P500 P500 Aluminum bed build

[Bastardchild]

Building an aluminum bed for my p5. Its not done. The pics i have here are of it just sitting on the back rack. I made it out of some scrap aluminum sheet i had laying around. Its actually mounted now, just dont have the mounted pics. Im going to run some aluminum roundstock around the top edge of the bed to kinda get rid of the sharp edge. It has 1" × 1" square aluminum frame under it. I think im gonna add a few more under it. Once i get my cooler for it im going to put stainless eye bolts in the bed, one on each side of the cooler, so i can put a couple of stainless or aluminum turnbuckles to go from the eyes to the cooler handles to hold it in. Cooler will be able to be reached from drivers seat for adult beverages. The shop vac hose you see in the pic is a temporary fix to get me through a weekend at hogwaller a few weekends ago. Im gonna do a 3" aluminum pipe snorkel through the bed on the drives side and weld it in and have hose going from the airbox to the bottom of the aluminum snorkel tube under the bed. I already did the frame mod. I took the 30's off of my wifes p700-4 (profile pic) to see if they would clear, and they did. So i ordered 30 x 10 x 14 itp monster mayhems for it. I am ordering the wheels this wednesday before we go camping for thanksgiving. I probably wont work on it again until after the thanksgiving holiday, but i'll post pics when i do. Im sure yall like build pics as much as i do. Hope yall like.

 

[Bastardchild]

Got off early today because its holiday week and was able to snap a few more shots. This is of the bed mounted with 4 carriage bolts. You can see i need to run another 1 x 1 rib underneath the back lip from left to right to straighten up the little wave in the floor. Dont study any of my weld beads!! Im still getting used to my spool gun on my welder! Lol This is probably the last update or pics i'll have until after the holiday. After this bed i'll be building the aluminum roof. Btw, i named her "Gettin' Tipsy" It will be plasma cut into the roofs front overhang that im gonna build. But thats another project. Thanks for reading yall, and have a happy Thanksgiving!

 

[JTW]

Looks good.. I cut a bed liner mat for mine and it quietened it down and helped with stuff shifting. Rural King has 1/4 inch stall mats that you can buy by the foot.

 

[Bastardchild]

Thanks jtw! I noticed it does have a hollow echo type sound now since i bolted it on. Like it magnified the sound of the shift solenoid. I bet a bed mat would quiet that down. Although you kinda gave me an idea, roll in bedliner. Haha Thanks man!

 

[JTW]

One of the guys on here talked about a spray on bed liner they used with good results.

 

[Bastardchild]

Jtw, thanks man. When i get a few minutes i'll search for that thread. It seems like ive also heard of spray plasti-dip, like for plier handles and stuff. I might be imagining things though. I'll have to google that later. Lol

 

[JTW]

This was the stuff they suggested.,

U-Pol® Raptor Spray-On Truck Bed Liner Kit - Black

 

[Bastardchild]

Thats a nice kit. It may be an option. Thanks for the link jtw

 

[trigger]

Thats a nice kit. It may be an option. Thanks for the link jtw

Nothing wants to stick to aluminum unless it's prepared correctly. It's a process and a PITA.
Paid to have mine Line X'd, most of the bill was prep.

 

[Bastardchild]

Looks good trigger. Yeah my friend wants me to turn it into the powdercoat shop in gainesville when i get done with it but im kinda like a do it yourselfer. I know when you paint aluminum you gotta etch it and clean it i believe. For some reason the term 'etching primer' is sticking in my head. Not sure if thats correct though. I was thinking i would wire wheel the hell out of it to get microscopic scratches in it the paint, or bedliner, or whatever could stick to. I would also clean the hell out of it with acetone before i painted on the bedliner or whatever. We'll see. I dont wanna get too fancy though because if it all gets too expensive i just could of bought a bed lol. So far ive just spent a few dollars at tractor supply for carriage bolts. Oh yeah, and a few beers.

 

[trigger]

Looks good trigger. Yeah my friend wants me to turn it into the powdercoat shop in gainesville when i get done with it but im kinda like a do it yourselfer. I know when you paint aluminum you gotta etch it and clean it i believe. For some reason the term 'etching primer' is sticking in my head. Not sure if thats correct though. I was thinking i would wire wheel the hell out of it to get microscopic scratches in it the paint, or bedliner, or whatever could stick to. I would also clean the hell out of it with acetone before i painted on the bedliner or whatever. We'll see. I dont wanna get too fancy though because if it all gets too expensive i just could of bought a bed lol. So far ive just spent a few dollars at tractor supply for carriage bolts. Oh yeah, and a few beers.

Yeah, etching primer. What you described is exactly what I was told too. I was also told that after you sand it and wipe it down with acetone you have about fifteen minutes to get it primed and don't touch it with your fingers. Aluminum forms like a skin to protect itself...why nothing wants to stick. It was worth hiring out.

 

[Bastardchild]

Thanks for the info trigger, i'll look into it for sure. I figured i'd put a couple of pics up of the bed progress. I went and bought some aluminum round stock for a whoping $3.71 and tacked it around the top edge of the bed. Being honest i'm not really happy with how its turning out. I know what i'm capable of fabrication wise and this is sub par. But like they say, everbody is their own worst critic. I'm gonna finish it out though and the first time someone rearends me on the trail and bends it up will be my excuse to do something different. I'll probably get back out there next saturday morning and plug away a little more on it. I hope yall enjoy!!

