Building a truck bed shell

[Doug Briggs]

I assume you now know that they spelled "cordless drill" wrong on the 'manual' worm winch packaging.

Have you been snooping around my garage? I didn't read the box closely (at all?).

I'm keeping a lookout for 3/8 in. Socket Adapter, though. While not tiring, the 40:1 is tedious. I also need to make a deflector to keep the cable from dragging on one of the double pulleys during operation.

 

[tball]

What's your backup safety system for the lift?

Just like jack stands in addition to a jack!

 

[Doug Briggs]

I plan to create slings of 3/8 cable to hook over the ceiling pulley mounting hooks and the attachment points on the shell. This relies on the hooks being secure and strong but removes the pulleys, lifting cables and winch from being the only mechanism. The hooks are rated to 125 lbs. and are mounted in a joists of a 17 y.o. garage. The joists were mandated by the inspector to have 2" lam-beams sistered to them so I feel the weakest part of the whole system is the threads on the hooks in the ceiling.

I hadn't thought about it until now, but I could easily add 4 more hooks to take the static cables. Then the only part that is being relied on in both systems are the eyes on the shell that pass through the 1 1/4" steel angles which are bolted to the 3/4 plywood with 10 bolts on each side. To completely duplicate the system, I could use another set of eyes on the shell. There are plenty of holes already in the sides to accept them. Then the only parts that aren't redundant are the ceiling and steel angle. I have confidence neither of those will fail, though.

Generally I'm going to have the shell on the truck. It will hang for brief periods and can be easily lowered onto 4x4s for extended periods so that the hanging system is totally out of the picture. In the unlikely event that I want to park a vehicle in the space while the shell is off the truck, I am pretty confident the static cables and extra hooks will work out.

The shell is on 4x4s when I'm working on it as that is a more convenient height and doesn't swing. Before I raised the shell to the truck bed, I had it hanging a fraction of an inch above the 4x4s for about two weeks. I felt that was a thorough test of my eye splices, cables, pulleys, hooks and winch.

 

[Dwight]

Have you been snooping around my garage? I didn't read the box closely (at all?).

I'm keeping a lookout for 3/8 in. Socket Adapter, though. While not tiring, the 40:1 is tedious. I also need to make a deflector to keep the cable from dragging on one of the double pulleys during operation.

Like this this or something else?

 

[KingGrump]

I plan to create slings of 3/8 cable to hook over the ceiling pulley mounting hooks and the attachment points on the shell. This relies on the hooks being secure and strong but removes the pulleys, lifting cables and winch from being the only mechanism. The hooks are rated to 125 lbs. and are mounted in a joists of a 17 y.o. garage. The joists were mandated by the inspector to have 2" lam-beams sistered to them so I feel the weakest part of the whole system is the threads on the hooks in the ceiling.

Is the garage ceiling finished?

 

[Philpug]

Is the garage ceiling finished?

I still have to put molding around the opening.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Like this this or something else?

View attachment 110765

Yes. I haven't gone out of my way to find them. I'm going to the lumber yard today, though.

Is the garage ceiling finished?

Yes. I finished it about 7 years ago when I made my office in the attic of the garage legal. Below is a detail of the work I did before rocking it out. Why do you ask? I found the edges of the 3 1/2 inches of joist when I drilled for the hooks so I know I'm not just on the edge of one.

 

[Dwight]

Yes. I haven't gone out of my way to find them. I'm going to the lumber yard today, though.

I lose them all the time. Probably right next to the change in the couches.

 

[Andy Mink]

I found the edges of the 3 1/2 inches of joist when I drilled for the hooks so I know I'm not just on the edge of one.

For @Philpug's, he had to put the winch in the ceiling since it would drop too far between the unit itself and the exposed cable. It gave at least another foot of "up" for the box.

 

[cantunamunch]

Probably right next to the change in the couches.

The socks steal them on the way to the dryer. Especially the 1/4".

 

[KingGrump]

Yes. I finished it about 7 years ago when I made my office in the attic of the garage legal. Below is a detail of the work I did before rocking it out. Why do you ask? I found the edges of the 3 1/2 inches of joist when I drilled for the hooks so I know I'm not just on the edge of one.

We used a lot of uni-struts in the trade to hang thing off the ceiling. It's basically a adult tinker toy set. You can get the parts from electrical and plumbing supplies. Home Depot & Lowes also carry some of the components.

