Anybody built a bed-slide for their gear----link

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  • #3
Cheap and light.

My contractor's canopy has tool boxes on both sides of the long bed, so I have great storage, but no access to the front of the bed from the sides. We have toy'ed with the idea of cutting out part of one tool box for side access. I like this better. Because I have barn doors on the back, I unfortunately don't have a flip up umbrella from the rear window. I'd try to design that into it, or something. Winter project for slow days.

Looks like a good place to store sheets of plywood underneath without burying them under everything. Rakes, shovels, peaveys/ poles, etc can go under.
 
Sorry guys, I have been crazy busy and only been lurking a few minutes here and there. Sean, the bed slides are a must for a smaller rig like mine. Only trouble is that they do add quite a bit more weight to your rig(especially if you build them as beefy as mine), but my yota is just a 4 cylinder, so an upgrade to a bigger rig is in my future after many other additions and improvements to my biz. Anyhow, for the bottom slider I just copied a friends manufactured one, and I believe it was a "bedslide" brand. The components consist of four roller bearings (lowes, or any hardware store) two pieces of channel, and as many pieces of angle iron braces as needed for strength. Also, plywood, or whatever you choose for the top covering. I chose plywood for my saw rack, to soak up the bar oil and keep sliding of saws minimal. I have since done away with the 2 by four seperators in the vid and just configure my saws like in this pic:
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I drilled holes on the 2x4 sides every foot or so and use one bungee cord attached to each side to keep all the saws pulled to the front of the slider as they still tend to slide around. The components for the latch are simple as well...consisting of a piece of small diameter, solid square rod, a handle(hardware store) a small diameter, short piece of solid round stock, and a short piece of small diameter cable and ferrules for making loops. I have my hand written measurements somewhere? If you are seriously interested, I will try to take some pics of the framework, and get some measurements, if you are seriously interested in building one. As for the top slider...I had to customize it so that it would bolt onto my metal construction topper. It was not quite as easy of a build, but I am glad that I took the time to do it, as I would be lost without it now. The amount of gear that I am able to currently stow in that little rig is amazing and would not be remotely possible, if not for the sliders. I highly recommend them for any tree guy...either buying a manufactured one, or building your own. As for the cost...I do remember when I built the first one, that a manufactured one was $700+, and it was not quite the dimensions I needed, and I had more time on my hands then. Let me know if I can be of any help pard :)
 
Interesting that you run both Stihl and Husky, Tarz. Sorry for the derail
 
That idea has been around for a real long time. Delivery trucks have them in racks, eight-ten high. It's a cool idea and I forgot all about until I watched your vid, Sean. I'm really surprised the idea hasn't caught on more mainstream with the private sector. Maybe it will now.
 
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  • #12
$150 in materials.

I have a contactor's canopy on my pick-up with tool boxes in the sides of the canopy and barn door 49" wide. My slide fits just under the tool boxes, and I get about 46' width.

2.5 gallon gas cans fit on the side, two behind each wheel well.

I can fit my modded hand truck, Arbor trolley, and either small pancake air compressor or blower on the tray with all my rigging gear. 3 top handles in the side, long handled tools and saws in the bottom, along with some tie-down chain, binders, chocks, hitch slugs, etc. Cones and rakes go on top of everything, first out, last in.

All my climbing gear goes in the one side, and gassy, greasy, sharp stuff, chaps, chain/ parts box, spray paint, lubes/etc, go on the other side.

Pics to come.
 
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