tube / flat bed design & thoughts

[99TanTaco]

after last weekends carnage I think it may be time to make some changes to my truck. I would like to ditch the bed and build a flat / tube bed for it. I would like to use 2 x 2 x .120 or .187" sq tube for the majority of it because I like how squre looks and it's easier to work with. I would also like a hoop around the cab area and some bracing that could be made of round tube. Another thing I would like to do is possibly shorten the rear frame to improve my departure angle.

If anyone has any pics of beds similar to what I am describing or if you just have any thoughts or info on this post up.

[99TanTaco]

something similar to this http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum/showpost.php?p=384506&postcount=28 but with a hoop is what I'm looking for

[ohio03trdtaco]

Cutting the frame tails just after the rear hanger should be pretty quick and easy. Then I would take alike a piece of 2x4 tubing or whatever size matches, closely and make a rear cross member. Also the cross member would be a good spot to make a bumper off of because you need some rear tow points and possibly a receiver. As for the bed I would try to keep it light maybe even some aluminum diamond plate decking for some bling and weight savings.

[SuperPoser]

http://community.webshots.com/photo/66767259/1066772529043354482KkHaWJ

marshalls was all square tubing but the part going up... which could be swapped with square...

http://community.webshots.com/photo/66767259/1066772073043354482uUIHnd

http://community.webshots.com/photo/69520455/1069523357043354482WMGhhd

this is when he cut the doors and added the maxi pad wings
http://community.webshots.com/photo/74701028/1074790281043354482wYlIIA

[SuperPoser]

problem with making the rear light... the rear will slide everywhere when on mud...
with the engine up front, and if you get rid of the bed, you will be very nose heavy, so don't "try to make the rear light"... it will be light on it's own...

marshall put a gear box at the very back end of his flat bed and kept 2 chains, and spare axles in it to try and get better balance...

I am just remembering what he said, so I may be remembering all wrong, but I am pretty sure you want to try an keep it as well balanced as possible...

[RedRunnertc]

Of the pix Terry posted and Marshall's Taco, I think Marshall's looks pretty weak, but I would make the one Terry posted taller I think. Remember - all triangles, no rectangles or trapezoids.

The question I would raise is if you're going to all the trouble to do the bed and cab hoop, why not just exo the whole thing?

[ohio03trdtaco]

Ah the slippery slope of modifications. Once you exo-cage it you know your going to be wheeling hard so then you will want to do a SAC. Once the SAC is done the truck won’t be much good as a DD, so you will have to buy a tow rig and trailer. Once you have the tow rig then more money in the truck because you don’t have worry about how it drives on the road. So some 40’s or 44’s then brake axle switch out to 60’s brake axle shaft get chrome-alloy shafts and so on and so on. :D

[NEV2DEP]

man Terry you really don't want to buy a new tail light do ya.Take a look a All-pro flat bed kit they use round tube ,but should be able to do the same with square.Their kit has a hoop to.

[99TanTaco]

I'm trying to avoid it. I'm going to try to order some steel tomorrow or Fri. Anyone have any suggestions for some lights that could be flush mounted?

[99TanTaco]

why not just exo the whole thing?

I don't like how exo's look

[ohio03trdtaco]

I would look for some trailer lighting set up’s or 4” or 3” round truck lights (there what I have on the back of my bucket truck). If you go with the rounds you usually will have six the back 1 brake + turn 1 running light and 1 back up light. You can mouth them in a nice piece of polished stainless sheet metal for some added bling and roll like a big rig.

[99TanTaco]

Yea, I'm thinking trailer lighting is probably the cheapest, not sure what you mean by running light, doesn't the brake/turn signal light handle that duty as well on most cars and small trailers? Then I would just need backup lights to. For bling I might try to find some led's

[RedRunnertc]

All kinds of lights available for Jeeps, too - did you see the flush mount LED's on the silver Jeep Sunday?

[gimemoore]

Steel??? Aw, c'mon. Be different like me and go all out hillbilly with a genuine wood flatbed. :rofl:

http://home.alltel.net/gimemoore/truck/truck1.jpg

And please notice that, for added bling, I used locust. :rofl:

[ohio03trdtaco]

Running lights are the park lights the reds that come on with your headlights. As for the brake, turn, and running light being able to put in a signal unit that depends on how Toyota wired them. Chevy’s use the same wire for the brake and turn signal witch would me you only need two connections on the light and one double filament bulb would cover you. Ford uses separate wires for brake and turn signals so you would have to use one double filament bulb + a signal filament bulb to cover all you lights, there for two lights. Then you need something for back up lights and well depending on how much light you want you can use a relay set-up and put on some utility lights like for a tractor.

[SuperPoser]

taco's have seperate lights for brake, and turnsignals...
because of this I have a 6 point trailer wire harness, and have a wirenutted adaptor from 6 to 4 point harness which does not use the turn signal...

[RedRunnertc]

Do they check your lights and stuff during the echeck? Or just the emissions? For 1996 and later (OBDII) I hear they just plug in the computer, and for older vehicles they run it on a dyno with the sniffer in the tailpipe - is that correct?

[ABN82MP]

Terry,

These are the lights I was talking about last night. They are Stop/Turn/Tail lights:

http://i7.ebayimg.com/03/i/06/8c/f0/65_1.JPG

If you needed a seperate turn signal you could use these. Maybe stack the red ones above the amber?

http://i24.ebayimg.com/03/i/06/ea/02/56_1_b.JPG

And just to keep ya legal here's some white ones for back up lights:

http://i23.ebayimg.com/05/i/06/ea/18/1c_1_b.JPG

These were all found on ebay by using "Oval LED" in the search

-J

[NEV2DEP]

Terry if your still lookin for idea check out 5keepers on the national board he was the guy at TO last year with the white taco a nice flatbed.I know i have atleast one pic of his truck i'll email it to you.

[SuperPoser]

Terry,

These are the lights I was talking about last night. They are Stop/Turn/Tail lights:

http://i7.ebayimg.com/03/i/06/8c/f0/65_1.JPG

If you needed a seperate turn signal you could use these. Maybe stack the red ones above the amber?

http://i24.ebayimg.com/03/i/06/ea/02/56_1_b.JPG

And just to keep ya legal here's some white ones for back up lights:

http://i23.ebayimg.com/05/i/06/ea/18/1c_1_b.JPG

These were all found on ebay by using "Oval LED" in the search

-J
PHAT!

[RedRunnertc]

Those wold even out-bling someone I know who has Altezza style taillights!

[SuperPoser]

Those wold even out-bling someone I know who has Altezza style taillights!
I don't know about that :p