I drive a full size pickup truck with a cap covering the bed. After years of climbing in and out of the bed to grab tools, materials, etc., I am ready to “bite the bullet” and purchase a roll-out bed for easy access. I have researched three different companies:
1.) Extendo Bed, www.extendobed.com
2.) Rollout, http://www.rollout.net/index.html
3.) Joey Bed www.joeybed.com/model.htm.
I am leaning toward Extendo since their model achieves “over 100% extension”.
Does anyone have any advice to offer, or any experience (good or bad) with a roll-out truck bed? Thanks for your help.
Replies
I got one from beaverbed systems.... a pain in the #### to install, muffler, gas tank, and spare tire,in the way of mouinting bolts...
don't overload it, and obviously, you can't pull it out when you paralell park in the city,
no turn left unstoned
I said pain in the a$$
no turn left unstoned
there, that's better.no turn left unstoned
I buy the trucks and equipment for my company and we use the Weatherguard Bed Rat system. http://www.weatherguard.com/bedrat.htm
It has a capacity of 1000 lbs, you make the size of the platform as wide as you want. We had tried another brand (can't remember the name) and found it to be flimsy. I would find a dealer who carries this brand and compare it.
I used to work from a bed till I bought a trailer, for the price of one of those things just go look at a trailer. You don't need an expensive one and the additional insurance is about 20$ a year. Unhook it and your truck is free of tools and ready to go.
In any case I built a roll out bed from plywood: 4 small wheels at the back, 2 in the middle, two at the gate. Alittle pull and all the tools came out. Put the compressor and miter saw at the front so I could take them out first before pulling the bed out. Two long drawers behind them about 10" tall fit most of my small tools. Everthing else stacked on the shelf on top of the drawers.
I looked into roll out beds but decided against them. What happens when your not parked on a level surface? Might be pretty tough to roll in or out with all that weight. I opted for a canopy with side access doors and built in shelving along the walls. (Made by A.R.E. it's 1/2 as much as a GEM top.) I still have 4' plus between the bins inside and full width from the top of the bed down. The side access bins hold all my small gear leaving the interior for big stuff like compressor and mitre saw. I also built a plywood deck raised up on 2x6 blocking. The tools sit on top and I can slide 4x8 sheetgoods or a fair bit of lumber under without moving anything. My canopy sits about 6" higher than my cab so I have enough headroom to crawl in to get at the few things pushed in towards the front. Works Great!
Tell me a little more about your raised plywood deck. I measured my truck (90 Chevy) and there is only 49-1/2" between the wheel wells. Do you have supports for the plywood deck in the wheel area? What about some kind of access door at the front (cab end) so you can easily retrieve something that has slid too far in?
There was a Fine Homebuilding article a few years ago on work truck layouts that had this idea desribed. I supported a 3/4" plywood deck on 2x6s standing on edge in front and in back of the wheel wells. I spaced the 2x6s somewhere around 49" apart to allow sheetgoods to slide in. For extra support I ran angle iron stock the full length of the deck screwed into the plywood and the 2x6s. I also wrapped the front and rear edges of the plywood with 3/4" angle iron (edge and underneath) to support them. I generally try to put just longer stuff down there. That's a good idea to create an access door as I do occasionally loose short stuff up to the front and end up having to fish it out with a board.
Steve I love my Extendobed. I have the 1200# capacity one in my 1/2 ton GMC and it works great. That is 1200# extended by the way. It took two of us to install it . It weighs 350# so the hardest part was lifting it into the truck. It is bolted in with 4 bolts, 2 front 2 back and steel plates top and bottom. I have put 1600# of landscape rock on this thing and it slides with ease. Just don't extend it all the way with all that weight or this will happen.
Bob
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Woops- wrong picture - this is what happens when you overload an extendobed.
Bob
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Thanks for the chuckle Where did you get those pictures!
Mike- http://www.webshots.com they have great photos,screensaver program,and photo library. If you click on comunnity,then jokes, there will not be enough hours in the day for you to see and read them all.Bob
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
I have owned the extendo bed version, It is as heavy duty as it gets. And they were real nice people to deal with, but it was tough to open and close on hills and it seamed we were always working on a hill. It also takes up a lot of space if you use it in a cap because it is about 6" high off of the bed. Good luck Mike
Here's what I did. I built a box out of plywood with two full length drawers. When the tailgate is locked, it would be difficult to steal my tools. The drawers have pine sides that are lubed with candle wax (like the old days) and slide very well. I use this in conjunction with a trailer to haul materials and waste. It works for me! jocobe
Sorry about the quality of the pics....it's a cheesy digital camera and I've had a couple of rum & cokes......
Also, on the deck above the drawers it's usually not such a mess......I got home late and didn't straighten up. I can put 4 x 8's and other material up there, if it's not too much......otherwise I use my trailer. jocobe
Did the same thing as you except I have three drawers in mine and I put rollers in the bottom of my plywood box and that helps quit a bit, didn't want to put one of those roll out deals because that adds weight that I don't want, some of them weigh as much as 300 to 400 lbs.
Doug