Deck Options for Flip Pac

[Big Silver]

Hello,
I'm new to the site but very impressed with a number of the talented people here. I have owned a Flip Pac camper since 2001 and have it mounted on a 2001 short bed Dodge 1500 4x4 quadcab offroad pkg running 35" tires. I have wheeled it hard exploring the jeep trails in Panamint Valley and Death Valley as well as AZ. I am a Scout Master now and the 1500 with the short bed just is not cutting it any more. I finaly broke down and purchased an 07 3500 SRW 4x4 long bed Dodge with the 5.9 engine. The new Flip Pac is on order and I am looking at options for a deck. My old truck used a sectional homebuilt 1" steel frame deck with 3/4" CDX plywood decking plates. I just came across the DAMAR truck deck and wanted your opinion on it. http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=32730&stc=1&d=1253678563 To me it looks adapatable to mount inside the Flip Pac above the Flip Pac bed rail. This will allow me to fit my camping equipment under the deck near the tailgate while keeping clothing and sleeping gear up near the cab. Anyway, let me know what you think about the deck, if anyone has one, or offer other options you have seen or built.
Thanks!

 

[mountainpete]

Welcome to ExPo Big Silver!

With a 3500, weight isn't the same factor as with a smaller truck so a setup like that is a pretty attractive option. Unfortunatley I've never seen that brand in person so I can't provide you feedback on it.

One thing to consider is the height of the deck. Ensure that there is enough height to put the items you want to place in there. For example, you're not going to get a fridge or any type of cooler inside and would have to secure it to the top. Make sure there is a way you can secure it easily.

Also consider that if you sleep with your socks off that floor is going to be real cold in the morning! Get a mat.

Pete

 

[Martyn]

Adventure Trailers would be more than happy to quote you on some custom composite storage units. They are strong, light weight and set up they way you want them, rather than off the shelf units.

Lots of options including storage shelves, drawers, slides, steps up to the bed level etc.

Elcoyote has a fully decked out FlipPac that he can show you. Also take a look at our drawer systems at http://www.adventuretrailers.com/drawer.html they might give you some ideas.

We can also add power supplies, LED light, water storage, heaters, shower units etc.

It's all food for thought and may get the designer juices flowing.

 

[matt s]

Let's get to the real question. What became of that full size short bed flippac?:drool:

 

[Big Silver]

Thanks for the replies. The 1500 has been driven hard, and put away wet too many times. :smiley_drive: Transmission temps are running a bit high and it needs a ring job. I have replaced 4 transmissions, first one was my bad, I clipped a rock at 35mph near Cerro Gordo on East side of the mountain. Ruined a rim and the tranny failed about 3000 miles later. Second transmission lasted just under 45 miles. Bad install covered by my mechanic, third trans failed due to blown hose and loss of fluid in Hell California. Fourth is a built transmission with shift kit. So far so good, but with +150K miles on the truck, it is time to look into my next rig. I have a Boy Scout Troop now and the gear is piling up. I have a trailer to haul the stuff, patrol boxes, pealer logs, roaps, sheep herder stoves, the whole nine yards for five patrols and 35 Scouts and more on the way. I can't fit it all in the 1500 SB and a 12' enclosed trailer and climb the grades in the Sierra's without over heating. Did I forget to mention the air bags, add a leaf, zero rate spring block, DT track bar, 2" spacers, homebuilt rock sliders and front reciver hitch? I need to post a photo or two. I run 33" tires for daily driving and 35" tires for wheeling. I get about 12 mpg with the 33's and 8-10 mpg with the 35's. The truck has been well used and has many more mods that have made it a great ride. I still have it and the flip pac. Some one will get a project truck with great potential once I am done moving my custom parts to the new truck. Anyone seen a rear seat lift kit on a Dodge? My "new" 3500 long bed has 60k miles on it but the 5.9 is about broken in and getting 16.8 mpg around town and 20.4 highway so I hope I will get a good 10 to 15 years of use out of it. It will be used mainly for trailer towing and gear hauling but I still want to 4x4 with it. I hope to get the BFG KM2 17X35R17 tires on it by Friday so I can try it out up in NV this weekend. :victory: Anyway I'm building my next rig and appreciate your comments, ideas, and encouragement. So far I have found a lot of good information looking throught the site and see there are a number of well thought out vehicles and mods. I'm looking forward to contributing to the Forum and tapping into it's knowlage base.
Thanks

 

[Rexsname]

As cool as the truck deck is, I can't help but think that it would limit your options tremendously. It also looks both expencive and heavy. I would bet that if you were to load up all of your gear and take a drive over to AT, they would be able to put together a very creative and flexable solution.





















That, and I just don't like the shine of the diamondplate. (chrome-a-phobia)



REX

 

[suntinez]

Welcome to Expo Big Silver! I’m sure you have some valuable insight from already having owned a flippac. If you can, post some pics of your current interior setup. Always interested to see what folks have done with these.

I think this deck looks like a great idea for storage, much the same idea as what I was going for when I built my raised floor. As I look thru their website it looks very stout, and highly customizable. I wish I’d seen it before I built mine, I’m no carpenter! Modular was important to me because when I first got the truck, it was on a lease.

