Truck project got started today

[jon f mn]

Spent most of the day putting the finishing touches on my 530 so it's all ready to go to work. But I did get started on the truck bed project. Picked the steel bed off, it is very heavy,, I'm guessing close to a ton. It is made out of all 1/4 and 3/16 steel.

Got the gooseneck hitch made and installed today. Started with a real heavy channel.

Bought a removable ball and sleeve and welded that in.

I welded a sleeve inside for the ball to sit on so the pin doesn't have to hold all the weight.

Put 3/8 plate on the ends to bolt to the frame.

Finished with a couple safety chain loops.

Tomorrow I'll start on the new aluminum bed.

 

[flying belgian]

Spent most of the day putting the finishing touches on my 530 so it's all ready to go to work. But I did get started on the truck bed project. Picked the steel bed off, it is very heavy,, I'm guessing close to a ton. It is made out of all 1/4 and 3/16 steel.

View attachment 106927View attachment 106928

Got the gooseneck hitch made and installed today. Started with a real heavy channel.

View attachment 106929

Bought a removable ball and sleeve and welded that in.

View attachment 106930

I welded a sleeve inside for the ball to sit on so the pin doesn't have to hold all the weight.

View attachment 106931

Put 3/8 plate on the ends to bolt to the frame.
View attachment 106932

Finished with a couple safety chain loops.

View attachment 106934

Tomorrow I'll start on the new aluminum bed.

You done good.

 

[DRussell]

Spent most of the day putting the finishing touches on my 530 so it's all ready to go to work. But I did get started on the truck bed project. Picked the steel bed off, it is very heavy,, I'm guessing close to a ton. It is made out of all 1/4 and 3/16 steel.

View attachment 106927View attachment 106928

Got the gooseneck hitch made and installed today. Started with a real heavy channel.

View attachment 106929

Bought a removable ball and sleeve and welded that in.

View attachment 106930

I welded a sleeve inside for the ball to sit on so the pin doesn't have to hold all the weight.

View attachment 106931

Put 3/8 plate on the ends to bolt to the frame.
View attachment 106932

Finished with a couple safety chain loops.

View attachment 106934

Tomorrow I'll start on the new aluminum bed.

Are you concerned that the channel is going to collect a lot of dirt, salt, etc the way it's sitting?

 

[wh]

Think i would tie the top of your channel rail to the ball mount just to prevent leverage against the welded section.

 

[Janicholson]

If it remains open to the truck deck, and a couple of 1 inch holes are put in the horizontal (bottom) surface, it should be OK. The folded tiedowns lean toward that assumption. Jim

 

[jon f mn]

Are you concerned that the channel is going to collect a lot of dirt, salt, etc the way it's sitting?

Thanks for reminding me, I had intended to cut the end plates down in the center of the channel where it's not needed for drainage, but forgot. I would have been Lee's than pleased when that was full of water ad it was all done. Lol

 

[DoubleO7]

@jon f mn

I like it. But.......................

Common channel iron tends to be all toes and little web, unless it is ship channel.

So depending on web thickness, it might be a good idea to stabilize the tubing to prevent forward and reverse forces on the ball from flexing the channel web. Maybe a brace from very bottom of tube to the cross members, fore and aft? Or a "X" brace starting at the bottom of tube and going out to secure to frame.

But this is coming from a guy that worked in a fab shop when small pieces of steel for a project like this walked out the door at the end of the day when the owners had already left for the day.................