my $80 sled deck

[Blu Du]

1 guy cancelled for mondays trip so its just me and another guy so i thought i would build another deck. i have built 2 others in the past and they work real well. i would like to get an alminum one someday but rarely theres just 2 of us going west.

chevys have 4 side pockets that i fit the frame in. i built the 4 main supports on sawhorses and set them in place

then i put the sides on, ran a 2x6 on the very back with 2 legs going down,

did a 2- 2x4's on gthe very front

ready for sheeting

1tie down in each corner

sheeted

4x8 ramp

my quick attach ramp system....note hinges bent but worked

with no snow and my truck is so damn tall the 8' ramp is a little steep so i backed up to a little in cline. note this is all the snow we have had this yr

and loaded. went very well. i drove slow and had to pull the sled up a little to get the track to grap then drove it right up

 

[Blu Du]

for tie downs im just gonna run a 2x6 across both sets of skis and lag bolt them to the side rail. and use my cordless impact. now to build this it took
8-2x4 $16
8-2x6 $24
3 sheets OSB $22 (pr0bably should of used cdx)
lag bolts $10 (every thing is lag bolted, no srews. i also put liquid nails on the the cleats
4 tie downs $10 (on sale at menards)

a couple disassemble pics

 

[Blu Du]

2000 miles on the deck and it worked great. ramp angle is just perfect, drive right up no problem. on the way out i was bucking 30 mph plus wind and was down to 9.5 mpg at 75. on the way home with a tail wind i was up to 16.9 mpg at 60 mph(due to ice on the rd) then when the rds cleared set the cruise at 80 and averaged 14.5 the last 850 miles.

 

[snowmobiler]

cool.works.

 

[94fordguy]

Wow, I'm impressed... Definitely a lot nicer than any other wood system I have seen

 

[Coldfinger]

Looks good. I had to re-read and look at pics again regarding the pockets because I was thinking stake pockets but now I see what you mean, cool.

On the hinges - looks like the same hinges I use for my ramps on my 2x8 loading system. I use solid rod with an L bend on the end to grab onto to push them in place and pull them out. On the ends of the rod, grind it to more of a point to make insertion easier.

Also, fab yourself some flat iron ramps/rests for the ramp to rest on and that will take excess pressure off the hinges. I'd put a rest in the middle too if you don't have one already.

I edited out my questions regarding length of deck and sleds. I looked at pics again.

 

[Blk88GT]

The wood is already cracking before you even loaded it.

 

[WyoUltra]

When you built your deck, I noticed that your truck is a long bed, Would you add more supports for a short bed aka 6.5' box?

 

[AndrettiDog]

I applaud you for your ingenuity. But the skeptic side of me can't help but think that at some point that wood will splinter or have a fault at a week point. It will get wet and the grain in the wood will do strange things. I just think that is not going to be safe in the wrong hands. Once again, not a cheap shot just my thoughts.

 

[Blu Du]

When you built your deck, I noticed that your truck is a long bed, Would you add more supports for a short bed aka 6.5' box?

i would think you would have to leave the tail gate open and have some bracing coming down to the tail gate

 

[WyoUltra]

i would think you would have to leave the tail gate open and have some bracing coming down to the tail gate

How well did it last? Could this last a season safely? How did yours hold up? Anything you would change about it?

 

[shelbwyo]

I like it, simple and works. Noticed the crack in the 2x4 as well and would be conserned about it holding up. Im guessing you used screw to hold it all together? What about an air nail gun, would it hold it together better with less stress at the joints that cause cracks? Im not a carpenter so just had to ask another option to maybe make it better?

How do you tie the sled down?

I would like to put one on my truck but i bought an 02 super crew with the 5.5' bed and i dont think a sled deck would go on there very good.

