I own a 2005 Super Duty super cab long bed, and it gets used for a diversity of purposes. I have a cap that I take on and off depending on what I'm doing, and a cool Rhino Rack for the cap that I can remove. I have often thought that it would be quite useful to utilize the already existing stake pockets in the bed rails to build up the sides for certain purposes like hauling wood, trash, mulch, or anything else I don't want spilling onto these pot-holed Pennsylvania roads.

I have been searching the web far and wide to find plans for pickup truck stake sides. There really is no such thing. Then I tried searching for just photos. There is a lot of stuff for 1940s truck sides, and plywood "Sandford and Sons" contraptions, but I wanted something that was useful and also complemented the look of my truck, not make it look like a scrapper's truck!




I'm not really a wood worker, but after lots of thinking, measurements, and some sketches, I bought the lumber and the hardware and made some sides for my Super Duty.

Here was my idea and my process:

1. Sides need to look good but be functional
2. I wanted them to fit the style of the truck
3. I didn't want them sticking out past the cab or above it. No "boxy" look!
4. I wanted a good, sturdy, tight fit.
5. Easily removable.

I did not want the front corners of my stake sides to stick beyond the cab of my truck, so I needed my sides to be 15" tall from the bed rails or less. I bought 10 ft-long pressure treated 1x6s and two 2x4s to make the rails. I actually trimmed the 1x6s down to just under 5" wide so that I could stay beneath my 15" rule. All 1-bys got their edges routed with a 1/4" round-over bit.

I had to rip the 2x4s down to fit into the stake pockets, because a 2x4 is considerable wider than the stake pockets. Once I did that I realize that I'd have to take the corners off of my stakes because the stake pocket holes have rounded corners! Arg!

To secure the stakes in the pockets, I drilled holes through the 2x4s from the factor holes that exist in the bed into the pockets. I put 1/4-20 T-nuts on the outside of the stakes so that I could drive a 1/4-20 screw through the factory holes in the bed and draw in the bottom of the stake to keep the sides sturdy and secure. This also keeps them from rattling down these pot-holed Pennsylvania roads!

For the "headache" rack, I built slots out of the scrap I ripped off my 1x6s for the boards to slide into. I also trimmed the top board to curve with the cab because I didn't want it sticking out, of course!

I scribed the leading edge of the side rails to match the slight curve the back of the cab has. I actually need to adjust this curve a little. It curves in toward the truck too much near the top. It's tough to do. On the trailing edge I tried to select an angle that complemented the shape of the truck. I think I need to adjust that too. I think from the top of the rear stake I will cut a small angle up towards the front of the truck so that there is more of a slope on the back of the sides.

They are mostly finished except for fixing those finishing cuts to make it look like it fits the truck better. I don't know if I will put a pressure treated stain on it some time or just let it as it is. The truck sits in the wagon shed, and it won't always have these sides on it.

I hope this post will be helpful to someone else. I had fun building them, and I am glad to be able to share what I did with the rest of you. I'm also open to suggestions on making them better!

I've included several photos of what I built. The ones with the load of wood was before I truly finished the "headache rack" portion. For those loads it was just three boards high, same as the sides.

If you'd like more description or more photos I'd be happy to share any information I have!

Matt


Super Duty Stake Sides Album:

 

Hopefully this album will work for the photos.


Super Duty Stake Sides Slideshow by mattopgrim | Photobucket

 

Don't know that I've ever said this to a guy before but ... nice rack Matt!

 

Very nice, I've been thinking about building one of these for my truck once I pay the California commercial registration so I can take my camper shell off. I wanted it for getting firewood and dump runs so I wouldn't mess up my carpeted camper shell and would be able to haul more without the roof. I was afraid it would be some kind of ugly monstrosity, but you have done a great job proving otherwise.

 

Nice job

 

Good job on the rack and write up. Reps sent!

 

how about incorporating a headache rack into the front side closest to the cab so that when the load isnt that tall that your rear view mirror is still functional.. Looks awesome but the blind spot is what would get me. lay some stain on that thing and it will be very nice.. help preserve that treated wood for a longer period of time.. yes its a working usefull item that is gonna get banged up but its to nice and to much work to not stain and preserve it for longer.. .. LOL.. very good job and it only accents a very nice looking truck..

 

Very nice....

 

I appreciate your feedback and compliments!

Northwindone - I wouldn't mind seeing what you come up with when you build the sides for your truck. I like to see different people's ideas.

BigO104 - I see what you are saying about rear visibility. The problem with a headache rack is that I will have my cap on half of the time. Sometimes I might not even have the sides on it. I guess it's a sacrifice for absolute versatility! For me personally, I don't mind having no rear window. I've driven work vans with no rear windows for years, or towed trailers that block your visibility. I don't really use that mirror, it's always on the "night" setting. I find all that stuff happening in that mirror to be distracting! What would you suggest for a stain? Do you have any color suggestions or product suggestions? I'm not really sure what to do there.

I appreciate all the input!

 

I finally put the finishing touches on the sides. I adjusted the curves at the cab, took a little off the top on the back of the rails, and put corner brackets on the inside of the rails up front. I used T nuts on the headache rack part to make it easily removable. The brackets are just screwed into the sides. This really helped to shore everything up and make it solid.

Now, what should I use to stain it?!

 

I like your finishing touches. The only thing I would add to it if it were me would be some large eye bolts to put tie-down hooks through.

I was just talking to a friend of mine that does a lot of wood working and he suggested spar urethane since it will hold up very well to weather.

 

Northwindone,

Thanks again. Is that something that I can use on pressure treated wood? I know they say you're not supposed to just paint treated wood. I sort of like the natural look, so if that works with treated wood I may go that route...

 

I forgot that you used pressure treated. Might not need as much protection, but the one problem is that pressure treated is high moisture and needs to dry below 15% or so before you can put anything on it. I've noticed it splits a little bit as it dries too, but that may because of where I live with <5% humidty most of the year. As far as what to use once it dries I don't really know. I'll see if that friend of mine knows anything about working with pressure treated lumber.

 

Looks good. Kinda' retro!!

My input: trim the bolts down so they aren't protruding so far into the "business area". With the bolts trimmed down so they're flush with the 1x's, you're way less likely to get your arm snagged by them.

Do you have any desire to add a way to increase the height of the headache rack, temporarily - maybe something removable, for hauling longer items like ladders or pipe, or lumber? Something to keep the cargo from sitting on the roof....?

Also, I like the idea of adding some large eyelets for straps or bungees or whatever.

 

grec-o-face, good suggestion on the bolts. I did think of that. I was disappointed when I couldn't find a carriage bolt that was the right length. Now that the wood has shrunk some, maybe the original bolts I bought that were too short would work. I see what you're saying about heightening the headache rack. If my truck didn't already have a Werner ladder rack thing I would do something like you're saying. The sockets and brackets are in the bed on the passenger side. All I have to do is drop in the two uprights and I can haul long things.

Thanks for all the compliments!