Big Blue's Transformation

[grumpin]

Dane - Just for you I’ll document what I do.

Jim - I missed that they are 5/16”. Good catch. I’ll have to make those, as you said, and then powder coat them. But I’m sure that doing that and providing support on the bottom will help a lot.

Speaking of support, if I use wood what kind would you recommend as a spacer? I’ll put plywood under the box to spread the load, so the spacer won’t be against the aluminum, and the bed will be lined so it won’t be against the bed itself.

I feel special!

Interesting also that I only see one bolt for the toolbox mount. I’ll use at least two as my Weatherguard is 27 1/4 inches wide.

[Gary Lewis]

I feel special!

Interesting also that I only see one bolt for the toolbox mount. I’ll use at least two as my Weatherguard is 27 1/4 inches wide.

Dane - The write up says “ After these reinforcing "L" brackets are installed, the toolbox should be mounted to the pick-up box rails with 2-3/8 inch diameter bolts as shown in Figure 13.”

[grumpin]

Dane - The write up says “ After these reinforcing "L" brackets are installed, the toolbox should be mounted to the pick-up box rails with 2-3/8 inch diameter bolts as shown in Figure 13.”

Yes, one per side I should have said. That’s how I see it. Only one B-B.

Edit: and I see the 2 3/8 bolts in the instructions now!

[ArdWrknTrk]

Dane - Just for you I’ll document what I do.

Jim - I missed that they are 5/16”. Good catch. I’ll have to make those, as you said, and then powder coat them. But I’m sure that doing that and providing support on the bottom will help a lot.

Speaking of support, if I use wood what kind would you recommend as a spacer? I’ll put plywood under the box to spread the load, so the spacer won’t be against the aluminum, and the bed will be lined so it won’t be against the bed itself.

I'm not sure how much room you have betwixt box and bed, but I would probably just use some pressure treated 2x.

If you can find any in these times of Covid.... (I had to buy a 6x6 gate post Saturday. It was $60!!!)

I also wouldn't worry about 'spreading the load', the whole thing is hanging without any support right now.

But do consider all this talk of the dynamics of how the bed is twisting.

Enough to tear the corners apart.

So certainly with the box in place whatever 'support' you provide is going to be assaulting the bed liner.

Perhaps where you are, you can find a chunk of osage? It's incredibly strong and rot resistant.

Black locust would be another naturally tough and rot resistant wood, also used for fence posts.

Ive been carrying a 3" thick pad of bigleaf mahogany in my bed since the '90's to put under the stock jack.

It hasn't rotted a bit.

[Gary Lewis]

I'm not sure how much room you have betwixt box and bed, but I would probably just use some pressure treated 2x.

If you can find any in these times of Covid.... (I had to buy a 6x6 gate post Saturday. It was $60!!!)

I also wouldn't worry about 'spreading the load', the whole thing is hanging without any support right now.

But do consider all this talk of the dynamics of how the bed is twisting.

Enough to tear the corners apart.

So certainly with the box in place whatever 'support' you provide is going to be assaulting the bed liner.

Perhaps where you are, you can find a chunk of osage? It's incredibly strong and rot resistant.

Black locust would be another naturally tough and rot resistant wood, also used for fence posts.

Ive been carrying a 3" thick pad of bigleaf mahogany in my bed since the '90's to put under the stock jack.

It hasn't rotted a bit.

Dane - Glad you saw that.

Jim - I don't know how much room I have, but I'll measure it. I'm guessing that a 4x4 will be the right staring point.

On the dynamics, I wonder about bolting the tool box through the support to the floor and letting it float over the gunwales? Maybe not even need to reinforce the corners that way. I'd put the weather stripping in that the TSB calls for, and probably put it between the box and the bed on the sides and in front to keep it from hitting. And with a pair of supports it should be pretty solid and well supported.

Good idea on osage orange, or bois d'arc as it is sometimes called here, although since we are in Osage County you'd think osage orange would popular. It is used for fence posts so maybe I can find some.

