

[rgr33]

Every time I start to get A little proud of my meager fabrication skills, somebody on here shows me what a guy with real skills can do.

well done strantor, the planning and assembly work you put into that cover is amazing. Really admire your work.

 

[strantor]

I drooled over Diamondbacks for a while. Then I realized - the only way I could get at anything is climb up into the bed. My Taco Wagon is just too high to be reaching over the sides.

Exactly. Trucks all got bigger. A half ton tuck of 20 yrs ago is smaller than your Tacoma, and a Tacoma of 20 yrs ago (or was it a T100?) Doesn't exist anymore. It would be a toy in today's market. In my 2005 Sierra I was able to easily reach over the side and grab something. Same for my 1990 F250. You would need to be 7 or 8 ft tall to access the bed of these newer trucks like the old ones. So now we have literal staircases that fold out of tailgates (if you pay for such things). It's pretty silly, but that's the reality now.

The Op's top is hell for stout. And a really great job. I see no reason it wouldn't carry the same weight as a Diamondback.

Thank you.

 

[strantor]

Every time I start to get A little proud of my meager fabrication skills, somebody on here shows me what a guy with real skills can do.

well done strantor, the planning and assembly work you put into that cover is amazing. Really admire your work.

High praise! Too high, I'm afraid. I'm a novice fabricator at best. I just have a habit of biting off more than I can chew and then being too stubborn to spit it out. There's a reason I didn't post any closeups of my welds. They're... "functional."

Here's my first attempt at stitching together the aluminum sheets for the deck; I made an aluminum taco:

I guess you can't really see it in the picture but there's at least a 5 degree angle between each of the sheets.

 

[strantor]

After my failed attempt at welding the aluminum sheets together with the MIG/spoolgun, I decided I would cut that warped middle section out, make a new middle section, and I would not try welding them again. I would just silicone between the edges. Well I did all that (minus the silicone) but after putting the sheets up on the frame and walking on them I was not happy with it. The cut lines of the aluminum do not line up with the lateral supports on the frame so there are edges of aluminum floating freely with no support, and they bow when you step near them. So I had to choose between welding in more steel support under the edges of the aluminum, or try welding the aluminum again. I tried welding the aluminum again.

This time I used the TIG machine and I clamped the sheets tightly between unistrut to hopefully keep them from warping. Not sure if it worked but I will find out in the morning.

 

[Renze]

Interesting to see American solutions to problems that dont even exist in Europe (because every tradesman or serviceman has a van)

I dont know how much weight youre going to put on top of that, but apart from the bed rails strength, keep in mind that a pallet of cement bags may be within rated capacity of the truck, but the high center of gravity will alter its handling in corners !

I would have preferred to rid the bed and build me a flatbed with integrated toolboxes under it. But thats just me, having worked in the body and trailer business years ago.

 

[strantor]

Interesting to see American solutions to problems that dont even exist in Europe (because every tradesman or serviceman has a van)

Yeah but can your fancy vans do this?

I think not. And I think that's why Americans only use vans to transport tourists, cripples, and church youth groups.

Just kidding, point taken.

I dont know how much weight youre going to put on top of that, but apart from the bed rails strength, keep in mind that a pallet of cement bags may be within rated capacity of the truck, but the high center of gravity will alter its handling in corners !

Good point, its center of gravity would be less than ideal with a tall heavy load.

I would have preferred to rid the bed and build me a flatbed with integrated toolboxes under it. But thats just me, having worked in the body and trailer business years ago.

Not a bad idea. I did consider a flatbed but the timing of my purchase was bad. My previous vehicle died right in the middle of this chip shortage and I didn't have the thousands of options that I normally would have

 

[Renze]

Yeah but can your fancy vans do this?

I think not. And I think that's why Americans only use vans to transport tourists, cripples, and church youth groups.

Just kidding, point taken.

We would move vehicles like this:

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

316 CDI 2.7 402 156pk oprijwagen Diesel uit 2003 - www.autobedrijf-wagenaar.nl

www.autobedrijf-wagenaar.nl

And what youre trying to do, i would gravitate towards something like this: an open bed with dropsides, and tool cabinets under the floor on each side.

Des années d'expérience résultent en une qualité parfaite

Spécialiste dans la construction et l'aménagement de camions et camionnettes, conteneurs et pulvérisation. Aussi bien du travail sur mesure que des solutions standard. Solide et durable.

www.alumac.be