Flatbed,35’s and Mainly Parked For Repairs

Awesome work!

 

thank you!

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/ToyotaTacoma/comments/8i0gmd/went_around_the_block_to_get_a_photo_of_this/

 

Not mine.

 

I know, just wanted to share...

 

Everyone is switching to flat beds!

That one looks like he put a military bed on it.

Mine from today....

Going to have lots of work to get the cap ready and working.

 

Can’t wait to see more!

 

Damn, nice. You already got it!

 

So the truck is back together now and I am able to drive around.

The way the cap was mounted wasn’t the greatest (4 1/2 bolts) which caused the bottom of the cap to not sit right and not be as secured.

I used the l-track to sandwhich the cap between the bed. I used all stainless hardware and fender washers in the bottom of the bed to sandwhich everything for strength.

The extra pieces will be going in the middle.

Also started the sticker collection


And a pic of the suspension


I still have a ton to do to the cap to get it ready for the first camping trip in two weeks.

 

Looking good. Make sure you have something between the stainless fender washers and the aluminum. Nylon washers or something, even stainless hardware will eventually rot out the aluminum.

 

I wasn't aware of that. I may have to look into that. Thanks for the heads up.

 

I am going to put the lines on my bolts and nuts for the u-bolt flip, I want this. I constantly think about 'Is this rattling apart. I drive the ballsack off it'

Thanks for the pics.

 

More for piece of mind. They do need to be retourqued every now and again.

 

Yea each time I stop by and bug my mechanic he touches it all. He is so good to my rig

 

ok, question time.

What are your thoughts on the ARE topper?

What do you think about the flat bed tray after having it on for a little while? Does everything being bolted together cause it to make noise when hitting bumps? I was curious if it would sound like a bunch of loose change in the back of the truck.

Did you elect to not fool with the fenders they sent with it? Or were they just going to interfere with travel?

I am very seriously considering Randy's tray and I wanted to get your thoughts on it.


THanks again

 

I find the tray quiet and it doesn’t rattle much at all. The tailgate/doors have a bit of play understandably but it wasn’t anything that I could hear with the windows up.

The topper....honestly wasn’t impressed. Welds not done all the way around, things tex screwed, rivits sticking out. I do believe this is the standard as a similar cap on display at the location I had it installed was very similiar. It works and is a good base to build off of.


I chose to mount it using l track (airline track) instead of the two 1/2” bolts the installer used.

Fenders wouldn’t be worth it for 35”s as the tires stick out anyways. Plus with my travel they would get in the way. With Dakar’s and gm bumps my tires have a finger gap on the bed itself.

All in all I am very happy with the bed and Randy’s customer service. The bed bolts up with two cross bars, but with modification of the third crossbar you can have three bars


Nothing crazy. You just copy one of the given bars they send.

The space you gain though has been awesome. But keep in mind wth out a bedside it’s hard to mount things. Not impossible but just a different challenge than using t slots in the rail for shovel and hi lifts mount.

Let me know if you have anymore questions. Over all it took me a while to get it installed as I made a bumper and did a few other items but overall it is straight forward. All stainless hardware or galvanized. I broke a hinge and Randy sent me one right over.

 

you are the man! We are planning a lift off canopy build for an upcoming show build and the tray seems pretty great. I think that I may go about finding a different lift off canopy that can be left at camp or wherever.

 

I was on a time constraint and figured a “off the shelf” cap would provide me with available replacement components when needed. It’s not perfect as it is built for construction but it will work. I don’t know if it would be cheaper for a one off or this one.

Also if you do go this route budget for a bumper. Just to give you an idea when I installed this bed with with my high clearance bunper. The bed sat on top of the bumper. You gain a lot of clearance up and down but loose in width.

 

Also if you do go this route budget for a bumper. Just to give you an idea when I installed this bed with with my high clearance bunper. The bed sat on top of the bumper. You gain a lot of clearance up and down but loose in width.

What do you mean by lose in width? I already plan on a sloped "Skid plate" that integrates in the receiver hitch and two recovery points that also gives you some departure protection.

 

Sorry. That wasn’t clear. I meant the truck becomes wider. So although you gain height. You loose clearance on tight trails because you are wider.