Custom Tube Bed Fabrication

[891Ton]

Hey guys Ive been getting a lot of questions about my fab work on the 89' so I figured I would post up a thread so you can see what went into doing the tube work on my rig. This is also called "Backhalfing" in the fourwheeling world lol. For this project I used 1.75x.120 wall HREW tube. Now why didn't I use DOM? Because HREW is practically just as strong and this is a rock crawler, not a race car. My truck will take damage by slow rollovers, or banging into trees, or rock ledges, not hitting a wall at 120mph. So HREW is just fine, and acceptable at all the events I compete in. The square tube is 2x2x3/16. This stuff is strong. I also shortened the truck by about 8" at the rear where I plated the rear with a HUGE piece of 2x4x3/8". It wieghs about 30lbs lol. It took me five days to do the work. I used a JD-2 bender which IMHO is the best unit out there. Everything was mig welded. Im still not done with it although it serves its purpose. I need to add a couple more support bars and Im going to box in the area right behind the cab with sheetmetal to make a small bed area for tools. the whole thing is welded directly to the frame.

Here is what I started with:

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And here it went

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first thing i did was cut about 7-8 inches of the back of the frame and tied it back together with this 2x4x3/8 rectangle box. I cut a hole in the middle of it and put a 2" reciever hitch through both sides of it and welded it on both sides.

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next I did the box tube which was a major PIA because the truck frame was so tweaked from all the tugging on it and hard wheeling. It was hard making something square that is on a twisted base.

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next I did my main bar and started the tube work. I hung the main bar at the same hieght at the cab because I planned on taking the body lift out at which time it will be 3" higher than the cab. Then I will have room to run my exocage bars over the roof.

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Next I built the cradle for my spare tire. This spacing really had to be perfect or it wouldnt line up with the square tube. Fortunately it came out ok.

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then I ran my support bars from the main to the thick 3/8th crosmember at the rear. The angle was just right with the spare and the cradle.

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then I welded on some trailer light housings onto the tube for my new tail lights. I got these from e trailer for next to nothing. The are bolt ons and come with hardware but I weld everything on. Its just cleaner and better.

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I didnt take any pics of my spare strap mounts. But they are just 3/16 plate I welded to the box tube and cut holes in them for the hooks. I got this one from Super Duty Headquarters for $60.

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Ill update with more as I get it done after my sliders are built. Thats in my other build thread.