One of the issues with longbox trucks is accessing all that space from the end of the bed, 8ft away. I couldn’t find drawers or even drawer slides long enough to do the job, and couldn’t see paying the $1000+ for the cargo bed slides like this one. So I looked at RV solutions to the problem, and found this, which is what I installed in the center section under the floor. It holds all my kitchen stuff and slides easily. Looks like your deck would accommodate a slide underneath if you wanted it.

I wanted my fridge at the rear so I to could get at it while outside, and cut a notch in the floor that fit it. Then VikingVince suggested that I leave a space next to it at the truckbed floor level for getting in/out, so I didn’t have to resort to contortion getting in and out through the rear opening. At one time he had raised his center section at the rear to accommodate a pullpal, and then wound up removing it because it limited entry/exit on his Tacoma. I’m glad I did it, gives me somewhere to throw dirty shoes and so on before getting up into the main area.

Anyhow here’s what mine looks like under the floor, not quite finished here:

And how it (mostly) looks now:

 

[Big Silver]

I expect to cover the deck with a couple of sections of carpet. That way it is not so cold in the mornings. I expect to have two 3 x 2 compartments at the front of the bed and would like a 4 ft deep pull out tray/box for equipment. I like the idea of haveing some form of secondary containment for the port a pottie and other yucky stuff. Only draw back I can see to this is with my old set up I could remove the aft deck and keep the forward deck and storage box in place. The deck I'm looking at now is continous front to back with a split down the center. I like the composite structural members you used in your deck. Looks like it is nice and stout with reasonable weight. I will try to get some shots of the old truck up in the next few days.
Thanks,

 

[Big Silver]

Here are a couple of photos. Big Silver. Monster ice chest just fits/suports deck rails. This is a lite load for illustration. If you want detail shots I can provide them. The deck I have now is made up of two tubular steel frames supporting 3/4" plywood decking plates. Forward compartment contains water jugs, clothing bags, sleeping bags, pads, flip pac storm fly, window coverings,folding chairs, aluminum table, and dry food stores. Rear compartment contains ice chest, patrol box, stove, fuel, lantern, reciver hitch step/highlift jacking stinger,tarp,tent poles,ropes, port-a-pottie,water jugs,fuel can, Co2 tank for filling tires, zodi air to air tent heater. On deck I carry backpacks, full size shovel, and rake, hikeing sticks,tent poles. Under seat storage includes spare hoses, belts,tool box,bow saw,ax,2 shovels,lug wrench, screw jack, 2 ton comealong, several large wrenches,multi meter,spare bulbes, spare bolts and hardware, spare leaf spring bolt, I have broken three now, assorted zip ties,duct tape, epoxie,welding rods,flares,first aid kit,tow strap, tire chains, crow bar,insect net,flashlight,3 pound hammer,jumper cables, 50+ tire plugs and install tools, fire extinguishers,and the list goes on... I have treated this 1/2 ton like a 1 ton for most of it's life. I can jack on the rock sliders anywhere along their length and pick the truck up on two wheels. The stinger I mentioned for jacking drops down 8" and is about 3' long. I use it as a step and as a jacking point in either the front or rear reciver hitch mounts. Works well when flopping the jack to get out of ruts. The front mounts for my flip pac support rods are made from heavy duty hinges. The factory supplied SS brackets were week and folded under load on first use. I use an inflatable matress on the deck for the wife and I while the kids get to use the upper level. It is a tight fit but we get into the back country and out with little trouble. I have had it stuck on both pumpkins a couple of times. It was purchased and modified to use and I'm proud of my desert penstriping.
Thanks,

 

[Big Silver]

I'm thinking out loud here and would like your opinions. In looking at my options I can install a full deck with four large access hatches and a slide out drawer, 48" wide and likely as deep. The thought that occured to me tonight is that I like the six smaller access doors offered with their 6' deck. If I put the 6' deck on the truck I have 2' of open floor space to use for port a pottie when camping, easy access to deck, and more shelter with the tail gate down and the lift gate up. This also make's it easy to toss something in the back without needing to open up the deck or flip pac.
What do you think?

 

[Rexsname]

Will the openings for the wheel arches line up correctly?

REX

 

[suntinez]

Thanks for the pics, that looks like a very useful setup. I like the stinger as a step idea, it sounds like you've had some fun in your truck!

As to the deck, I guess it depends on how big your stuff is and whether the smaller compartments would work for you. I think leaving some room at the end is a good idea, that's pretty much what I've done. Longbox gives you that option, wouldn't be practical with less length. I kept the side compartments on mine long and skinny for storing tables, chairs, etc.

Also it does look like the deck is built to fit just over the wheelwells, not higher like your current setup - so you'll want to take that into consideration as well.

Interesting note about the hinge for the front mounts for the support rods - do you mean the part that attaches to the flip or the little pin gizmos that go on the hood? I've had a couple issues with the spring things on top of the flip not holding the rods in place while driving, now I just run a tiewrap thru there if the road is long and bumpy, works fine.

btw, my floor is built with ... floor joists

 

[Big Silver]

I was refering to the front attachments for the support rods to the front fenders The original stainless steel pin brackets were very weak. I wound up fabbing a set from a heavy 0.125 thick hinge with the pin removed. I use a 3" x 3/8" dia bolt to attach the support rods to the fender. The width of the hinge along with it's greater thickness made a very stable attachment point when bolted to the hard point on the fender under the hood.