Ok, I know I haven't been around much, but landscaping and riding the bike have gotten me away from the computer for the most part.

After shoveling about 5 loads of all sorts of stuff out of the back of my truck, I think I'm almost ready to just throw some hydraulics under the stock bed and call it a day. For under $1000 and under 200#s I can have a dump bed (my bed) that will dump 4000#s.

Anyone have experience with such technology? The other option is to get that bedliner thing with the crank handle on the tailgate that pulls everything out of the bed... how well do those work?

 

The maintenance department at the agency that I work at looked into doing this but ruled it out due to they heard that the bed would fail. The bed is not designed to be lifted and the sides of the bed don't have the support they need especially when up in the air. Don't know how accurate this information is, but it is something to consider. Possibly there is a way to reinforce the bed, but then you might be further ahead just getting a real dump box for your truck.

Either way let us know what you do. I have considered doing the same thing too, but have backed away from it since our maintenance department looked into it.

 

Thanks for the insight.

I guess some reinforcement would be cheaper than a dump box, and I want to maintain the factory box...

I don't want to use it everyday, but for a grand it can sti there until I want to spook people off the tailgate, or dump a load of stone/topsoil.

 

Jack - seriously keep me posted on if you do this. Our maintenance department does a lot of haul of stuff around so it is possible for that kind of use it would be too much for the bed. For the once in the while that you would use it might be alright. I would be interested to see the setup in person if you end up doing it.

 

FYI - The one I'm looking at is in my Northern Tool MASTER catalog, pg 372.

Item # 3309023-1801
6 1/2' Short Bed 99-04 Ford F250/F350

180lbs,

$1099.99

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...search=3309023