CATALOG - Unistrut

CATALOG - Read more about estimated, fittings, connector, fitting, beam and clamp.

www.yumpu.com

 

[pete]

We used a lot of uni-struts in the trade to hang thing off the ceiling. It's basically a adult tinker toy set. You can get the parts from electrical and plumbing supplies. Home Depot & Lowes also carry some of the components.

CATALOG - Unistrut

CATALOG - Read more about estimated, fittings, connector, fitting, beam and clamp.

www.yumpu.com

unistrut has a lot of good product and while I personally would cut into drywall to tie fasteners into the joists horizontally for the added shear strength, 3/8 and even 5/16 inch lag eye screw bolt or with ring has significant pull strength per inch inserted. off axis the pull drops off quickly.

Depending on wood species, a few hundred pounds per inch is not uncommon.

handy tips: https://www.e-rigging.com/Eye-Bolts-Nuts-knowledgebase

 

[Doug Briggs]

The front hinges and the back wall hinges are in, so I took the shell out of the garage to test raising the top from both inside and out in realistic attitudes. I don't have sufficient headroom to raise the roof while its on the truck.

Testing led me to make the rear wall 2 feet instead of 3 which changes the dynamics quite a bit from a raising and lowering perspective, but still affords sufficient headroom and berthing space. When I add the bolt section over the tailgate I'll get more headroom as the 16 inch internal rear deck will go away and I'll have that much more space square footage to stand in.

This thing is going to work! Now to measure, cut and fab the walls. Then the only remaining construction will be the gasket between the shell and the cab.

Following that will be a lot of sanding, fiberglassing and painting.

 

[Doug Briggs]

unistrut has a lot of good product and while I personally would cut into drywall to tie fasteners into the joists horizontally for the added shear strength, 3/8 and even 5/16 inch lag eye screw bolt or with ring has significant pull strength per inch inserted. off axis the pull drops off quickly.

Depending on wood species, a few hundred pounds per inch is not uncommon.

handy tips: https://www.e-rigging.com/Eye-Bolts-Nuts-knowledgebase

Thanks for that link. I am keeping a close eye (no pun intended) on the screw hooks I'm using. Every piece of hardware is rated for more than double the load they are carrying. My idea of separate hooks and cables for backup seems like it might have merit. Additionally, none of the effective loads are exceeding 45 degrees but I could be mistaken on that.

Edit: I stand corrected. The four eyebolts at the shell are at 90 degrees to the load. That is why I have used 2x4 blocks to support the shaft.

 

[SBrown]

That's a good idea. It doesn't have to be white, though, but a color that won't promote solar gain.

I'd entertained having an artist put a mural on the side á la 70s van, but I also want to be a bit stealthy. I was thinking a false company logo, too. I will likely add windows later, so those are not really valid options, amongst other reasons.

I've read about vans with false ladders on the top that disguise solar panels. That enhances stealth so that urban 'camping' can be more discrete, but I don't really plan to go urban. Bike and ski destinations are my goal.

Login • Instagram

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

www.instagram.com

This gal around here does some really cool work; I almost had her paint my van last year, I still might, but it got back-burnered. (She does her vans much more cheaply than she does commissioned pieces, btw.)

 

[pete]

Thanks for that link. I am keeping a close eye (no pun intended) .....t 90 degrees to the load. That is why I have used 2x4 blocks to support the shaft.

Alternate idea for eyebolts is to use 2x4s or 2x6s perpendicular to your ceiling joists, spanning past your topper to the next joist on either side. Then just hang a machine screw eye bolt through the perpendicular pcs then tie these (perpendicular pcs) with multiple lags screws into multiple joists. you can then align the eyebolts to be closer to 90 degrees.

 

[Carolinacub]

something like pool noodles may work for the gaskets. Maybe not them in particular but I think you get the idea.

 

[Doug Briggs]

something like pool noodles may work for the gaskets. Maybe not them in particular but I think you get the idea.

I have a gasket from an up-cycled shell that I also took the back window from. I have to build the frame to attach the gasket to my shell.

 

[Jwrags]

After seeing this pic I think you failed to dream big enough

 

[noncrazycanuck]

that would fit in nicely at Baker's Legendary Banked Slalom event.
have seen a few similar versions while there during it.
my favorite was an old school bus which not only had a cedar sided dwelling with wood burning stove on the roof, but also a covered porch to store the fire wood and take in the views.