 

[wildcard28]

All looks good to me nice work

One thing I would add is a Bang Board for your back window, cant help but see the pic of the xp setting on the deck and picturing where the ski set and could possibly be setting stuffed thru the back window of that nice truck

I am speaking from experiece, I have a single sled bed built in the bed of my truck with 2 loading ramps . Before I rode my Rev after I purchased it I added 10inch RSI risers and routed the cables thru the riser which was a mistake as I was loading for the first time I noticed the throttle sticky a bit when I got the the back of the truck lined up for the ramps I gave quick snap of the throttle and it was about accidently half throttle and Bam up the ramp it shot next thing I know It looked like the cab was under the skis I grabbed the brake and the nose came downt and the middle of the skis hit the front box support and as suspension compressed and smashed the nosed skis and nose of the sled right thru the window, I Gorilla taped the window back together and went rideing it is still taped up, LOL
I have had this in my truck and used it for 3 seasons now and is holding up good and no treated wood, I cut up an old plastic bed liner with all the ribs in it and mounted strips of it to the outside of each ramp and the outsides of the sled floor I call it and the skis don`t dig in the wood, could hardly slide the sled backwards on it before I did this now it moves really easy especially when it wet. The Ramps individually slide under the sled floor after loaded, when no sled in truck you can take the ramps out and the rear portion of the floor is hinged and folds forward and you can shut the tailgate.

If you look ahead of the sled you can see the window still taped up......

Wildcard

here is a loading vid, in gravel, you can pretty much just get the sled on the ramp and crawl the sled up
http://s375.photobucket.com/albums/oo197/ddcard/?action=view&current=MVI_0204.mp4

 

[Blu Du]

How well did it last? Could this last a season safely? How did yours hold up? Anything you would change about it?

yes it could. if i was leaving it on all winter i would maybe use cables and a turnbuckle for tie downs just incase the the straps wore thru, use cdx lywood and paint the wole thing. as far as the crack in the would that is a non issue, it was just dry old fir. i used all 5/16" x 4" lag bolts for the whole thing and 1/4 x 2 lag bolts for the sheating and i assure you once it's all tied togeather it wont move at all.

 

[Blu Du]

for a tie down i just took a 2x6 and ran it across all 4 skies in front of the spindles and used 4 lag bolts thru the top of the 2x6 into the 2x4 side rails. used my cordless impact i tied both tracks down th the trailer hitch with 2 ratchet straps

 

[Himark]

Holy crap this picture makes my back hurt looking at those ramps...

 

[wildcard28]

Holy crap this picture makes my back hurt looking at those ramps...

You must have a weak back you don`t take the ramps out everytime you ride they slide under the deck the sled is setting on, just grab the cut out handle on the back right at the ground lift it up and walk forward as it slides under the sled do this on each side, only holds one sled but is easier than a sled deck (there is two ramps) cause there is a center board support down the center of the sled floor so the middle doesn`t colapse.

ramps are pinned in outside holes as they are out and loading so they don`t get spit out as you ride up them.

Leave the tailgate down and I really only remove the ramps in the summer time. and how heavy it 1/2 a piece of plywood and 2 7ft 2x6`s,and your not lifting the total weight the front just stays setting on the tailgate as you lift up the rear and walk forward, not very difficult to figure out or heavy, Im 160lbs and have had no problem for last 3 years. My 10yr old Nephew does it with me Easily..

Its harder on the back to unload a sled with no Reverse on this bed or any sled deck. than the ramps anyways.

 

[fordpickupman]

It looks pretty good, I'd figure out how to attach it to the frame. I don't trust the strength of sheet metal much.


FORDpickupman

 

[wildcard28]

I like it Blu Du, nice work I like to see homemade stuff nothing wrong with saving some coin even if you have to improve or make one ever year or two you can make a bunch of them and still be cheaper after a quite a few years in a row compared to the cost in a common sled deck.

got me thinkin of makeing one for my truck so I can Haul more than one sled on the truck with out a trailer ya know.

Does it make you nervous riding the sled up that high, no punt or anything thats the one thing that makes me nervous about a above the bed deck no matter what its make of is accidently going off the side, but I guess higher side guides would help that.

Wildcard