Service/Utility Bodies

[billiebob]

miniature afaic overall, but a great example of flatbed + pod design

Featured Vehicle: Goose Gear's Overland F-350 - Expedition Portal

It wasn’t all that long ago that many people would have laughed at the idea of a full-size truck for overlanding. But these days, they’re all the rage, and it’s not hard to understand why. While many mid-size trucks are struggling with a lack of power and feeble payloads, their siblings offer an...

expeditionportal.com

yep, love this unit..
For me the best design feature is the flip up side doors which ventilate the 2 bunks.
The whole truck is impressive but I love a well ventilated cabin.

 

[Inline6]

I built my own bed, wanted the center 4x8 section as low as possible. I then went through a couple iterations of what to do with the fender flares and boxes. This is as it currently sits, not quite a service bed, but the thread was kind of heading this direction.

I plan on extra gerry cans near the fuel filler area, I already have a mount there for my extra hitch. Mounted the spare tire up on the side, this would not work for a slide in camper, but it can be removed or I could rebuild the mount as well. It could be made lower...
I have receiver tube on the four corners and in front and rear of the tires. I have not built anything to go in them yet, but will some day. They could be for removing the bed or for bed sides...
Tie down track across the front middle and back.

It made from mostly 2.5inch 120 wall steel tube. Aluminum was not much lighter and way more expensive for the main structure. The flooring is .25 inch aluminum diamond plate I picked up fairly cheap as surplus from one of those online metal shops. Its been great, I bought all they had and still use it for other projects...

Ive got some more work to do, like the bulkhead at the cab and some finish work on the side flooring. But it's functional and gets the job done for now. I have lots of little ideas for it, and will implement as the need arises.

 

[eyemgh]

I built my own bed, wanted the center 4x8 section as low as possible. I then went through a couple iterations of what to do with the fender flares and boxes. This is as it currently sits, not quite a service bed, but the thread was kind of heading this direction.

I plan on extra gerry cans near the fuel filler area, I already have a mount there for my extra hitch. Mounted the spare tire up on the side, this would not work for a slide in camper, but it can be removed or I could rebuild the mount as well. It could be made lower...
I have receiver tube on the four corners and in front and rear of the tires. I have not built anything to go in them yet, but will some day. They could be for removing the bed or for bed sides...
Tie down track across the front middle and back.

It made from mostly 2.5inch 120 wall steel tube. Aluminum was not much lighter and way more expensive for the main structure. The flooring is .25 inch aluminum diamond plate I picked up fairly cheap as surplus from one of those online metal shops. Its been great, I bought all they had and still use it for other projects...

Ive got some more work to do, like the bulkhead at the cab and some finish work on the side flooring. But it's functional and gets the job done for now. I have lots of little ideas for it, and will implement as the need arises.

Cool build!

 

[john61ct]

Wow yes that is a near perfect starting point afaic

Add removable "service body" side boxen above on the ramp tracks

then the living pod for camping

 

[john61ct]

What you are describing is the Bowen "not so flatbed." It's standard bed height in the middle for good COG, but flatbed height laterally to allow for wheel clearance.

Has this thread been removed for some reason?

 

[eyemgh]

Has this thread been removed for some reason?

PM sent.

 

[billiebob]

I built my own bed, wanted the center 4x8 section as low as possible. I then went through a couple iterations of what to do with the fender flares and boxes. This is as it currently sits, not quite a service bed, but the thread was kind of heading this direction.

I plan on extra gerry cans near the fuel filler area, I already have a mount there for my extra hitch. Mounted the spare tire up on the side, this would not work for a slide in camper, but it can be removed or I could rebuild the mount as well. It could be made lower...
I have receiver tube on the four corners and in front and rear of the tires. I have not built anything to go in them yet, but will some day. They could be for removing the bed or for bed sides...
Tie down track across the front middle and back.

It made from mostly 2.5inch 120 wall steel tube. Aluminum was not much lighter and way more expensive for the main structure. The flooring is .25 inch aluminum diamond plate I picked up fairly cheap as surplus from one of those online metal shops. Its been great, I bought all they had and still use it for other projects...

Ive got some more work to do, like the bulkhead at the cab and some finish work on the side flooring. But it's functional and gets the job done for now. I have lots of little ideas for it, and will implement as the need arises.

this is a wonderful starting point. my only issue with every overland build is access to the sleeper. they are all soo high off the ground. why does no one fit a dropped step in front of the rear wheel. like an ambulance or delivery van. just go as low as the cab rocker panel. why design it to require a ladder?

 

[eyemgh]

this is a wonderful starting point. my only issue with every overland build is access to the sleeper. they are all soo high off the ground. why does no one fit a dropped step in front of the rear wheel. like an ambulance or delivery van. just go as low as the cab rocker panel. why design it to require a ladder?

I‘m confused about the ladder. To get to the bed? My FWC doesn’t have a ladder to the bed and neither does the Hallmark I have on order. ?

