GhettoBago
Observer
Amazing work mate. Outstanding.
LATEST PROJECT - Truck Drawers/Sleeping Platform
- Thread starter roadtripcrazed
- Start date
roadtripcrazed
Observer
I gave some serious thought to aluminum tubing instead of steel, but after consulting some local fabricators it became clear that aluminum tubing would not have the required strength to support a fully extended drawer. When the drawers are extended, the whole weight of the drawer and it's contents are being held by the surface of two roller-bearings per slide. Given that small surface area, it is very likely that aluminum would be crushed. A small irregularity in the shape of the tubing by crushing would prevent the drawers from operating as designed. Given that - I chose steel.
BUT ... as you are proposing a smaller and lighter end use, you MAY be OK with aluminum. Remember though that the weight of the tubing that you choose is only a small part of the over-all project. You could make other material changes and still end up with a lower end weight. Others have suggested making the drawer boxes from aluminum instead of ply - a great solution if you have the tools available.
Have fun with you project and be sure to post pictures of your progress!
-=D
roadtripcrazed
Observer
Yes - I have a simple pin that drops in the back of each drawer that strikes the catch at the front. This prevents the drawers from flying out, but can be lifted in the rare case that I need to remove the entire drawer. I am still trying to come up with something for the top slides.
Sounds right! The washers are used as spacers to ensure the bearing is where you need it. Experiment with what works best for you and go with it. It's a simple system that is easy to customize - and more importantly easy to FIX if anything goes wrong!
-=D
corax
Explorer
DesertBoater - if the only issue is crush strength at the end of the square tubing, you may be able to epoxy a 6" length of square steel inside the end of the aluminum to reinforce the end of it. That way when the drawer is pulled all the way out the last 2 bearings will be acting on 2 layers of tube instead of just one.
theendresult
New member
Wow!! What an awesome build!
One question tho. As Im sure you did a ton of research on the subject Id like to hear your opinion. Im currently outfitting my grand cherokee for an Alaskan adventure in a month. The problem Im having is finding a heater with a thermostat that I can run all night. I really like yours but in order for it to work the truck would have to be running, correct? Did you leave it running all night or just to take the chill off in the mornings? Would there be an alternative to running the vehicle like a propane heater with thermostat. I really like the webastos but those are a little pricey. I may have to just get a thicker sleeping bag.
One question tho. As Im sure you did a ton of research on the subject Id like to hear your opinion. Im currently outfitting my grand cherokee for an Alaskan adventure in a month. The problem Im having is finding a heater with a thermostat that I can run all night. I really like yours but in order for it to work the truck would have to be running, correct? Did you leave it running all night or just to take the chill off in the mornings? Would there be an alternative to running the vehicle like a propane heater with thermostat. I really like the webastos but those are a little pricey. I may have to just get a thicker sleeping bag.
roadtripcrazed
Observer
You are correct that our truck must be running in order for the heater to operate. However, we surely never needed the heater while we were in Alaska. We have lots of great gear to keep us warm when we sleep. The heater was installed for our dog who rides back there year-round and it works great for her. It is controlled by a thermostat, so only operates when it is cold. Once it gets the space up to a reasonable temperature, the thermostat automatically shuts the fan off. Simple enough!
roadtripcrazed
Observer
The pump alone was about $100 if I recall correctly. There are a ton of pump options out there. Lots of guys on here are fond of Shur-flo, but I could not find any locally so went with a general water pump. Hope that helps.
-=D
roadtripcrazed
Observer
Thank you!
I was going to link to the same, but Zuren beat me to it. Good luck with your build!
I was going to link to the same, but Zuren beat me to it. Good luck with your build!
Scrapdaddy
Adventurer
Simply a great job! I have to build something like this for my son. I thought of using angle iron instead of the tubing. Not sure why you chose tubing. Any thoughts
roadtripcrazed
Observer
I chose tubing for the added strength. After using it for almost a year now, I think angle iron would be fine but the extra strength is never a bad thing.