Flatbed / Ute Tray design input wanted please

[ckent323]

Vic,

If you can find someone proficient at custom body work something like my custom fold down cargo bed side approach may work.

Sadly my body guy has been struggling to get the latches right so I am going to take this project to a different shop for completion.

https://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/gallery/album/1220-1993-dodge-w250-fold-down-truck-cargo-bed-side-storage-access-mod/

Total cost should be less and lighter in weight than a new service body or flatbed. Plus the bed floor height remains unchanged whereas the flatbed raises the cargo bed floor (to clear the wheel and give them room.

Regards,

Craig

Regards,

Craig

 

[Vic Harder]

Craig, I have admired your approach for a while now, and am looking forward to seeing it completed.

Another concern I have about commercially available flatbeds, is that they are overbuilt for what we need. Strength wise, it's only the areas that might be supporting under/over bed boxes that have to be super strong. The bed area is supporting very little weight, and if the camper is attached to the frame, the box/bed matters very little. There was/is even a member from Mexico with a Ford Ranger (or is it a Taco?) that has NO bed or box, just the camper bolted on.

 

[ski3pin]

Craig, I have admired your approach for a while now, and am looking forward to seeing it completed.

Another concern I have about commercially available flatbeds, is that they are overbuilt for what we need. Strength wise, it's only the areas that might be supporting under/over bed boxes that have to be super strong. The bed area is supporting very little weight, and if the camper is attached to the frame, the box/bed matters very little. There was/is even a member from Mexico with a Ford Ranger (or is it a Taco?) that has NO bed or box, just the camper bolted on.

Vic is correct. It was an international Ford Ranger model from Mexico and All Terrain Campers built the camper for it.

 

[OutbacKamper]

Great info and ideas!

I can see the appeal to a stock height cargo deck and I really like the oem looking box sides that open to reveal hidden storage. I believe there was a company called Royal truck beds (?) that produced a fiberglass oem looking service body box a few years ago.

In my case I need a heavy duty cargo box for use when the camper is not installed so a light duty bed or no bed is definielty not what I'm looking for. My rig is definitely intended to be a stand alone heavy duty truck that can carry a camper rather than an RV based on a truck with a permamnent camper installed.