You guys make light boards and know a lot about foam.
I'm adding a bed slide to my truck. The expensive ones have 1/4" aluminum decks on top and the cheaper ones have the customer add a sheet of 3/4" plywood for the deck. I figure those decks weigh about 65lbs. I figure that has to add a very small but real amount of gas over the next 100K miles. If i cut 40 lbs for very little money and time then it would be economic. I cut unnecessary weight when i can. Improve aerodynamics when i can. Everything adds up, though the aero much more than weight for highway.
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I was wondering if a thin deck, either sheet metal or 1/8" plywood, with blocks of 2" thick XPS foam glued to the bottom of the deck in the 1'-2' wide spaces that seperate the sliding beams, plus more sheet or wood glued to the bottom of those and maybe a few vent holes drilled underneath if neccesary, would work giving me a much lighter but functional deck?? Im guessing i would need stiffer styrofoam than the kind at lowes/home depot. I know they can put the stuff as insulation below garages. My heaviest equipment and also my own weight is 200lbs. Is the idea feasible?
Unfortunately I didn't see any slightly off topic post sub forum here for or i would have put this there;)
Different intended use, but I went with 3/4 ply with thin aluminum diamond plate over it, been very happy with it. Don't think the little bit of weight could make much of a difference.
Yeah kinda small percentage increase, cost or savings but now i’m interested in weather my idea would work or not!!! LOL I have to know if its at least possible even if i don’t use it!
Removing hitch unused for years 60lbs, unused equipment another 100lbs. I occasionally have to go near the payload capacity and im adding small amount of weight other places. The truth is i cant lower the 4200lb stock weight of the truck drastically so i wont see a drastic increase in city mileage unlike Aerodynamics mods where i could definitely see a drastic increase in highway mileage. I"ll probably see more small savings from engine tweaking and ajusting driving style than lowering weight honestly.
Howzit Huck, Are those draers as long as the truck bed so you don't waste any of the space at the front by the cab. Been thinking about something like that for my new- used truck but was going to have it in sections so I could lift them t get at my tools. Aloha,Kokua
Howzit Huck, I like that set up and it looks like the tailgate adds enough strength to hold the long boxes. Plus I bet there is still room to put a futon on top of the diamond metal for a bed undr a camper shell. Looks like my next project is one of those. Aloha,Kokua
My first setup like this was in a camper shell - didn't have to worry about weatherproofing the boxes. The tailgate does hold the long boxes without any hardware. Very handy for working out of - easy access to everything.
Huck, I’ve a similar set up with drawers (full length) with the top independent to slide out also for the big items. It’s all done in cdx and roll on skate board bearings. Wish I had a camera to post. This is with a shell so I don’t have to crawl inside anymore. Like your second pic only the full size top tray extends out as well.
Kokua, you’ll be happy with this set up…perfect for camping.
Mike, for lightweight sheet goods look up “Starboard”. West Marine or any chandlery will stock it. Balsa core with 10 oz. glass both sides. Used in boat building.
Wow i love those drawers. I was intially considering a bed slide with an open area on the left half an a 3 level shelf on the right. Now i want those 3 levels to slide out independently. I have a cap. How much weight can those drawers hold? How much extension do you get?
I haven't weighed the contents - but it is a lot. Portable power tools, after all, are not generally made with lightness in view! I had to add leafs to my leaf springs to keep the truck bed from sagging. I get full extension (minus a few inches) because, as was pointed out the tailgate supports the load. If you have a cap that opens from the back, with no tailgate, it won't work the same. If you click the links I posted, you'll find a lot more info if you're planning on building some for yourself.
interesting. Could you have routed shallow grooves into the box sides halfway up and screwed roller bearings in the frame for the boxes to hang/slide from?
edit: With no bearings i think uhmw pe tape or sheet could reduce sliding friction.
Mike, UHMW strips work well, but they do wear. Mine run on a central runner which is dadoed. Runners are1&1/2x1&1/2. Dado 7/8ths x3/4. Skate bearings through bolted 4" o.c. stick proud of runner top by 3/16ths. Drawers have a central channel that interlocks with bearings. Runners made out of salvaged white oak. Sure wish I had a camera.
Its funny, the number one question people ask is about bearings / hardware - and the way I have it set up, there is just absolutely no need. The drawers slide on furniture glides, and operate very easily and smoothely. So smooth in fact that once the tailgate flopped down and immediately the drawers came out - on the road! Good thing I built them solid - just picked 'em up (with some help) and put 'em back in, and made a mental note to check the tailgate before proceeding LOL. If you want to see the drawers work click the link for the youtube video, and check it out.
No offense but it doesn't look that smooth in the video.
The utility cap will be the 1/2 flip up door style in back so im using a tailgate. I might buy a used electric liftgate.
I can see why none of the bedslide manufacturers rely on the tailgate(potential lawsuit). It does seem like a smart way to get 95% extension without a multipart slide. Can tailgates handle hundreds of pounds cantilevered more than 4' behind the edge??? If i were to go that way i think i'd use two tall rectangular tubes with rollers sticking out the top and bottom edges. They would ride between two C channels bolted to the bed. The bottom rollers would also roll across plates on the tailgate. Maybe that would save money. The upper shelfs on the other side wouldn't be able to use the tailgate so i'd have to use a multipart slide to get full extension. I wonder if those ball bearing side mount cabinet slides come in long lengths?
Looking at the bed of the truck it occurred to me that corrugated or ribbed metal would make a good deck material. Lightweight and strong. If the ribs run across the narrow slide the would help to prevent things from sliding forwards or backwards too. A gripy bedliner would be even better. My dads a painting contractor, spills have happened before. I wonder if the rhinoliner type could withstand a dried paint spill and subsequent 3600psi pressure washing? If not something like herculiner that could be touched up would be better.
Another concern is the elements. Some things have to stay dry. Alot of stuff is preferable dry. Even with deck drain holes for rain water I could slide a bed of snow back into the truck .The forward inner sections of the slides will be shielded by the fip up rear door. I could make the upper shelf slide out out the side flip up cap door instead of back where id have better access. One idea that i'm toying with is mounting a 5' x 8.5' sheet of 10mm thick coroplast or alumalite below the ladder racks that could slide out and cover 7.5' behind the truck. Maybe with 2.5' x 7' sheets mounted underneath that could slide out sideways for more width to stand underneath.
Slides smooth and easy, works great, keeps everything dry (that's why the ends of the boxes are set in). I don't have problems with stuff sliding on the deck, because I have hooks along both sides and use bungees to tie stuff down. That's just my experience, your mileage may vary
Im hoping the slides shelf and utility cap will help me pack the back of the truck very tightly an that with a small box in the back seat and being able to strap stuff down to the open tailgate or liftgate with a tailgate extender I’ll have enough space for any job.
I’ve gave up on sandwich construction. Anyways I think a corrugated or ribbed panel might work better as noted in my last post
I am glad i started this post though because Huckleberry gave me some good ideas.
I never did consider anything if it was really expensive like nida-core, balsa, aluminum honeycomb, starboard divinycell etc. Interesting there are cheaper panel types out there that use polystyrene foam or resin impregnated paper honeycomb.
