built in box side high lift mount

[kroussinoffroad]

Let me just start by saying Your either gonna hate this or you gonna love this
it's five to one so far with love to hate.

I was sick of washing out the box of my truck so im gonna ditch the headache rack and get a tooneau cover. and then i will be able to swap out quickly for the topper when i go camping. i didnt want to mount everything inside the bed because i didnt want to find a spot for it when i throw the air mattress back there and all the camping/Racing gear.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs927.snc4/74086_10150301310260134_715295133_15388490_67638_n .jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs947.snc4/74086_10150301310265134_715295133_15388491_2712481 _n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs947.snc4/74086_10150301310270134_715295133_15388492_1049359 _n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs947.snc4/74086_10150301310275134_715295133_15388493_4479837 _n.jpg

[88_Eddie]

ahh, someone has seen the new dodge truck commercial.

i like it, form follows function at it's best. it'll look even better once you paint it. if you're planning on paintin it.

[kroussinoffroad]

yeah im planning on painting it... but no i honestly havent seen the commercial. i have no cable right now

[88_Eddie]

oh ok, well there's a new dodge truck that has lockable side compartments on the outside of the bed, they're actually pretty cool. i like them too. your truck reminded me of them.

maybe you could make a mesh wire door/cover that you could lock to go over the shovel and jack....i wouldnt want anyone walking off with that stuff.

[kroussinoffroad]

as far as a cover i might do a canvas cover but im not too concerned about theft. it would be more to keep the weather off the jack. If someone steals something from my truck there is alot more they could walk off with too. i cant remember the last time i locked my doors. I dont think i have ever had anything stolen outta a vehicle (knock on wood) and when you hear about stuff being stolen around here it's normally a couple of hooligan kid's lookin for money or prescription drug's. but if it does happen you know i will be kicking my self in the butt.
one for not locking it
and two for not building the box 60 '' long for a taller highlift.

[martin]

It's a great idea. You should do the other side also, it would be a great place to carry the stuff that normally spend its life rattling around in the cab.

[gwaii]

yup,i like it too.gives it a very utilitarian look.

workmanship is good,too.

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

looks good man! me likes
and yeah a mesh grille door/cover would look nice on it.

[caveman_joey]

Very nice touch. I would like to see a cover for it also though, but awesome job I like it.

[02RangerXLT]

IMO, it would look good if you put the original sheet metal on a hinge with a latch... add some weatherstripping so it seals up nice... etc. etc.

Here's Dodge's version:
http://lotpro.com/blogphotos/Chrysler/tn_2009%20Dodge%20Ram%20(7).jpg

[kroussinoffroad]

one other thing that isnt shown it is also bolted with 5 bolts. 3- 3/8 bolts and 2 1/2 inch bolts. all are sleeved between the pan and the inner boxside. the 1/2 inch bolts are also what the highlift is mounted to. the axe and shovel are held to the highlift with bungies.

as far as covering it with the original sheetmetal, it would be about impossiable because everything isnt inset. if you look in the last picture you can see that the jack and shovel are out past the body line. but am plannin on a canvas cover in the future. I also painted it with truck bedliner thismorning

.

[jhammel85]

Thats pretty sweet! Nice work

[baxtej44]

definitely like it... especially because you use the stuff. why not make your truck work just as hard as you do..???? two thumbs up!

[nate09]

i must say i was a bit shocked to see the first pic by itself, but after i saw you made a box to go inside the hole, i like it a lot. i do agree on having the original sheetmetal over it, but do see it would be nearly impossible. very cool ideal, A+

[COPPERHEAD85]

Love it!

[84stealthranger]

thats a great use of space. any plans for the other side or behind the rear wheels?

[kroussinoffroad]

was debating about puttin something behind the wheel's but anything back there is going to catch all sort's or debris from the tire's. I was thinking of putting the highlift mount in the tail gate but I would have had to remake the linkage. so i'll try and put something narrower there. and i might do something to the upper area of the drivers side bed (thinking strap storage) but the pasanger side took me about 8 hours to finish. finally painted the cubby hole with bed liner, and it looks a whole helufa lot better

[86 slo-vo]

i must say i do like it...its different..

[kris97ranger]

its awsome id leave it uncoverd and just paint it up. maybe rockguard the back wall but paint the rest so its almost like a drawer liner

[kroussinoffroad]

it's all herculined now, did 1in around the box and the entire inside (also did as much of the back side as i could get to. gonna leave it uncovered. i have so much stuff jammed in that box now it's not even funny. It now hold's: Highlift, Shovel, Axe, 4way and the handle for the comalong. So what started out as a simple spot for the highlift is now another storage spot Now that it's all finished up i allready have plan's to redo it. I am on the lookout for a supercab so i can have somemore "dry' storage, and a spot for the future munchkin. So the enclosure will have to get moved back to just about the tail light I'm gonna make some enclosure's that run the length of the bed around the wheel well's for now. but in a few year's im most likely gonna have to have another seat or two.

[wahlstrom1]

Inside the bedside's are a lot of room most people don't think of using, I like your idea. I'm thinking of building a tube bed/service box and skinning it with prerunner bedsides so it still looks like a pickup, but uses the wasted space like you've utilized. If you can post a finished pic, that'd be great.

[kroussinoffroad]

yeah i'll try tomorrow. but you prolly want one where it isnt covered in mud...

As far as the prerunner skin's that great. but when camping/racing i keep all my bag's and pillow's in the box and it's also where i sleep...tryin to keep the mud and water out as best as possiable.

[midtnranger]

Looks good!