I have been looking to buy a rollout bed for my truck. It seems that such a purchase will greatly ease the hassle of trying to reach tools and equipment. I have looked at the websites of the two companies that advertise in FHB, and another company I found here in BC, Canada, but without actually seeing one in person, it makes it hard to make the right choice.
Have any of you purchased a rollout before and if so, what would your recommendations/warnings be?
Thanks, Kiwikidd.
Edited 3/9/2004 6:55 pm ET by kiwikidd
Edited 3/9/2004 6:55 pm ET by kiwikidd
Replies
You will get what you pay for in these truck bed rollouts. I think I paid about $1000. for this one but the freight was included. It weighs about 350 lbs. I've had 1600lbs on it extended. Tested on a scale.
The money I paid seemed like ALOT at the time but it has paid for itself ten fold.
This one is an Extendobed. I can pull it out with one hand fully loaded.
It has a safety stop and lock every six inches.
This is a shot of my little truck loaded with a 10'x12' deck pack on top and all the tools I need to build it on a weekend at my Sons house in Oregon.
I've used this rollout for 7 years and Love it.
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob
Looks like quite a load there- it kinda looks like a Ford ?? <G>
Seriously though- I am thinking about the same thing but wondered about building a box on the bed so stuff doesn't fall off around the wheel wells? What do you think ? or... do you have any improvements that you may recommend? (other than a Ford vs Chev discussion...<G>) My load of tools would be similar- scm, tablesaw, compressor an other tools to trim a home.First we get good- then we get fast !
LOL Tickyboy, Ford huh?.............Go to.........(http://www.extendobed.com/ )
And you will find they have optional storage bins available or if you are so inclined you may build your own ............
I have six leaf springs instead of the stock three which helps to keep my headlights on the road instead of up in the trees when I have a full load. The truck rides stiffer but I like it that way."Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob
Without the lumber rack loaded up I bet you could pull some good wheelies;-)
I can pull it out with one hand fully loaded.
How much easier is it if your hand isn't fully loaded ?
he he
If I survive, I have survived.
But if I have enriched someone else's life, I have succeeded.
quittintime
LOL Luka, Yer on a roll tonight.......When my hands are not fully loaded and the pull out tray is fully loaded with tools, you can actually pull it (the pull out tray) easily with one (1) hand.........
Now go to bed...........;-)
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob
Now go to bed...........;-)
That's what she said !
Hey....
Wait a minnit !
You don't think she meant.....
What the heck am I hanging around here talking to you yahoos for ?
Yaaaaaa hoooooooo !!
ROFLOL
Have a good one, my friend.
: )
If I survive, I have survived.
But if I have enriched someone else's life, I have succeeded.
quittintime
has anyone ever installed one in a van? like a gmc 1 ton?
seems like a great ideacaulking is not a piece of trim
I got the cheapest one from Beaver Bed Systems. It discumbobulated after overloading it with bags of mortar mix. It was great while it worked. All it basically is, is a steel tray, on garage door runners, in case anyone wants to try making thier own. It came with a latch system composed of two spring loaded pins retrated by a cable that you pulled to extend the bed out. That broke after 6 months. Acommercial door slide bolts holds it in now.
Installing it was a BIG pain inthe ####, working around the fuel tank, and exhaust system.
Here's what happened one day:
Parked truck on street, moderate grade uphill. Forgot to latch slide out bed( door bolt). The truck is also equipped with a contractor cap with the tall rear fold-up door. ( had to discard tailgate),which, BTW, I forgot to latch shut also. Anyone who owns a late model GMC or Chevy truck has an occasional stuck throttle after starting the truck. I got in the truck, started it up, put it in "D", ever so slightly touched the gas. Pedal was stuck. I knew exactly what was going to happen but I did it anyway. I punched it good, truck lunged foward, extendobed slide out entirely, spilling all it contained onto the street. $ 1OOO worth of hilti shots and pins scattered into the storm sewer. Picked everything up and shoved it back in the truck, and latched it for good. I havn't extended it since.
Go to http://www.extendobed.com/
There are pictures in there gallery of lots of different Van installations...."Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob
Kiwi,
A repost of my post in that december thread. I stand by it:
I've got the heavier duty "Contractor Grade" Bedslide unit in my truck, and frankly, anything homebuilt is going to pale in comparison. I get full extension, 1200 lb. capacity, locking stops at full in, 1/2 out, full out. I put all my little stuff up front. Last two things in are the table saw then the SCMS. 've had as many as 16 sheets of drywall on it so far.
If I want the whole thing out of there, I just lift it out. No bolts, no screwing around. Two pins in the front go into holes in the front wall of the P/U bed to keep it from lifting up when extended, and two pins in the base go down into the P/U bed floor to keep it from sliding out. To remove, you lift up to free the two pins from the holes in the floor, pull forward. Done.
800 bucks.
My knees thank me every single day.
