Lighten that load. Recovery gear, snow chains, flatbed decking....

[IdaSHO]

Hello all.

In preparation of eventually hitting the road full-time with our setup, Im looking to lighten the load where I can.
While everything we have currently works excellent, there is some room for weight savings.

The (easy) offenders Im currently looking at are the following... which I think I could shed near 200# of.

*15,500 rated winch with steel wire rope, steel shackles, steel snatch block... ~ 75#
*snow chains (x4) ~105#
*flatbed decking 1/4" aluminum diamond plate ~205#


Winch gear is an easy one. Find the proper synthetic line, soft shackles, etc. Im sure I could easily shed 50# of that #75

Snow chains are a tough one. We carry a full set (for all 4 tires). Im considering ditching two of them for tire socks.
This would shed another 50# Thoughts on the tire socks?

And finally, the flatbed decking. This truck was built for utility. So the bed had to be tough, and a bit extra weight on the rear axle
is actually welcomed in the winter and unloaded or lightly loaded. But for full time use Id love to explore the thought of something
other than 1/4" aluminum tread plate for a surface. Camper will likely be loaded "permanently" when full timing, but in the event we
dismount it Id like some sort of deck surface. So running without it is out of the question at this point.

So... any suggestions as for decking surface? The deck framing full supports the perimeter of each piece, with joints every 22" or so.
It was built in such a way that the aluminum could be removed easily for servicing items within the bed, so the the panels are bolted
down with countersunk stainless bolts. The slats themselves can be unbolted as well.
So perhaps a 6mm honeycomb core panel of some sort for a lightweight replacement? Suggestions are welcomed

 

[charlieaarons]

I carry way too much stuff: F/R hydraulic winches with steel cable, excessive recovery gear (which used to be in the rear “trunk”), massive array of spare parts (because U500s aren’t common anywhere), tools, special tools etc. Also original fuel tank arrangement was smallish 40gal midship running tank + 2x61gal behind rear axle, with generator behind running tank.
So wt/balance was bad: 4.5mt F, 8.0mt rear.
I virtually never used generator, AC nonfunctional most of the time.
So I put in KCT screens that are 100% effective, added 2 more roof vents + 3 little quiet internal fans. Deleted generator, replaced with 65gal aux tank front of R axle, added 100kg box as part of moose bar w/bracing, moved 200kg recovery gear from behind R axle to front of F axle.
Result is 5.05mt F, 7.25mt R axle, using the 105 gal fuel capacity midships, but normally rear tanks empty.
Balance improved from 34/66 to 41/59 and total weight decreased by 250kg. The improved balance made a big difference driving deep sand roads in Botswana last month.
Most of our camping vehicles are 4x4s (not 6x6s) and tend to be overloaded in the rear.
Sorry I don’t have a picture of starboard side with the midships fuel tanks.

 

[java]

The socks work, as long as they fit correctly and ZERO wheel spin.

Honey comb for the deck sounds good, but add height?

 

[iggi]

I almost never use chains on all 4, even on my 4x4 SUV. The times I've needed all 4 are usually due to ice. So I'd consider a set of cable chains instead of those tire socks.

 

[IdaSHO]

The socks work, as long as they fit correctly and ZERO wheel spin.

Honey comb for the deck sounds good, but add height?

Current decking is 1/4" thick. Ive seen 1/4" / 6mm honeycomb.
Simply no first hand experience with it.
Though I feel an FRP or fiberglass skinned honeycomb core would be sufficiently stiff/sturdy and provide a significant weight savings.
The 1/4" tread plate is near 4# per square foot.

 

[IdaSHO]

I almost never use chains on all 4, even on my 4x4 SUV. The times I've needed all 4 are usually due to ice. So I'd consider a set of cable chains instead of those tire socks.

We've used all 4 a few times to get out of snow drifted areas. Pretty much a 4x4 w/ locker to get in, that and chains to get out.
No experience with cables. Not certain they would hold up to a heavy truck as ours. Thanks for the suggestion though. Ill dig a bit deeper into cables.

 

[IdaSHO]

I carry way too much stuff:

Thanks for the post.

We dont carry much. Both are avid backpackers, and travel as such.
So the amount of items to remove to lessen weight is awfully short.

As such, I've been able to manage weights carefully.
As it sits currently, wet, loaded and ready for full time travel we have roughly 4700# front / 6800# rear
The balance front/rear works very well being stable and safe at speed.

