I am getting all my stuff together to run the HP D60 I just built. I have a FF 14 Bolt going in the rear. I have already purchased a set of glass fenders for the front, but still am stuck on the rear. I can chop the bed, and dovetail it, or get new glass fenders to match the front. This is a rock crawling rig and I am afraid that glass in the rear will be a waist of time. You really need that extra clearance in the rear bedside area. So, just wanted to get some opinions on this. Anyone have some pics of this setup? I am trying to picture a SAS rig at full width with glass fenders in the front, and a dovetailed rear. I know there is someone here that has this setup, but I can't find him.
I am in the process of having the tundra dovetailed right now. I originally just bodded the factory bed 14-1/2", but now that I have beat the total piss out of the sheetmetal I decided to dovetail it.....just a little bass ackwards ! We just have the fenders propped up to get a feel for what it is going to end up looking like in these pictures, should have some updated progress pics by Monday. We are building the bottom and back of the inner bed out of 1/8" steel that will have 1-1/2" dimple die holes to reduce weight........won't be any gravel hauled in this one ! I will have one exo bar that runs tight down the fender and then turns in through right in front of the tail light.
I am in the process of having the tundra dovetailed right now. I originally just bodded the factory bed 14-1/2", but now that I have beat the total piss out of the sheetmetal I decided to dovetail it.....just a little bass ackwards ! We just have the fenders propped up to get a feel for what it is going to end up looking like in these pictures, should have some updated progress pics by Monday. We are building the bottom and back of the inner bed out of 1/8" steel that will have 1-1/2" dimple die holes to reduce weight........won't be any gravel hauled in this one ! I will have one exo bar that runs tight down the fender and then turns in through right in front of the tail light.
And I thought I couldn't love your truck anymore than I already did! Beautiful is the only word that can describe it.
Another option would be to just flatbed it but I'm getting the drift that that's not what you're after. I agree with you too, I like rigs with the beds, or the bedsides at least, makes the truck flow better. I've never seen DaveTaco's truck in person but from the pics, it looks pretty slick! An idea that I'll probably be doing down the road is kinda what 01Tundra is doing. I'm going to make a rear hoop and semi-exo cage to tie into an in cab cage. Run some tubes along the top of the bedsides in a dovetail fashion to the rear of the frame. Then I'll fab some sort of inner bed so I can still haul elk out of the woods .
Yeah, I want to keep the bed. I don't like the flat beds. I also think the dovetail is the best option, but just didn't know if it would look silly with the truck all big and burley in the front and short and nerrow in the rear. I know that most of the damage happens from the cab back because of no rear steer. I also don't really care too much of what people think, but want my rig to look nice. I do like Josh' truck.
I feel like if I lose anymore room back there I might as well chop it off and tube it. I realize this won't protect above the bedsides as well, but ultimately I'd like to graft in a stepside tailgate/rear quarter, but leave the width above the wheels with tube around the wheel wells where the fender flares are now.
I feel like if I lose anymore room back there I might as well chop it off and tube it. I realize this won't protect above the bedsides as well, but ultimately I'd like to graft in a stepside tailgate/rear quarter, but leave the width above the wheels with tube around the wheel wells where the fender flares are now.
I like the way Josh did his. I might not go that much on the dovetail though. I also do like the idea of the stepside dovetailed. That would look sweet.
On a separate note, I picked up my FF 14 bolt today. Payed $300 for the axle and he threw in an extra open carrier since he could not tell me if it had the govloc or not. Looks good. I am going to start the cleanup and the close shave of the bottom of the housing, and maybe dics soon.
Nice work! I am going to go easy on the dovetail and see how it turns out. I have seen some others and they are way too tapered for my taste. You have yours right about where I want mine, maybe even a few degrees less. I think with the width of the 14 bolt I won't need much to clear the tires. If I can't completely clear them I will just trim the sheetmetal a tad. Thanks for the pics, keep truckin'
Any thoughts as to making some tube fenders to cover the rear tires? I cant get a vision of it, but not sure it would look to good, or even defeat the purpose. I was going to fab a tube bed and dovetail after the rear wheels this summer. I love the dovetails and dont mind body damage, but crunching a dovetail after spending a billion hours on it would make me a lot sadder than having to touch up the paint on the tube bed.
I agree, but I think with the dovetail it is going to be a lot harder to smash it. Not saying it can't happen, but with the tires sticking out as far as they do, it would be hard. I am going to be running at around 68" wms so my tires will be out pretty far to begin with. I think I am going to get the axle mounted and see what it looks like.
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