Where to mount hi-lift and shovel?

[dustboy]

I've been racking my brain for a long time for the right place to mount my 48" hi-lift and shovel. The hoop on the front bumper is fair game, as well as the yakima load bars mounted to the fiberglass camper shell. I would also consider mounting direct to the camper shell using some sort of load-distributing mount.

I'm not keen on building a rear bumper swingout, as this is also a tool/lumber/cabinet hauler, nor do I want to drill through the sheetmetal as on the Expeditions West taco's bedside mount.

I'm leaning toward mounting one tool on either side of the shell. This would be done by bolting through the fiberglass above the side windows, and using large pieces of flatbar to spread out the load. Would this be a bad idea?

 

[84scrambler]

i would say on the inside of the bed use like a campre shell clamp and drill and tap some hole with some all tread and this would be out of the weather, or mount some uni track on the load bars and have them both on one side hi lift on side shovel on top.

 

[hillbillyjake]

if you were considering mouontingn it above the windows on teh shell, i would go up the extra little bit adn mount them to the bars on top. personally not a big fan of drillings holes if i dont have to or hanging heavy objects off of fiberglass. i know you said that you were going to back it up with something but i think you would stilll have problems. just my oponions. good luck

 

[Cobra_R]

You could buy a demello bed bar which will hold your hilift then buy axe and shovel mounts from http://fourtreks.com/roll_bar.html and mount them on the bed bar. The bed bar should work with the camper shell because I believe it mounts to the bedsides from the inside rather than the top.

Example: http://www.ttora.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39899&highlight=demello

 

[Carl]

I have high lift behind seat in my dbl cab. not sure if you can fit? also max ax.

 

[deadbeat son]

How about a set of Quick Fist mounts to hold the shovel bolted to the bed rail inside the shell? Keeps things protected from both prying eyes and also the elements. You could easily mount the jack to the opposite bed rail.

I ordered some Quick Fists from Sierra Expeditions for this purpose just last week!

 

[92 red cummins]

Be careful my hi lift warped my bed rails on my truck

 

[dustboy]

Guess I forgot to mention I'd like the tools to stay outside for accessibility when the bed is loaded, and for safety when we sleep back there.

I did have them behind the front seats inside the dog platform I built, but with the extended cab it is a real b-word to get them out of there.

I just had a cool idea, what about a rail going from the rear bumper, over the wheel, down to the rock sliders..doubling as armor..

 

[Cobra_R]

Why don't you go with a roof rack and mount your stuff on there?

 

[4x4mike]

I'd make a basket or tray for your Yakima. In the future you may regret drilling into the bumper and/or shell.

 

[PHXtaco]

Not really sure how you would do it with your front bumper, but I have been really happy with my shovel and hi-lift mounted up front. Maybe this will give you some ideas:

 

[voodoochile]

I have the same ARB bumper, but have a shovel on quickfists mounted to the top tabs. My 48" hi-lift is in the bed, on the passenger bedside above the wheel arch, using the hi-lift 4x brackets. Been there for a long time now, it's holding up great.

I had the jack on the tabs atop the ARB at one point, but with the bumper and winch already up front, adding a 48" jack was just too much weight out front, and too little out back. Synth winchline is coming in the spring. I got a few years out of the cable and am ready to bail on it.