[kramttocs]

Dane - Glad you saw that.

Jim - I don't know how much room I have, but I'll measure it. I'm guessing that a 4x4 will be the right staring point.

On the dynamics, I wonder about bolting the tool box through the support to the floor and letting it float over the gunwales? Maybe not even need to reinforce the corners that way. I'd put the weather stripping in that the TSB calls for, and probably put it between the box and the bed on the sides and in front to keep it from hitting. And with a pair of supports it should be pretty solid and well supported.

Good idea on osage orange, or bois d'arc as it is sometimes called here, although since we are in Osage County you'd think osage orange would popular. It is used for fence posts so maybe I can find some.

While you are looking for something, check out the composite decking section for those 4x4 posts. The price difference may not be that bad right now.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Dane - Glad you saw that.

Jim - I don't know how much room I have, but I'll measure it. I'm guessing that a 4x4 will be the right staring point.

On the dynamics, I wonder about bolting the tool box through the support to the floor and letting it float over the gunwales? Maybe not even need to reinforce the corners that way. I'd put the weather stripping in that the TSB calls for, and probably put it between the box and the bed on the sides and in front to keep it from hitting. And with a pair of supports it should be pretty solid and well supported.

Good idea on osage orange, or bois d'arc as it is sometimes called here, although since we are in Osage County you'd think osage orange would popular. It is used for fence posts so maybe I can find some.

My father-in-law used to be into stave bows and flint knapping.

Osage is tough!

I hear it called bodark in Kentucky.

Finding a fence post shouldn't be hard.

[Nothing Special]

... I would probably just use some pressure treated 2x....

I've heard that pressure treated lumber can corrode metal pretty badly. I know that newer pressure treated uses different chemicals than the older stuff did. I don't know if the warning applies to the newer or older recipe. Or if "I've heard" is as worthless in this case as it often is.

[ArdWrknTrk]

... I would probably just use some pressure treated 2x....

I've heard that pressure treated lumber can corrode metal pretty badly. I know that newer pressure treated uses different chemicals than the older stuff did. I don't know if the warning applies to the newer or older recipe. Or if "I've heard" is as worthless in this case as it often is.

The 'newer' treatment is ammoniacal copper quaternary.

It does eat steel pretty good.

But given that a spray in bed liner essentially seals everything, I don't see any issue.

I suppose it's better for you than CCA.

Chrome, copper and arsenic are just bad all around for the environment.

(Which is why it works so well)

[Gary Lewis]

The 'newer' treatment is ammoniacal copper quaternary.

It does eat steel pretty good.

But given that a spray in bed liner essentially seals everything, I don't see any issue.

I suppose it's better for you than CCA.

Chrome, copper and arsenic are just bad all around for the environment.

(Which is why it works so well)

Time for a brief update, having gotten back from vacation late last night.

First, the measurement from the bottom of the drop-in liner's corrugations to the bottom of the tool box is 4 3/4 - 4 7/8", depending on where you measure. So I think w/o the drop-in liner but with the spray-in liner it'll approach 5". Which might mean that a true 5.0" post will work nicely, allowing a bit of room for a piece of weather stripping on the bed sides, both for cushioning as well as to seal the bed.

Toward that end, Trex makes a 5" post that, while hollow, has 5/8" sides so should easily stand the load. However, if 5.0" isn't going to work then I'll need to get a 6 x 6 of wood and mill it down to fit. Maybe the Osage Orange?

Which brings me to the way the box is currently installed. There are J-hooks going through the "wings" of the box and catching the inside edge of the bed instead of holes drilled through the tops of the bed. This will work nicely 'cause I can put the weather stripping on the bed sides and snug down w/the hooks to ensure the box is stable but not put load on the bed.

Having said that, I think I'm going to also put the L-shaped piece in the corners, tying the bed sides to the front panel. I just checked and there's 3" on the sides between the box and the bed sides, and ~1" in front between the box and front panel. So there's plenty of room to put the bracket and bolt heads in there and not have the box rubbing on them.