Power Wagon bed height too high for slide-out kitchen?

[jd-santaclarita]

Hi all - Kind of an odd question, but I can't seem to find any info on this topic. I just sold my rtt/trailer (wife hated it) and I really didn't like pulling a trailer around. I'm considering going with a Diamondback HD bed cover and some kind of slide-out system for camp kitchen, stove, sink, power plant, camp boxes, etc. Then potentially mount a RTT on top of the diamondback cover. We do a lot of mountain biking so will need to find a way to gracefully incorporate sturdy bike carrying too. I haven't seen many examples of this type of setup on a Power Wagon (mine is 2018) or similar height trucks but wondering if the bed height is going to make the kitchen/stove/sink/fridge too high for normal usage?

Open to any info, thoughts, advise, etc.

Thanks,
JD

 

[jadmt]

I just bought a Power wagon and come to find out my ARB 50 is a little too tall to fit in the back with just a cover. I saw the diamondback and thought that might be the solution because they looked like they might add a little height compared to most bed covers but it looks like the gusseting would be in the way. I think if you had slides for most of your gear it would be fine if nothing else just use a step stool.

 

[gillbrak]

My 19 PW bed height is right at 38”. I’m on 35s. Bed depth is about 20”.

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[billiebob]

How tall is your wife?
But this bed height issue has been an issue since 2000? When the lifted truck look overtook the practical height function from the 1960s.

The H2 was the peak of loss of function. But we have been building trucks for "the look" instead of function for a long time.
The new Sierra HD with an extra 6" of body height ???? WOW what are the guidelines auto designers and engineers work from.Time to fire the marketing guys, hire some car guys again. The late '60s long box stepside Chevy was one of the most functional trucks ever.... just add 4WD.

 

[Bayou Boy]

Trucks ARE built to look good but high bedsides and tailgates are also a result of function. Higher GVWRs of today’s trucks require taller tires which mean the frame ends up taller. The bed has to be higher than the frame and there you go. Bed sides are taller because the closer you get to an SUV design, the better the fuel economy is. So tall bedsides it is. Tall bedsides look dumb with low windows so now the cabs are taller. It’s just the way it is and it isn’t going back.


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[billiebob]

lets see.....
4'high x 6'wide is 24sqft frontal area
6'high x 6'wide is 36sgft frontal area

a Prius is 3" off the ground for better aerodynamics
a Siera is 12" off the ground for ??

yes that is the way it is until the need for better efficiency kicks in
ps, current pickup design has zero to do with fuel economy altho the twin turbo eco diesels with 12 speed trannys do try their darnedest

there is zero practical reason to build a pickup the way we do today

and back to the OPs question......
how tall is yer wife cuz kitchen counters in a house are 36" off the ground. most bar tops are 42" high, chair seats average 16" and desk tops are 30"
so yes, since a 36" high pickup bed is scarce as hens teeth, a pull out cooler will be like setting it on top of the kitchen counter
we always set the cooler on a picnic bench seat which was 16" off the ground, 20" lower than any modern pickup bed

 

[Bayou Boy]

lets see.....
4'high x 6'wide is 24sqft frontal area
6'high x 6'wide is 36sgft frontal area

a Prius is 3" off the ground for better aerodynamics
a Siera is 12" off the ground for ??

yes that is the way it is until the need for better efficiency kicks in
ps, current pickup design has zero to do with fuel economy altho the twin turbo eco diesels with 12 speed trannys do try their darnedest

there is zero practical reason to build a pickup the way we do today

and back to the OPs question......
how tall is yer wife cuz kitchen counters in a house are 30" off the ground. most bar tops are 36" high.

Ok man. Keep telling yourself that. Everything I posted is 100% how today’s truck design works.

7000# axle ratings require 33 and 34 inch tall tires to carry the load. CAFE standards require every vehicle, even HD trucks, to have improved fuel economy.

OP. Your best bet is to have a slide out cabinet that is removable that you can place on a fold out table. That is really the only way to get it low enough to reasonably use.


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[billiebob]

7000# axle ratings require 33 and 34 inch tall tires to carry the load

cute
the 235/85R16 tire, the industry standard for 30 years is 31"-32" tall and it made no low pro aspirations

 

[Bayou Boy]

cute

Just explaining why today’s trucks are tall. 17” to center of axle. 12” or more of suspension. 6” of frame. Another few inches for the actual bed and all of a sudden you have almost 4ft to the bed floor.

No need to get smart about it.


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[billiebob]

hey, do your own research, there are plenty of 20,000# suspensions running under 30" tires with real low frame heights, yes, true no one builds a low pro pickup in North America but not because it cannot be done

Look off shore, Europe, Africa, India, Australia, they all have them

 

[Bayou Boy]

hey, do your own research, there are plenty of 20,000# suspensions running under 30" tires with real low frame heights, yes, true no one builds a low pro pickup but not because it cannot be done

None of those suspension/tire setups are anything that the general truck buying public would drive so there is no point in even discussing it. A solid steel train wheel could carry even more but it’s just as ridiculous.

Remember that we are talking about a Power Wagon here...


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[billiebob]

Remember that we are talking about a Power Wagon here...

no, we are talking about lift over height, and most of us have difficulty reaching into a cooler in any pickup box, PowerWagon or not
the only real option is setting the cooler on a bench, 16" high
OR buying a fridge with a door instead of a cooler with a lid

My recommendation would be one of these
on a pull out shelf
think function

 

[gillbrak]

We run one of these on top of decked drawers in our PW and my wife (5’8”) manages just fine.

DFG Offroad Fridge Slide and Tilt for ARB 37 - 50 Qt | Drop Dawn

Made to measure for each Fridge, all the slide is Aluminum, all the hardware is stainless steel, includes 4 strap, 2 years warranty * MADE IN THE USA *

www.dfgoffroad.com

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[NoDak]

hey, do your own research, there are plenty of 20,000# suspensions running under 30" tires with real low frame heights, yes, true no one builds a low pro pickup in North America but not because it cannot be done

Look off shore, Europe, Africa, India, Australia, they all have them

Just No.

To handle the payload of our modern HD pickups on North American roads requires frames that can handle the weight and can safely perform in crash tests. They are taller.
Suspension that can handle the payloads and varying terrain have large components and relatively good travel. They are taller.
The brakes to stop the modern payloads require massive rotors and calipers. some of which are bigger than the 16" wheel you mount your 235/85's on. Which requires massive wheels to fit. They are taller.
Tires to match wheel size to cover massive brakes and suspension are taller.

Building a "low pro" pickup to handle the payloads of current North American HD pickups isn't possible. Nowhere offshore are any built either. There isn't even a Land Cruiser made that can match an American HD pickup for payload and towing.

 

[ttengineer]

The front door style fridge that people are adding in the canopies on flat beds are very nice. Small but nice.

The issue using one becomes cubic volume. On a top loader, the vertical space is filled as you stack everything on top of each other. But on a front load you can only stack it so much before it starts falling out when the door is opened.


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