 

[billiebob]

I‘m confused about the ladder. To get to the bed? My FWC doesn’t have a ladder to the bed and neither does the Hallmark I have on order. ?

are you a senior or do you have any disabilities, if you were on crutches would the deck height present any challanges. When you invite your parents, grandparents over for dinner is the step into your house equal to the "step" into yer camper ????

I'm done. nose to the grindstone and all, one can only beat ones head against the wall for so long.

I am amazed the confusion set in on the last word.

 

[eyemgh]

are you a senior or do you have any disabilities, if you were on crutches would the deck height present any challanges. When you invite your parents, grandparents over for dinner is the step into your house equal to the "step" into yer camper ????

I'm done. nose to the grindstone and all, one can only beat ones head against the wall for so long.

I am amazed the confusion set in on the last word.

I thought you meant once INSIDE.

Popups are a double pain. You have to step up, AND get through a smaller door. I’ll do it as long as I can though. It’s hard to have everything. It’s the best compromise as long as we can do it.

 

[billiebob]

I thought you meant once INSIDE.

Popups are a double pain. You have to step up, AND get through a smaller door. I’ll do it as long as I can though. It’s hard to have everything. It’s the best compromise as long as we can do it.

why does no one fit a dropped step in front of the rear wheel. like an ambulance or delivery van

and not picking on anyone in the thread, just a kind of generic comment on where the industry is today.

 

[eyemgh]

why does no one fit a dropped step in front of the rear wheel. like an ambulance or delivery van

and not picking on anyone in the thread, just a kind of generic comment on where the industry is today.

Got a pic? I can’t visualize a way in that’s in front of the rear wheel.

 

[Inline6]

Besides how to get in the camper, and I do tend to agree, in front of the tire seems like it should be a great place for the door and step. There may be another issue is the structure of the camper would not be as secure with the door at a corner, vs middle panel. Not totally sure.
The off the shelf flatbed campers appear to take into account the higher flatbed height and therefore have a lower floor to cabover height than a pickup bed camper. To take advantage of the additional space that a lower custom flatish would provide, a custom flatish bed camper would need to be made.

I was considering just a pop up tend with a 1/2 frame structure on the bed to over the cab to hold the tent. It would of been attached to the stake pockets and been easily removable. Think 1/2 the bed open, then the other half with all the gear on it in front of the tires, something like that. But it was just in my mind and never got to any actual drawings or further thoughts. My use case is more in line with semi improvised sleeping when taking the jeep out, a night or two. Not the week or longer type adventure and usually not with someone in tow that needs more facilities than I do. But as everyone my use case is evolving, so not sure what the next step will be. I still need to do some of the finishing touches on the flat bed part... But gotta finish a couple jeep projects first before the sleeping component comes back into play.

I have stoped my search for a camper/popup tent due to other projects but that is what I found at the time. There are a bunch of more custom builders out there now that I am sure will do what ever. Watching what the Bison team is putting together, I like what is going on there, also the Total Composite hard side shells as well. Thinking either one of these could be easily modified to incorporate wheel arches on the floor.

 

[Zuber]

why does no one fit a dropped step in front of the rear wheel. like an ambulance or delivery van

and not picking on anyone in the thread, just a kind of generic comment on where the industry is today.

I got it the first time. These campers have so little floor space, you don't want more taken out by a stair well. It would need to be a long bed to get a door or stairs in front of the wheel, also you want weight in that area not air. The ideal spot would be behind the wheel.
Last, it would need to be a camper on frame or the door and its seal is too difficult to design. Making it a remove able camper is difficult. I've tried to design it before.
Take a look at a Isuzu NPR 'Step Saver' box. Every time I see one I think that would make a great camper.

2014 Used Isuzu NPR HD 16FT DRY BOX.STEP SAVER SIDE DOOR BOX TRUCK CARGO TRUCK at Tri Leasing Corp Serving Pompano Beach, FL, IID 19747743

2014 Used Isuzu NPR HD 16FT DRY BOX.STEP SAVER SIDE DOOR BOX TRUCK CARGO TRUCK serving Pompano Beach, FL at Tri Leasing Corp | White

tri-leasingcorp.ebizautos.com

 

[billiebob]

I'm thinking this, maybe 1 less step. Really, how to seal it? Think Ambulance, Snap On Tool Van, Amazon, Old Dutch. Done every day.
Just scale down this. The step in on the inside, the door seal is just bigger.



A longer wheelbase, yes in front, short wheelbase, behind the axle. Either way soo much better than this.
Just add the step inside. I love this unit but why carry a step stool. Just build in the step.



This is just so impractical. A $100K unit and a $30 hardware store ladder that does not even fit.... If you know how a ladder should fit. A step would fit either side of the axle here.

I grew up camping in the 1970s. Access was always the number one consideration. No one would buy something as poorly thought out as this back then.