 

[workerdrone]

what's 200# of weight loss really gonna get you when you're rolling that heavy duty anyway I guess is my first question?

but today I learned tire socks existed I'd have thought they were the heating blankets for race tires lol

 

[zimm]

Outside of the steel cable none of the stuff you're hacking seems superfluous.

Either you travel places where chains may be useful, or you don't. Why sacrifice the durability and effectiveness on the front for socks when you already own the chains? Either you think you may dismount the box, or you won't. If never, you have the wrong truck, but you have this, so why give up the versatility you paid for now?

Are you close to being overweight, or just being a hiker weight wienie and wasting time and money for no quantifiable return? The truck doesn't have muscular fatigue and wont benefit from shaving grams from a loadout like a soldier or a backpacker. It sounds like it's time to get on with lifes work. Hop in the truck, turn the key, and go!

 

[Deleted Member 183]

You have proven yourself to me more than mechanically/ technically adept, so i am going to "brush" my reply with broad strokes.

First I think that I should make it know (again) that the only place I want to have ANYTHING to do with ice is... In my Margarita's! So, I'll be no help regarding the cold places!

So here is what I don't get... Why mount your box on a flatbed at all? Over the years, I've seen so many people build rigs that way. Then hear them complain about having an overweight rig! Why not make a fixturing system that your box OR your flatbed can be pinned/ locked into. Think about it... When you are "on the road", what is the likelihood that you will be lifting your box off the back of the truck to use your flatbed for a few hours or vise versa, being at home and need your camper on the truck for just a weekend?

It has always amazed me how "newbi's" build rigs with the Swiss Army Knife in mind, and in spite of cost and practicality!

So here is another option ... QUICK CHANGE FIXTURING!!! I had it set up so that an operator could start a run of parts then go over to the pallet of finished parts, remove the parts, then "un pin" the jaws of the vices on the pallets for the new parts to be machined, load the material onto to the vices, during the machining process on the other pallet... Then with the current "run" complete swap the pallet out and start making different widgets! AKA: No "down" time!

So if you built a sub-frame or just fixture mounting blocks attached to your frame that will take either your flatbed or you camper... you have the best of both worlds without the penalty of the extra weight!

I would regularly wish a person good luck! But with you I have no doubt it is going to be KILLER!!!

 

[lucilius]

IME: Ford trucks when configured as campers suffer from heavy/overweight rear axle while the front axle load is light: American engineering ambushed by our motorized camping creations and penchant for acquiring ever more kit. To save weight like you I would try to (a) ID barest essentials needed to survive for the places you'll be going and (b) move weight forward whenever possible. Charlie A. said as much above rel to his mog. I think you will see your balance and offroad handling traction improve, not to mention adding some rear axle/bearing/tire safety reassurance when you move weight forward. Need for chains entirely depends on terrain and weather over/in which you will be driving. Personally I don't go anywhere in my F550 camper without chains for all four wheels. They are far too handy. Heck, with lightweight Tryggs you could probably Voile-strap them to the bumper for a roguish look. Start the trend.

 

[TonyCatmandu]

Honeycomb would work and you could add or reduce layers depending on how stiff you want it. Reality is you could probably just drop a 1/2 inch ply epoxy coated piece of wood on it for a just in case deck. You could add layers of glass on it but then the weight starts to creep back up. If you need help with this technique there is a guy that built a wood camper with this method that you may know......

 

[TonyCatmandu]

Do you need the over cap rack to support the camper? I can't remember but think you used to use it without. Chopping that down will save quite a bit of weight.

 

[IdaSHO]

Are you close to being overweight, or just being a hiker weight wienie and wasting time and money for no quantifiable return? The truck doesn't have muscular fatigue and wont benefit from shaving grams from a loadout like a soldier or a backpacker. It sounds like it's time to get on with lifes work. Hop in the truck, turn the key, and go!

We are already well over max rated GVWR.
We are within actual axle ratings as stated by Dana & Sterling but over GAWR as stated by Ford.

 

[IdaSHO]

here is what I don't get... Why mount your box on a flatbed at all?

Fair question.

The bed itself served multiple purposes, camper or no camper, and weighs just a few hundred lbs over the stock bed.
It isnt heavy by any means. And we ditched the rear bumper in doing so. The difference is less than 200#
The function of the custom bed itself is something that cannot be ignored.

It is designed to carry and protect the camper
It provides a massive dry storage cross body box, underbody boxes, as well as cabover storage.
All that get utilized on a regular basis. Its also already done and proven.