Small update, an aerial view from the mall-
I've been out of my mind busy with work and a full demo/re-do of the landscaping at my house. I'm waiting on some 12" limit straps to show up so I can properly strap the front before I head down to Moab. The 14" straps provided are too long since I put the adjustable clevis on.
I found a Bedslide on the classifieds for 1/10th of what they normally cost so I drove two hours to the boonies to pick it up. Transactions through the classifieds are always interesting and this was no exception. This guy was at a little ranch miles off the highway down a dirt road that my GPS wouldn't take me to and they don't deliver mail to, so I had to find it old school with the directions I took down over the phone. I couldn't believe how well the long travel soaks up bumps, I was flying down this road. The rear needs work! When I got to his place, it was littered with junk, no trespassing signs everywhere, and an old cowboy was passed out drunk in a chair outside. I yelled his name and got no response- I thought he might be dead. His wife came out of the house smoking a cigarette and asked if I was Sean, and then went and screamed in her husbands ear to wake him up. He jumped up and spilled beer all over himself. The bedslide was leaning up against a shed, or more of a lean-to, along with a bunch of old doors and windows. The old cowboy had his big hat on at this point and a beer in the other hand when he pulled the slide out to show me how it worked and fell into one of the windows shattering it. I helped him up and he helped me lift the heavy bedslide into my truck, surprisingly without taking a tumble since he could barely walk. We chatted for a little while after and he was a cool guy with some stories, but apparently on Saturdays there isn't much to do out there besides drink a 30 pack, haha. You can see him passed out here just past the little trailer-
Today I went and picked up a toolbox that is meant for the bed rails of a pickup. The bedslide slides ALL the way out, but I haven't bolted it down yet. I can slide it all the way out and then flip the lid open on the toolbox.
Look how well that fits!
Another thing I really like about it is that since it's 4' wide and can hold 3000 lbs, I don't ever need to take it out. I can put my snowmobile on it in the winter, haul stuff from Home Depot, whatever... Shouldn't have to mess with it. I'm going to paint it and grease the bearings and call it good!
This will change what I end up going for the rear, though. Bed cage is out, shocks outboard of the frame is out with this rear axle... DIY cantilever like the other Sean did?