Steve
addendum: I built plywood side-boxes that run the length of the truck and stradle the wheelwells. They are abouty 1/2 inch away from the bedslide and go as high as the sides of the truck. They have deep compartments in front and back of the wheelweels, and a shallow one over the wheel. I can get stuff into and out of these from the wing windows in the cap. They keep stuff from falling off the bed as well. I can photograph it if people want to see pix. Been using this setup for more than a year and have no gripes whatsoever.
One caution: don't try to roll out a really full load on too steep of a grade.
hey, steve... show us the pics of your mod...Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Thanks Steve. Bedslide seems to be the only one carried by anyone here in Vancouver. I think I'll probably go that way as the shipping and echange from the U.S. will be too expensive.
Thanks."enjoy what you do, do what you enjoy"
Renovations by Roger
Vancouver, Canada.
Kiwi,
I think you'll like it. What Pro-dek says about the extra leafs in the springs is right though. I've yet to do it and I ride with my nose in the air all the time. Between the slider and the fiberglass cap and all the tools in there all the time, it's pretty tail-heavy, and when I put my trailer on with 2500 lbs of demo debris in it, well, you don't want to know...
Mike,
I'll post some pix of the side boxes this weekend. I'm at an out of town job right now (Manhattan, upper east side. Working here is a pain in the butt, but the money...=:-O).
Steve
steven.. i lost track of you .. are you living in upstate New York now?.. i think you moved to twin cities and then back.... right ?
have you marked up your calendar for August yet ?Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Hi Mike,
Yes, I was in Mpls. for about a year and a half while my wife got her MBA. Now I'm back in upstate NY. Unfortunately my wife is working in Milwaukee. But she is to move back to NY in three weeks. Yeah!
I'm afraid since I'm forced back onto dial-up, breaktime has fallen way to the back burner for me.
What's August? You doing a Rhode-Fest?
Anyway, as promised, here a couple of pix of my bedslide with the side boxes I built. Not a huge load on them as all the air-gear is in storage for awhile.
Steve
steven... i don't know how i missed your reply.. but better late than never..
yes .. we're having a RhodeFest in August..check out the details in the Breaktime Fest folder... there are 3 threads there about it..
oh, BTW... you're invitedMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
can't pass up the money when it's there! I just got back from 7 weeks on Vancouver Island. Nice to be home but even nicer witn $19K gross for 7 weeks!!!"enjoy what you do, do what you enjoy"
Renovations by Roger
Vancouver, Canada.
What brand is it?"enjoy what you do, do what you enjoy"
Renovations by Roger
Vancouver, Canada.
You and I talked over a Year or so ago. Im buying a new truck tomorrow and you said you would put extra suspension in it, Could you tell me more?
Christopher vonFreymann
[email protected]
The only thing had done was have the spring shop install 3- more leaves. Normally a half ton only comes with 3 leaves. If you add more leaves it will give you a stiffer ride but it will eliminate the sag you get with the stock leaf springs.
Have a spring shop do it. They know what they are doing."Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob
I'm considering a Weatherguard truck bed drawer. Their stuff is fairly good quality as far as I'm concerned, and I have about 6 various Knaack/Weatherguard boxes. Check 'em out at knaack.com under truck equipment. You can get an idea of prices at truckboxstore.com (I think that's it...)
I made an 18" wide by 7'6" long roll out that has my SCMS, air comp., and table saw on it. Cost about $250 in materials. I don't have to climb into the back to stow the TS anymore.
Bought or made, your back will appreciate the investment.
How about a schematic or image of your home made roll out?
Similar thread in December. This link has the pics. Enjoy.
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=37345.18
I never met a tool I didn't like!
I looked into one a couple of years ago. I liked the added ease of not having to crawl into the truck bed. With the price of these roll-outs plus accessories I was concerned I may switch trucks and it wouldn't fit a different brand vehicle.
Made one out of 3/4 ply, wheels and 2X6 rails for my 2001 GMC shortbed. Works great for a fraction of the cost.
MES
check to make sure that there is adequate provision for clearing the tracks if something gets in the way. Know a guy who had a giant pull out drawer that would slide out the double doors in the back.
It was enclosed and one day there was too much stuff in the drawer when he pulled it out to get something. Stuff fell behind the drawer and stopped it from being fully opened or closed. He had a bear of a time trying to clear the tracks so he could get the drawer back in and latched.
He had to just about empty the van, looked like a garage sale, to unscrew the deck sheeting so he could reach in and correct the problem. Later he got rid of that model and got another one that had no covering on the sides. Now he can open the side door and reach an arm in to the space behind the drawer.
I have had two different Bedslides. One for my old Ranger and just bought a new, larger one for my new F150. I would never be without one. It seems like every time a need a tool, it is at the far end of the bed. The Bedslides are worth every penny of $600 I paid. I currently use it on my F150 with a 4' long shelf which rests on the front 4' of the bed rail. The combination is great.
Bill