so boss was gone this week

The boss (my dad) was out of town this week so I decided to try this project. The idea came from a taco from sema this year which was more of a ridged looking ladder rack over the topper. I tried to find a bed rack that went over the topper but no one makes one. So I figured I would try it even tho my shop I work at does not have very many tools. Basically all we have Is a welder, old pipe bender, chop saw, couple grinders, and couple drills. And just so you know I am not a fabricator I sell used tires and only weld a few times a year and don't really know to much about this kind of stuff but I tried anyway. My dad had some powder coated pipe lying around so I used that to save money but should of bought new because it took a whole day to clean the yellow color off. Also my dad used to race so he has a ghetto ass pipe bender for doing roll cages. This was the first time ever trying it and the first pipe I bent a little to far but the next one was pretty close and I got all of them close to each other. I only did one bend at a time and butt welded them together in the middle. Next instead of notching the pipe together I just welded the sides and tach welded the gaps, then grinded them and it turned out pretty good. Once I had the cage put together, I was going to just weld the base under the topper to the cage but figured out there wouldn't be enough clearance to slide it out to paint it. So I had to figure out another way to mount it. I went with a 3/16" plate under each side of the topper that will line up with the holes on the topper that secure it to the bed so it will have a way to be held down. This was the only metal I had to but and it cost me $40. Then I made little brackets that I had to bend with a torch that go from the topper plate to the cage. Once I had those done I found some pipe that just slide into the bottom of the cage that I welded to the brackets then drilled holes to put a bolt to hold the bottom plate and cage together. Now that everything fit I decided to try the bedliner spray paint that would match my bumpers that I had professionally done. It took about 5 coats to finally cover the primer but it turned out looking good. So the total amount I have invested into it is about $95 with the metal, paint, and the tin of grizz it took to complete the project. I will be putting 4 led lights on the sides, shovel, axe, and hi lift once I get more money. Let me know what you guys think. I will be putting it back on my truck tmrw morning once the paint finally dries.

 

Very nice!

 

Looks good and only cost you $95... how much did it cost your dad/boss lol

 

Pretty sweet. Post pics when its on the truck, I want to do something like this for mine, but I don't have a a hard top over the bed. just want a skeleton look

 

haha my dad is the most laid back guy ever so he don't care. he had all the metal from and old indoor play gym in a town by us. And I asked him if I could use it but never told him what I was doing and when I sent a pic of it to him he asked why I didn't just use some actual roll cage pipe that was clean right next to it. I was pissed because I probably put it there and forgot about it, it would of made life a lot eaiser.

 

Not bad. Post some pictures on the truck.

 

He may never know.

 

Yea post pics on the truck it looks great

 

x2 looks good

 

I don't like it. I love it. Well done.

 

#patent #awesome

 

Not sure how I like it yet. I think it looked better on paper.

 

man that looks great! the only thing i would change though...


well, nothing LOL! its perfect good job!

hey i see a ducks unlimited sticker i think, you guys duck hunt way up there?

 

HAHA YES, duck and goose hunting is my passion. We have stupid amounts of ducks and geese that come to a pond in town by us but go to all the farm fields around. 3 weeks ago we had probably 10,000 Canada's and 2,000 mallards coming to are spread.

 

Finally!! Haha I've always wondered why nobody made one. I Might possibly be buying a used cap this week. This would be so sick to have.

 

Great Job! I have an All-Pro Rack and wish I could squeeze a shell under it!

 

Interesting.

 

Overkill. And so, so, so awesome. I want one.