Flatbeds with FWC's

[krj]

Hi everyone, new FWC owner and new to the site.
Just picked up an '89 Grandby for my '03 Tundra. It was a good deal, and a good excuse to build a flatbed for my Tundra!
I'm building some storage boxes for the sides and was looking through galleries on the site here for ideas. Kind of surprised to not see any flatbed setups out there. I can't be the only one. Any one else out there with a flatbed and some good ideas for built, or purchased, side storage boxes? I've got one side built to store my windsurfing sails. It works and looks fine, but a cabinet maker I am not. Could use some ideas for the other side. Thanks.
Kevin

 

[Overland Hadley]

I guess there are just not many people in the US that are using flatbeds. And most of the flatbeds that I have seen are on old beater Dodges.

But it does make a lot of sense for a camper platform.

 

[BLM]

You might try a CL search for JoBox or Weatherguard and see what is available for truck side tool boxes

Examples

http://spokane.craig...2078434261.html


"...2 JOBOX 87" Aluminum Heavy-Duty Topside Boxes, They are ssed but will clean up nice, one of the boxes has a small crack about 4 inches long but still in overall good condition. They sell new for over $500 apiece. Call for more info. "

http://reno.craigsli...2066489744.html

"..Two matching tool boxes, keyed the same. Bolt onto side rails of your truck bed. I have the angle brackets for attaching to front saddle box if you want."

http://spokane.craig...2051225121.html


Or new from Northern Tool:

http://www.northernt...ide-mount-boxes

http://www.northernt...59914_200359914

 

[teleturns]

According to Overland Hadley I guess I fit into the "Old Beater Dodge" category. I love my old Cummins and I love my flat bed. The flat bed made it where I could fit an older (and extremely cheaper) FWC that typically doesn't fit on newer trucks. I have recently been thinking about installing tool boxes on the sides of my flat bed to fit under the camper, but I think large hinged sides might be better. I like to store large items on the sides of my bed when my FWC is loaded (ie ez up, shovels, fire wood, etc......). Right now I have a pair of 2x12 rails that are getting the job done. Also if you had sides that hinged down, they could double as a table. One recomendation I can give about flat beds and truck bed campers is to mount your flat bed as low as possible. Typically the deck on flat beds is 4"-6" higher than normal truck beds. This causes the over hang of the camper to catch more air over the cab of the truck. This also raises the center of gravity when your camper is loaded. If you are building your own flat bed or having one built try to place the deck directly above the highest point of the frame.

One other thing is I would go with aluminum to cut weight also.

Here is a pick of my set up

 

[jmodge]

Now there is a guy who looks like he knows how to have fun. In my younger days "old beater chevy's" were my weopon of choice. We used to have a lot of trails in the Grand Rapids area, thanks to the gypsum companies and sinkholes.

 

[telebrewer]

According to Overland Hadley I guess I fit into the "Old Beater Dodge" category. I love my old Cummins and I love my flat bed. The flat bed made it where I could fit an older (and extremely cheaper) FWC that typically doesn't fit on newer trucks. I have recently been thinking about installing tool boxes on the sides of my flat bed to fit under the camper, but I think large hinged sides might be better. I like to store large items on the sides of my bed when my FWC is loaded (ie ez up, shovels, fire wood, etc......). Right now I have a pair of 2x12 rails that are getting the job done. Also if you had sides that hinged down, they could double as a table. One recomendation I can give about flat beds and truck bed campers is to mount your flat bed as low as possible. Typically the deck on flat beds is 4"-6" higher than normal truck beds. This causes the over hang of the camper to catch more air over the cab of the truck. This also raises the center of gravity when your camper is loaded. If you are building your own flat bed or having one built try to place the deck directly above the highest point of the frame.

One other thing is I would go with aluminum to cut weight also.

Here is a pick of my set up

Is that a four wheel camper or ATC? It looks like a FWC sticker under the window. NICE 1st. gen Dodge...

 

[Overland Hadley]

According to Overland Hadley I guess I fit into the "Old Beater Dodge" category. I love my old Cummins and I love my flat bed.


I ment no disrespect.


One recomendation I can give about flat beds and truck bed campers is to mount your flat bed as low as possible. Typically the deck on flat beds is 4"-6" higher than normal truck beds. This causes the over hang of the camper to catch more air over the cab of the truck. This also raises the center of gravity when your camper is loaded. If you are building your own flat bed or having one built try to place the deck directly above the highest point of the frame.


ntsqd mentioned an interested idea for a low COG flatbed. It had wheel wells!

 

[teleturns]

Is that a four wheel camper or ATC? It looks like a FWC sticker under the window. NICE 1st. gen Dodge...



Hey Telebrewer....it's an early 80's FWC. I don't know the exact year but I only paid $500 for it. I threw a little paint on it and installed a new door. This camper is great and I plan on using it for many years to come.

 

[teleturns]

I ment no disrespect.



No hard feelings...I take a lot of crap about my old Dodge from all of my buddies who have new Duramax's. I just like to remind them that my truck is 18 years old and will still out live their new diesels....

