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Swingout, but inside the bed?

Discussion in 'Technical Chat' started by GrundleJuice, Feb 2, 2021.

  1. Feb 2, 2021 at 2:36 PM
    #1
    GrundleJuice

    GrundleJuice [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I have some leftover 3/16" plate, 2" and 1" square steel tubing laying around. I havn't measured anything yet, but if it's not enough for a complete assembly, it will be close enough that I'll just buy the rest. My idea is to build a "swingout" type hinged assembly, but have it inside the bed, just forward of the tailgate. It would hinge on two bushing type hinges on one side and have a cotterless spring loaded ball lock pin to latch it in place on the other... I think an overcenter latch would work well, too. I probably wouldn't mount the spare tire there, but it's an option. I mostly want this so I can have useable workspace with a fold down counter/tool tray/food prep surface for camping and such and maybe some open storage for something. Might get ambitious and make a sort of flat top grill with a propane tank/burner under a swing down stainless plate but that will be $$$ in materials so prob not.

    Anyway, before I do something like this I wanted to get some input from others, see if there is something I am overlooking that would make this not a good idea. Mounting would probably be to the bed side and bottom anchor bolts that the bed side stiffener things usually bolt down to, I wouldn't be opposed to adding a hole or two. It will obviously take up some bed space, but so far I have plenty of that even when geared up for a descent length trip so giving up a foot or so wouldn't make any difference from that point of view. With the tailgate down I would "lose" about 18", or whatever the height of the gate is, but it wouldn't be wasted, just not directly accessible from below, which seems almost a non issue. Any thoughts?
     
  2. Feb 2, 2021 at 2:59 PM
    #2
    Wyoming09

    Wyoming09 Well-Known Member

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    If your not planning on mounting the spare why not just build something to slide into the receiver hitch That way if you want to haul something your not losing space.

    I thought about a mount like that for the spare tire inside the bed it took up to much room and made loading a pallet impossible for how much I haul.
     
  3. Feb 2, 2021 at 3:12 PM
    #3
    GrundleJuice

    GrundleJuice [OP] Well-Known Member

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    2016 TRD Bro
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    Thanks for the reply. I should add that I would not leave this installed all the time. I would probably leave the bolted in sides of the hinge and the latch mounted unless they needed to be removed for some reason, but the swing out part would hang on my garage wall between trips.

    Narrow forest roads/two track. It might work, but wouldn't be ideal. I did one trip with my hitch bike rack on and it took a couple smacks, but nothing that was hard enough to damage it or the bikes. As far as the bikes go, it's a compromise between mounting them high on the bed rack sides or low and behind the truck. In either case, I'd like to keep the hitch available for the hitch bike rack or empty if I think clearance might be an issue.
     

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