Modifications to Eggscape

[MyronL]

That is one Beautiful tray. Those wheels look so much more practical than using casters.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

The short story...I made a tray for my generator to sit on so it easily slides out for use without having to remove it from the truck.

The details...Keeping it simple and inexpensive, I just needed a bed tray to pull out enabling me to ventilate the generator while in use. I also needed it low enough that I could use my big black pvc type storage box under the bed cover. The generator is secured and locked to the tray so it does not move.

I was able to make it out of one sheet of plywood, some surplus wheels from Princess Auto and a bit of aluminium angle. Installing it is as simple as rolling it in. There are no holes in the truck bed and it has walls so stuff doesn’t fall off the sides or front. The two wheels at the rear side also allow me to wheel it around the garage floor and tip it up on the front side for the odd time I remove it.

It is very simple to build so the pictures should give you the information you need to build your own. The only key point to explain is how the wheels are held on. Between the wood side and the wheel I installed a tee/star nut. This serves two purposes...first, it allows the wheel to run against it and not the wood. Second, along with the nut on the inside, it locks the wheel bolt in place with the correct slack for the wheel to turn.

Depending on where you place the load (generator not installed), it will slide out a foot or two beyond the tailgate for general use. For us it is great as firewood placed at the front, slides under the aluminium bed box and is easily retrieved.

I have used it for two years now and would not change a thing.

Great idea Ed ! Was wondering do you know the weight of the sled ? Pat

[Eggscape]

I will weigh it for you tomorrow...or when it stops raining.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

I will weigh it for you tomorrow...or when it stops raining.

Thanks Ed ! PT

[Adamsjm1]

Ed, I’m sure you have already posted this and I apologize for not seeing it but what are the dimensions for the black crates you use under the bed ?

Thank you

[Eggscape]

Originally Posted by Adamsjm1

Ed, I’m sure you have already posted this and I apologize for not seeing it but what are the dimensions for the black crates you use under the bed ?

Thank you

11 inches high x 13 1/8 x 13 1/8 wide (outside dimensions)

And it is worth saying again...that even though they are all ruffly the same size...all bins are not created equal. Some are made square and others are all bent out of shape. I think I got mine from Home Depot. Put a bunch side by side on the floor and see if they form a straight line or they form an arc. A higher price did not appear to guarantee a better product.

Good luck

[Adamsjm1]

Thank you so much . I appreciate your help .

[Eggscape]

Originally Posted by Adamsjm1

Thank you so much . I appreciate your help .

And welcome to the forum!

[mimie]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

The only key point to explain is how the wheels are held on. Between the wood side and the wheel I installed a tee/star nut. This serves two purposes...first, it allows the wheel to run against it and not the wood. Second, along with the nut on the inside, it locks the wheel bolt in place with the correct slack for the wheel to turn.

Love the idea and the pics, and your use of the tee/star nut is perfect, not something I'd have thought of.
Thanks for the step-by-step - I'm filing this away for possible 2020 project

[Eggscape]

Here are a few more pictures to help you see how I built the unit.

When empty, the tray can come out to the second set of wheels for loading of stuff that we store under our aluminium cross-bed box up front. This is where we usually stack a row of firewood for camping.

The wheels at the rear stick out beyond the rear of the tray to act as a bumper when the tailgate is closed. It also allows for the tray to be wheeled around when out of the truck. The front end does not have the wheels as close to end which allows the whole unit to sit vertically on that end for storage.

I used a variety of hold downs on the sides to secure various loads. The sides also provided support for other methods of securing things like fuel tanks etc as pictured in the next post. That mount is made with a bent threaded rod covered in heat shrink tubing and wing nuts for easy removal.

As mentioned before, the whole unit is made out of one sheet of plywood. A bathroom scale shows the tray weights 66 pounds. That is more than I thought as it is so easy to wheel and flip around by myself.

[Eggscape]

A few more...

[yangstyle]

Very nice. I'm going to bookmark this one.

[Eggscape]

Originally Posted by yangstyle

Very nice. I'm going to bookmark this one.

I purchased my plywood from Rona which you have a few locations in Edmonton.

It measures just over 5/8 of an inch and is good both sides. In our store it is not usually on the shelves with the other plywood but featured in a pile on the floor and may not be in the plywood area. It is value priced and like they can’t put it near the regular plywood. I like it because it is not warped and has many plies...like plywood was made years ago.

Good luck on your project and to others that have showed interest.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

Here are a few more pictures to help you see how I built the unit.

When empty, the tray can come out to the second set of wheels for loading of stuff that we store under our aluminium cross-bed box up front. This is where we usually stack a row of firewood for camping.

The wheels at the rear stick out beyond the rear of the tray to act as a bumper when the tailgate is closed. It also allows for the tray to be wheeled around when out of the truck. The front end does not have the wheels as close to end which allows the whole unit to sit vertically on that end for storage.

I used a variety of hold downs on the sides to secure various loads. The sides also provided support for other methods of securing things like fuel tanks etc as pictured in the next post. That mount is made with a bent threaded rod covered in heat shrink tubing and wing nuts for easy removal.

As mentioned before, the whole unit is made out of one sheet of plywood. A bathroom scale shows the tray weights 66 pounds. That is more than I thought as it is so easy to wheel and flip around by myself.

Ed thanks for all the pictures . And really not as heavy As I thought it might be . Pretty nifty mod for truck bed ! Pat

[mimie]

Originally Posted by yangstyle

Very nice. I'm going to bookmark this one.

I'd really like to know how to "bookmark" in this forum - is there a trick to it? (I LOVE this mod, want to keep track of how it's done )

[Mark B1]

Originally Posted by mimie

I'd really like to know how to "bookmark" in this forum - is there a trick to it? (I LOVE this mod, want to keep track of how it's done )

I believe you just click on "Thread Tools" at the top of the page and then click on "Subscribe To This Thread" in the drop down menu.

[mimie]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

Here are a few more pictures to help you see how I built the unit.

Great additional info, thank you SO much - mine is not likely to look nearly as finished as yours, but heck, I can always try

[mimie]

Originally Posted by Mark B1

I believe you just click on "Thread Tools" at the top of the page and then click on "Subscribe To This Thread" in the drop down menu.

Got it, thanks - I also did my own work-around, copied/pasted all of Eggscape's great info into an email to myself

[mimie]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

A few more...

So dang clever!

[Greg A]

Nice truck bed mod, good work executing concept thru completion. I’m thinking of maybe modifying to just be 1/2 of the truck bed. Have to chew on this since with the Frontier and the back-flip cover I can already access everything in the bed. If I had an f-150 or similar I’d already be adding this.