 

[Montecresto]

Nothing wants to stick to aluminum unless it's prepared correctly. It's a process and a PITA.
Paid to have mine Line X'd, most of the bill was prep.View attachment 27131

Looks really nice too trigger!!!

 

[Montecresto]

Building an aluminum bed for my p5. Its not done. The pics i have here are of it just sitting on the back rack. I made it out of some scrap aluminum sheet i had laying around. Its actually mounted now, just dont have the mounted pics. Im going to run some aluminum roundstock around the top edge of the bed to kinda get rid of the sharp edge. It has 1" × 1" square aluminum frame under it. I think im gonna add a few more under it. Once i get my cooler for it im going to put stainless eye bolts in the bed, one on each side of the cooler, so i can put a couple of stainless or aluminum turnbuckles to go from the eyes to the cooler handles to hold it in. Cooler will be able to be reached from drivers seat for adult beverages. The shop vac hose you see in the pic is a temporary fix to get me through a weekend at hogwaller a few weekends ago. Im gonna do a 3" aluminum pipe snorkel through the bed on the drives side and weld it in and have hose going from the airbox to the bottom of the aluminum snorkel tube under the bed. I already did the frame mod. I took the 30's off of my wifes p700-4 (profile pic) to see if they would clear, and they did. So i ordered 30 x 10 x 14 itp monster mayhems for it. I am ordering the wheels this wednesday before we go camping for thanksgiving. I probably wont work on it again until after the thanksgiving holiday, but i'll post pics when i do. Im sure yall like build pics as much as i do. Hope yall like.

View attachment 27001 View attachment 27002

I like it dude!!! Will you be carrying a chainsaw, oil, saw mix back there?

 

[Bastardchild]

Thanks for the compliments yall. Monte i never gave the bed much thought after the cooler part of it, which i havent got to yet. But normally the first thing i do when we go camping is use my 4 wheeler or my wifes p7-4 to round up firewood, and that means taking a chainsaw. You gave me an idea. Maybe i can add a chainsaw bar sheath somehow built in to hold the chainsaw. Hmmm, got me thinking now..

 

[Montecresto]

Thanks for the compliments yall. Monte i never gave the bed much thought after the cooler part of it, which i havent got to yet. But normally the first thing i do when we go camping is use my 4 wheeler or my wifes p7-4 to round up firewood, and that means taking a chainsaw. You gave me an idea. Maybe i can add a chainsaw bar sheath somehow built in to hold the chainsaw. Hmmm, got me thinking now..

I was mainly mentioning it because of the recommendations to put a thick rubber liner in the bottom, which is a great idea for sound deadening of the engine/trans/exhaust, it also quiets gear you have in the box, and it helps things stay in place. But.......if you're hauling gas, diesel (for fire starting) saw gas mix, oil, etc., you have to get an appropriate rubber mat (something of an industrial nature) as I found out the hard way. Horse stall mat won't handle a spill of any of that.

 

[Bastardchild]

Ahhh, Monte very good advice. Thanks for the tip.

 

[DaddyDubbs]

Looks good trigger. Yeah my friend wants me to turn it into the powdercoat shop in gainesville when i get done with it but im kinda like a do it yourselfer. I know when you paint aluminum you gotta etch it and clean it i believe. For some reason the term 'etching primer' is sticking in my head. Not sure if thats correct though. I was thinking i would wire wheel the hell out of it to get microscopic scratches in it the paint, or bedliner, or whatever could stick to. I would also clean the hell out of it with acetone before i painted on the bedliner or whatever. We'll see. I dont wanna get too fancy though because if it all gets too expensive i just could of bought a bed lol. So far ive just spent a few dollars at tractor supply for carriage bolts. Oh yeah, and a few beers.

I've used a wire cup wheel with good results on the front of a Fairmont rail car but that was with a lead based paint. I have also used a vinegar and water solution to etch surface prior to painting also with good results and just cleaning with soap and water after the etching was done, very inexpensive - search the web, there are plenty of DIY posts for vinegar etching. BTW, the cargo box looks great.

 

[Bastardchild]

Thanks Daddydubbs for the input! I should be able to get back on the bed project this weekend. I think im gonna pick out my cooler and mount it in the bed and that will tell me where support ribs need to be welded under the bed. Install some stainless eyebolslts for the turnbuckles that will hold the cooler down, maybe even get to the finish welding point. After i do all that i will look into the vinegar etching like you suggest. You can do all kinds of stuff with vinegar, i didnt know you can etch metal with it though lol. Thanks man!

 

[Bastardchild]

I know ive kinda slacked on my aluminum bed build lately, but im gonna try and get a few more steps towards the end goal. I got a cooler to match the p5 color scheme and it will tell me where i need to add ribs at on the underneath side of the bed. I built an aluminum border to surround the cooler. You can see in the pics that there is gaps between it and the bed floor. Once i add ribs on the underside it will straighten the floor out. Then i will weld the border in place to the bed floor and put eye bolts and turnbuckles to keep the cooler secured in place. Also, most importantly, the cooler can easily be dug into from the drivers seat while on the trail for a frosty beverage. Haha. Heres a few pics. I'll do more tomorrow and update this again. Hope you like.