Side boxes instead of fenders

Richard Burton · Sep 19, 2017

Have an Eagle on a 2000 Tacoma:love the truck & camper
but very limited storage space. I'd be willing to
remove truck bed & fenders and replace
with storage boxes on sides underneath overhang
Figure boxes could be 8-10" deep.
Despite lots of internet searches can't
find anything.! Help...Ideas?

longhorn1 · Sep 19, 2017

You might consider a flatbed with storage boxes between the cab and camper and under the flatbed. jd

todgru · Sep 19, 2017

@richard check out WTW user Broverlanding_tacoma. Here are a few pics of his rig, exactly what you want to do.: http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/3551-ultimate-awning-thread/?p=179070

rando · Sep 19, 2017

One issue with a flatbed is that the standard drop in camper will end up being quite high. A flatbed has to be raised high enough that the bed clears the top of the wheels (think the height of the wheel wells in a regular bed), which will raise the whole camper by 4" or more. I think a custom built 'service body' where the center part is still at the height of the original bed is a better option.

VanGoOutdoors · Sep 22, 2017

rando said:
One issue with a flatbed is that the standard drop in camper will end up being quite high. A flatbed has to be raised high enough that the bed clears the top of the wheels (think the height of the wheel wells in a regular bed), which will raise the whole camper by 4" or more. I think a custom built 'service body' where the center part is still at the height of the original bed is a better option.

negative.
With airbags you dont have the downtravel anyways.

Tacoma by Grant Wilson, on Flickr

no rubbing at 30psi
still under 8' clearance

Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr

rando · Sep 22, 2017

You either have to raise the bed or raise the suspension - otherwise the tire will hit the bottom of the flatbed. I also have a flatbed on a 2016 Tacoma, which I ended up mounting ~4" above the bed mounts. I have a slight lift, so I could maybe have reduced that to 3", but either way you need the clearance, which ends up with a taller camper. It is not the down travel that matters it is the compression or up travel that matters and airbags make this situation slightly worse as you loose your bump stops, so there is nothing to limit the up travel.

Captm · Sep 22, 2017

You could go the flatbed route then cut the flat bed and fab up a wheel well to keep it low. This would leave storage fore and aft of the wheel.
But do you really want more storage space? It just means carrying more stuff which equals more weight. A tacoma, gen 1 or 2 is already overweight with just the camper, some a little others a whole lot.

Heck add bumpers, skid plates, sliders ,suspension,tires and rims, a winch, a few lights, driver,passenger a dog or kids, and now your overweight before loading up the camper

Cheers!

ntsqd · Sep 23, 2017

My current model notches the flatbed and puts the fender wells in the camper.

Goal isn't more storage as it is more interior space, but I will in-fill the spaces under the bed with storage enclosures.

Captm · Sep 23, 2017

Nice concept!

klahanie · Sep 23, 2017

broverlanding, wow that looks great. If you built that yourself more props to you !

To the OP, we also did something similar under the wings in the sense that it is open space covered by a large panel vs individual storage boxes. I chose this design because of the flexibility for storage and it worked better for use as a camper-off flatbed (our wants). Custom boxes can get expensive but might be worthwhile if the size was maxed and they extended down to bottom of the cab door level. Then they could also serve as a wheel cover/fender for debris. Also agree, if you search flatbed/deck or service body sites I think you will find lots of ideas.

Certainly I can relate to the desire for more storage but I will second the caution that it can lead to overloading - possible even with a one ton srw.

some pics of our set up and some of the extra junk we can carry above the deck height ...

craig333 · Sep 23, 2017

If I had the money and or skills I'd do something like that in a heartbeat. Looks great!

CougarCouple · Sep 23, 2017

I also like the idea of being able to access the lost space in front and behind the wheel wells. Anyone ever put access doors on the outside of the truck bed, or seen it done?

Cool looking storage, is the floor of your camper one the flatbed much higher than your original truck bed?

Russ

ckent323 · Sep 23, 2017

Russ,

I have made arrangements with a local custom body man to cut the bed sides of my Dodge truck and make them fold down (like the now out of production Hide-n-side). He will box in the bed to the depth of the wheel well to a template I have made that gives 1" clearance on each side of the camper when installed in the truck bed.

It is my expectation that the side doors (actually the bed sides) will be hard to identify and blend with the truck bed contours.

The work will take a few months and I will post pictures when it is done.

Here is a picture of a similar approach.

klahanie · Sep 23, 2017

Thanks guys.

CC, truck is (was) a cab & chassis, delivered incomplete. But for sure the deck is higher than a PU model, depends on how the bed is constructed. FWIW I'll will say I haven't noticed a difference over the previous F250 PU we had. But of course this is a longer, more stiffly sprung, much heavier vehicle with a lot of weight below the belt line. With a hard side it might be different ...

CougarCouple · Sep 24, 2017

Ckent323
That sounds cool. Looking forward to seeing the finished results.

Klahanie
Thanks for the insight on that I guess it's always best to keep weight down low.

Russ

VanGoOutdoors · Sep 24, 2017

rando said:
You either have to raise the bed or raise the suspension - otherwise the tire will hit the bottom of the flatbed. I also have a flatbed on a 2016 Tacoma, which I ended up mounting ~4" above the bed mounts. I have a slight lift, so I could maybe have reduced that to 3", but either way you need the clearance, which ends up with a taller camper. It is not the down travel that matters it is the compression or up travel that matters and airbags make this situation slightly worse as you loose your bump stops, so there is nothing to limit the up travel.

not necessarily. If you buy an off the shelf flatbed, they are very tall. Mine is not.

Captm said:
You could go the flatbed route then cut the flat bed and fab up a wheel well to keep it low. This would leave storage fore and aft of the wheel.
But do you really want more storage space? It just means carrying more stuff which equals more weight. A tacoma, gen 1 or 2 is already overweight with just the camper, some a little others a whole lot. Heck add bumpers, skid plates, sliders ,suspension,tires and rims, a winch, a few lights, driver,passenger a dog or kids, and now your overweight before loading up the camper
Cheers!

For me its just to keep chairs, tables etc out of the main camper.

klahanie said:
broverlanding, wow that looks great. If you built that yourself more props to you !

To the OP, we also did something similar under the wings in the sense that it is open space covered by a large panel vs individual storage boxes. I chose this design because of the flexibility for storage and it worked better for use as a camper-off flatbed (our wants). Custom boxes can get expensive but might be worthwhile if the size was maxed and they extended down to bottom of the cab door level. Then they could also serve as a wheel cover/fender for debris. Also agree, if you search flatbed/deck or service body sites I think you will find lots of ideas.

Certainly I can relate to the desire for more storage but I will second the caution that it can lead to overloading - possible even with a one ton srw.

some pics of our set up and some of the extra junk we can carry above the deck height ...

I

I did in fact build the entire thing myself.

Side boxes instead of fenders

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Ouch, that stings!

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