 

[krj]

Thanks for all the feed back.
I too like the Old Dodge, not going to kill that Cummin's any time soon. I think I like the Yota crawler better though!
The one box that I have built is one piece and hinged. Like teleturns, I too want to be able to store larger items, sails, fold up chairs, tables etc. I also want it to double as a table. I'll probably duplicate it for the other side, but like I said, a cabinet maker I am not. Always shopping around for ideas from others with more skills than I.
The flatbed is already built, and if I had the equipment and ability it would have been aluminum. As it is, I used 1" box tube for the frame and expanded metal for the surface to keep weight down. I mounted it as close to frame as possible. It turned out lower than the original bed and about 50lbs lighter. I'll throw some pics up when I have more time.
Keep the input coming!
BTW, I used to be a teleturner also. Wised up a while back and switched to AT! I'm just sayin'...
Kevin

 

[teleturns]

Thanks for all the feed back.
I too like the Old Dodge, not going to kill that Cummin's any time soon. I think I like the Yota crawler better though!
The one box that I have built is one piece and hinged. Like teleturns, I too want to be able to store larger items, sails, fold up chairs, tables etc. I also want it to double as a table. I'll probably duplicate it for the other side, but like I said, a cabinet maker I am not. Always shopping around for ideas from others with more skills than I.
The flatbed is already built, and if I had the equipment and ability it would have been aluminum. As it is, I used 1" box tube for the frame and expanded metal for the surface to keep weight down. I mounted it as close to frame as possible. It turned out lower than the original bed and about 50lbs lighter. I'll throw some pics up when I have more time.
Keep the input coming!
BTW, I used to be a teleturner also. Wised up a while back and switched to AT! I'm just sayin'...
Kevin


LETS SEE SOME PICS!!!! My truck already had the flatbed when I purchased it, so I am stuck with the height unless I start over.

And AT skiing sounds interesting but I have one problem.....I don't know how to make downhill (normal skiing) turns....so I'll be sticking with tele

By the way the Toyota Crawler is for sale......

 

[krj]

OK, here we go, lunch time pics. I'm in the final stages of outfitting this for a winter Baja trip. Pressure is on, I'm leaving in a week!
The first one is the flatbed before camper on. I tried to keep it simple yet purposeful. Built it 7' long, which allowed me to keep the bumper, and 6.5' wide which worked well with the lines of the truck. I added stake pockets for use when no camper is on. Tie-downs for camper and other toys are also built in. I've got a rubber mat under the camper and side boxes will cover the remainder of the expanded metal. When no camper, I'll attach plywood. The headache rack is at the same elevation of the original bed so I can use my topper on side boxes when the camper isn't on.

Here are a couple shots of the mounted camper, before I built the side boxes. The PO had 1" shims on the bottom to raise it off the bottom of his truck - he lived in the wet Northwest and was concerned about rot. I removed those and now the cabover is 6" above my cab. He did alot of great remodel work to the camper. He built the box on the back, it's designed to capture the exhaust heat from the furnace in-order to dry wetsuits. Perfect for me for windsurfing and ski trips.
Here's the first side box I built, this one is for windsurfing sails. I was going to make it full height, but I would have had to remove the Jack mounts, an eye-bolt up front and a few random bolts elsewhere. Seemed easier to build it lower. As it turned out, it's also the perfect height to accomodate beers! The next box will be essentially the same, but I think I'll use 1X12 for the door to give it a smooth surface for table use.
Once I'm finished I'll post some pics showing entire setup.

At Teleturns - I still break out my tele gear when skiing the resort. It's a beautiful turn, and the closest I can come to dancing! Mostly backcountry these days, and AT is far more efficient. What ever the mode, have fun and keep turnin'. PS, it's dumping here in MT right now!

 

[Overland Hadley]

^ I like it!

 

[teleturns]

I really like the flat bed and the storage boxes you built. I never thought to use wood for the boxes. I do alot of welding so I always have metal on the brain. Keep up the good work.


This year the southwest is in a "LA NINA" pattern, so it seems it will be an extremely dry winter. I will have to head north to get good powder.

 

[MakersTeleMark]

AT = After Tele; Already Tele'd. Very nice flatbed rig.

 

[BSS]

Telemark = Norwegian for "Wait for me."

 

[krj]

Nice! I hadn't heard that one. When I was a teleskier I always liked: Randonee, French for 'can't tele'.
Oh, by the way, anyone else out there with flatbed set-ups?

 

[Overland Hadley]

Telemark = Norwegian for "Wait for me."


Only because we are making nicer turns!

 

[Lighthawk]

Telemark = Norwegian for "Wait for me."


Good one, BSS. Reminds me of an old K2 Telemark shirt I have that says 'If it were easy . . .
it'd be called Snowboarding' snark

Back in the eighties I had a home-made camper on a '79 toyota flatbed. Framed with 2x4's and sided with cedar, it had a boot which made an easy hop from the bench seat of the 4 cyl, 4 speed work truck to a foam bed that flipped up during the day. I briefly lived with my dog out of the vehicle when I was in my mid-twenties. Drove that for 13 years and almost 200k miles. But I digress. . .

 

[teleturns]

Good one, BSS. Reminds me of an old K2 Telemark shirt I have that says 'If it were easy . . .
it'd be called Snowboarding' snark

Looks like someone got their panties in a ruffle over the K2 comment
http://www.yobeat.com/features/teleski.htm

OK OK ....back to the build

Old N New

Do you have any plans to build some type of air deflector to move the wind over the camper? On my dodge I have about the same distance of 6" between the roof to the overhead of the camper. I think I am going to tie into the headache rack and build a small cantilevered roof rack with an air deflector. I guess one yakima crossbar and and wind screen would work too....