Bed widening to fit 4x8 sheets

it's a typical 'bridge problem'. the strongest point of a bridge is near the edges, while it's weakest near the center.

by keeping the 2x4's over/near the frame rails running underneath the bed, it's distributing the load directly to the frame of the truck, which will be the strongest point of the bed.

but that said, using 2x4's to distribute the load is extremely effective even in the worst placements in any truck bed. he could've placed those 2x4's a foot inboard of where they were, added 2x's the plywood, and still never had to worry about the bed. his springs would have everything to say about it though.

where composite beds don't work is in sharp point-loads. like dropping steel toolboxes into the bed, or ramming forklift forks into it.

 

I run 2x4’s across that are dadoed out in the middle, where I then run 2 2x4’s the length of the bed that rest in the dado. The long 2x4s have a hinged support that rests on the tailgate. It can support 4x8 sheet goods easily and without flexion.

 

Way over thinking this. Buy plywood, slide in bed with tailgate up. Strap it down. It ain't rocket science. Buy a full size truck with an 8' bed if it's that important.

 

nah, i don't trust the tailgate latches that much.

 

I made a really cheap version of this right in the Lowe's parking lot with my cordless circular saw and driver.
I needed it because i needed to get some hardie board home and that stuff will snap. I just bought a few 2x4s and cut to length. repurposed the 2x4s later for some other project.

 

That doesn't work for me because I have a cap on my bed. The latches for the rear window on the cap are less than 48" apart. I can slip one or two sheets in under the latches but beyond that I have to use another solution.

 

This would be my solution as well, or just strap em on top of a rack

 

To be fair, metal wouldn't like that much either. Certainly metal of the same weight (i.e. steel mich thinner than the composite).

 

I don't know what you all think about how I do it. But it is easier for me to load
4x8 4x10 or whatever into this bed extension. Then I can cover them if needed
and use them without having to unload and then move them again. Works best
for me.

 

See more and more utility trailers around these parts. Guys are replacing their trucks with small and medium suvs and towing utility trailers of various sizes. In the process of replacing my Tacoma with a RAV4 hybrid and towing this. 4x10 bed, 1200 lb capacity and removable ramp.

 

I won't go as far as getting rid of the tacoma ( or the jeep ) but the trailer makes things easier.

 

Pretty sure this is how Decked intended them to be used!

 

Does it come with a lifetime supply of tampons?

I kid, I kid.

 

You are not funny. I am not kidding.

The two cross-board method works fine if you have a cap. Photo below of me hauling a few sheets of 1/2 plywood that way - I could have easily taken more but that was all I needed for that project. Here's more info from my build thread about modifying the bolts holding the tailgate to also use it as a support.

 

Question is, why would Toyota or any brand not reduce the bulge of each wheel hump by a couple inches to fit 48" cargo ? I have experimented putting the rear axle in a bind to the point of maxing out travel and the tire distance to bed side hardly changes.

Picture is with suspension hanging in air and floor jack on tire side pushing axle up as far as possible to reduce clearance.

 

Because toyota thinks if you need to haul 4x8 sheets more often than using the molded in recesses for cross boards, you are probably going to buy a tundra. Why get rid of tire clearance for the off chance that someone wants to shove a sheet of plywood in between the tires.

 

New Ford Ranger bed width is 48.2''. No reason why Tacoma couldn't follow suit, especially with the latest rendition.

 

I've wondered the same but for more than just plywood. Neither my quad nor my snowmobile will fit between the wheel wells but will fit if they were 48". I ended up building a platform for the snowmobile that puts it above the wheel wells. I don't use it for the quad as its a lot more top heavy than the snowmobile. The quad goes on an old 5x8 trailer from Lowe's.

 

Ha! Trailer has Tacoma Off road wheels on it. First time seeing that.

 

Unless, you ordered the special, horizontal sliding rear end, ain't no way any stock tire/rim is going to contact the bedsides. On another note, I have used the notched cutouts and yes, they work fine, although it does make the load weight higher.