Our Box Truck RV Conversion

redman4556

Adventurer
Have you considered using aluminum trailer box such as those used in construction industry?

There are many different sizes out there and from the looks of those would be much lighter then a y Uhaul box..
Just scrap the axle and wheels and mount on your truck

For mounting ideas look underneath any box truck mounted on a cutaway chassis truck..


I have, and have been looking! Everything I've found in my desired dimensions (roughly 10x6.5x6.5) seems to be priced much higher than the $800-$1000 budget I have to work with for the box.

I've looked underneath a couple. All I saw was ubolts holding the box frame to the truck frame. Am I nuts or is this all there is to it?
 

redman4556

Adventurer
framebars.jpg

This is a (VERY) rough sketch of what I'm planning. Today is easter sunday so I'm slightly out of luck even though I have the day off. Tomorrow I will be going to get a bunch of 1.5x1.5 perforated steel tubing (12g) cut into correct length pieces which I can bolt together into a subframe and then bolt that subframe to my frame rails. I plan to have 3 bars across my frame rails supporting a narrowed subframe that can allow for ubolts to secure the box frame, to my subframe.
 

redman4556

Adventurer
image.jpg

2x2 perforated 12g steel tubing subframe. (Narrower apart frame rails to match up with box and raises height 4 inches above my frame to account for silly stuff I didn't want to move). So far I'm happy with it, let's see how it does with the box on top o_O


Ok I don't know what I did but I can't flip the image right side up.
 

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java

Expedition Leader
Sorry to say this but stop. Dont even think about mounting the box to that. Four bolts will NOT hold period. That tube will shear off at one of the holes. They use it for stop sign poles around here and I see them broken off all the time. A 100lb box will have a ton of dynamic load going down the road. FWIW by frame is all 2x3 steel on 24" centers, and its 3/16 wall....

I applaud your trying but please try to find someone who is willing to help you weld that up out of real tubing. There has to be at least a few expo members near by who can help. Welding up four pieces of tube is not biggie.
 

pappawheely

Autonomous4X4
Sorry to say this but stop. Dont even think about mounting the box to that. Four bolts will NOT hold period. That tube will shear off at one of the holes. They use it for stop sign poles around here and I see them broken off all the time. A 100lb box will have a ton of dynamic load going down the road. FWIW by frame is all 2x3 steel on 24" centers, and its 3/16 wall....

I applaud your trying but please try to find someone who is willing to help you weld that up out of real tubing. There has to be at least a few expo members near by who can help. Welding up four pieces of tube is not biggie.

I didn't want to be the one to crush your dreams but yes, what you have there is just dangerous. All the load will be concentrated in four spots on your truck frame. Those 4 bolts going through the junctions are in single shear and probably no where near strong enough to hold that much weight. That perforated steel tube is not for structural use. Just because someone made a trailer out of it and it held together; just be glad that you already cheated death once and consider yourself lucky.
 

redman4556

Adventurer
Sorry for the frightening miscommunication. I'm not mounting the box to the perforated tubing. I'm simply using the tubing to lift the height of the box and so the subframe rails of the box don't sit inside my gas tank and such. I'm mounting the box to the frame of the truck itself. Didn't mean to scare anyone.
 

redman4556

Adventurer
Hey guys, first major conundrum of the project.
I can't find a 10' box in good condition, within budget. I know I can only pick two of fast, cheap, and good.
My options are limited right now to the only 10' box i've been able to find in a 100 mile radius within two weeks of looking. The guy won't budge from $1200. I thought I could at least get him down to $1000.

Meanwhile, i'm seeing enough to pick from when it comes to 12' boxes. I know I obviously will have to be much more careful of where I take it and how I drive, but do you guys think I'm crazy for imagining I can put a 12' box on the back of my truck? My frame rails are just over 8'. I don't plan on doing any offroading aside from driving on level dirt road. Any input?
 

redman4556

Adventurer
Hey guys, first major conundrum of the project.
I can't find a 10' box in good condition, within budget. I know I can only pick two of fast, cheap, and good.
My options are limited right now to the only 10' box i've been able to find in a 100 mile radius within two weeks of looking. The guy won't budge from $1200. I thought I could at least get him down to $1000.

Meanwhile, i'm seeing enough to pick from when it comes to 12' boxes. I know I obviously will have to be much more careful of where I take it and how I drive, but do you guys think I'm crazy for imagining I can put a 12' box on the back of my truck? My frame rails are just over 8'. I don't plan on doing any offroading aside from driving on level dirt road. Any input?

Btw, if this is a moronic idea please forgive me. I've never bothered to think about safe hangoff distance/weight past the frame rails.
 

The Artisan

Adventurer
It depends what box you get but most of them have a welded frame to the bottom of the box. They use 4 ubolts over each frame rail on each side. That is the only thing that holds down a cargo box.
If you are using that tube system as a spacer only you will be fine, most use treated 2x4s to dampen.
Most likey the box you get, will need to be modified in order to have a tube over the frame rail.
Also don't believe everyone when they say you need a 3 point system or sprung system. That is the worst thing you can do. If you have a box moving side to side then its putting more force and stress on the frame and box mounts. Whey do you think cargo box companies mount like they do?
Look at all the offroad trailers do they have separate dampening systems. No they are built as a solid unit, and the suspension does the dampening.
Kevin
 
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redman4556

Adventurer
you do understand people are trying to help, don't you?


I understand that Konakid and a few others are trying to help! It's those that offer condescending and non-constructive criticism without caring to put forth advice or alternatives that irk me.

Thank you for the straightforward answer Konakid! I've looked at a few boxes over the week. One I was even stupid enough to drive an hour and a half each way to check out only to realize that I forgot to ask about interior height, which was at 5'! All in all a good learning experience. I'm finding two major types of boxes. Those that are completely rectangular that sit completely above the frame and those with side skirts and wheel wells.

The ones without side skirts seem to be easier to mount but the ONLY 10ft I'm able to find is one with side skirts and wheel wells. This type seems more involving As I have to make sure everything clears the wheels, and usually on these type boxes I haven't seen frame rails doing long ways, but rather just circular cross members across the bottom of the box. I'll try to find a picture (or take one) to show what I mean. I read and read and read. I figured out for myself that a spring dampening system is something to be left to Lockhead engineers and likely won't be near optimal for this. I'm rigid mounting it and only using tubing as spacer. Is there any reason you think I'd have to modify the box to keep the spacers underneath the box frame?
 

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