Deuce Custom Bed Rails

[BlizzardX23]

So, who here has created new bed rails? I just picked up 40 feet of 1 1/4 inch steel square tubing. I'm going to throw the truck up in Photoshop and see what I can come up with...Give me some ideas! I'll post the renderings as I do them

 

[munnyhendershot]

I've searched around on this site and can't find any posts except this one on custom bed rails/sides. Found one on custom troops seats, but the consensus was not worth the effort and just find some for sale. Either not many have messed with it, have troop seats already to fill their needs, or I am not a proficient SS search machine yet.

I have a recently purchased deuce that did not come with troop seats. I can't find any troop seats for sale, at least ones that are close to me and don't cost more to ship than what they're worth. I may have found a set of the vertical steel pieces that fit in the bed pockets and could build off of those. Still waiting to hear back from the seller on them.

In the mean time, I've been looking for material that is available to me for the horizontal slats, and it's come down to wood or 4" x 5" aluminum guardrail tubing that I would cut in half lengthwise. The aluminum ones would have a different look, be somewhat light for their strength, and hard to keep thieves away from if not painted.

I don't really see a need for my sides to double as troop seats, so not worried about home made ones performing that function. I would like to keep the option open of adding bows and a cover later, but not a necessity. After looking at what channel or steel tubing would cost to fit in the bed stakes, I'm still holding out that I can get the original ones. Another option, although not sure if possible, is have steel plate bent to make c-channel pieces the dimensions of the stake pockets (about 1.25"x2.75"x38"). I'm hoping to speak with a fabricator in town in the next few weeks and see what he says. Hopefully not just a crazy eyed look.

If anyone has good ideas on what else would work for vertical posts and sides that won't break the bank, I'm open to suggestions. Or better yet, pictures of what you guys have dreamt up and fabricated.

 

[drivebymashing]

Im in the process of replacing my rotten wood on the troop seats with cherry. Should be nice i hope

 

[VPed]

What about oak (nature's iron)? My Grandad's farm truck had oak stake-sides that he made, on it. He would pass 2x12s from side to side to serve as shelves and stack the truck to the hilt with produce. worked great for many years.

 

[munnyhendershot]

Im in the process of replacing my rotten wood on the troop seats with cherry. Should be nice i hope

I bet they'll look great. Since you're using cherry, I'm assuming they will be stained?

What about oak (nature's iron)? My Grandad's farm truck had oak stake-sides that he made, on it. He would pass 2x12s from side to side to serve as shelves and stack the truck to the hilt with produce. worked great for many years.

I'll keep the oak stakes in mind. Priced out what it would cost to make side and head boards with 5/4 oak today at a supply store, and it's roughly $275. I'd still have to rip these down to width.

I spoke with a fab shop and he can bend 1/4 steel c-channels for me at the dimensions I'd need. I also priced out 10 gauge sheet metal that I could weld to the stakes and add reinforcing to the top and bottom. This came out cheaper than the oak (sheet metal only), but don't think it would look very good. It would be solid sides and front sticking about 2' above the bed sides that are already present. Will have to do some more thinking on that one...

 

[drivebymashing]

Im using clear poly. My father in law works at a custom wood milling shop. I got the cherry for free and custom milled to the exact size of factory wood. Its still a long project.

 

[drivebymashing]

Not totally finished yet.

 

[munnyhendershot]

That's going to look great when you're done. It's also good to have a connection like yours to procure wood like that. Thanks for posting a pic!

 

[drivebymashing]

 

[drivebymashing]

Cherry with clean poly on it. The head board and pass side is finished. Now for the drivers side. Troop seats are heavy when the wood isnt all rotted and mostly gone.

 

[drivebymashing]

 

[drivebymashing]

Old troop seat and new headboard

 

[Woodsplinter]

Im using clear poly. My father in law works at a custom wood milling shop. I got the cherry for free and custom milled to the exact size of factory wood. Its still a long project.

Your project looks great! I've been finishing wood for over 20 years and you'll find that cherry darkens wildly with UV exposure. Film finishes like poly lay on the surface of the wood instead of soaking in. In the Az sun it doesn't last more than about a summer before it starts to turn white and peel, like automotive clear coat.

Hope it lasts longer in your climate because its a pain to remove!

 

[rosco]

The M35 didn't have side boards when I got it, but I had an very old set that fit the M211s but the wood was long since gone. I cut down the stakes & used 2x12s for the sides. The head board & tail gate are oak, using the same hardware. I don't have a good picture of the latch, where I store the tail board, but its just a piece of 1/4x2 strap, with a dog leg in it, that hangs down, keeping it in place - then its always with you.

 

[OD_Coyote]

Looks great and I like the trailer!!! How does your deuce handle pulling the tractor load?

 

[drivebymashing]

Your project looks great! I've been finishing wood for over 20 years and you'll find that cherry darkens wildly with UV exposure. Film finishes like poly lay on the surface of the wood instead of soaking in. In the Az sun it doesn't last more than about a summer before it starts to turn white and peel, like automotive clear coat.

Hope it lasts longer in your climate because its a pain to remove!

I hope so too its made for a deck I guess poly was the wrong word. Its clear sealant made by olympic. If it darkens some Im ok with that. It is getting mildew like black stuff on it. That sucks..

 

[Woodsplinter]

I hope so too its made for a deck I guess poly was the wrong word. Its clear sealant made by olympic. If it darkens some Im ok with that. It is getting mildew like black stuff on it. That sucks..

Let us know how it holds up!

 

[rosco]

Looks great and I like the trailer!!! How does your deuce handle pulling the tractor load?

Not bad - you have to learn how to use the T-case to split the gears on the grades, so there isn't the wide space between 3rd & 4th.

 

[munnyhendershot]

Looking good drivebymashing! I now have the troop seat hardware, just need to choose what material to put on them. It will likely be oak, but not sure if I want to go the natural wood color or paint it to match the truck.

Here's a pic of what my troop seats look like now. All chain sawed up...

 

[MDSA]

When my troop seats rotted, I looked for reasonably priced fiberglass seats, but no luck. I debated using oak, but expensive and labor intensive to properly prepare. I also was concerned that the oak would eventually rot anyway, so I went with the composite "boards" from Lowes. They were $120, easy to paint, look okay, and should last. They sag a bit when used as seats, but I only do a couple of parades a year.