Purpose of wood bed spacer

[maddawg308]

Just curious - what is the purpose of the wood spacer that goes between the frame rails and the bed on the deuce? For the life of me, I don't see a purpose in it being there, it looks like it's presence would soak up moisture and lead to rust in that area (or at least wood rot), more so than just bolting metal to metal.

Any info is appreciated...

 

[cranetruck]

The bed is designed to move with respect to the frame and the wood serves as a "gasket" of sorts.
The ones I have worked on, including the dromedary platform of the xm757, were made of oak and have held up well after all these decades...usually 3/4 inch thick.
Edit: Wood is not a "bad" material, the pipeline truck bed is all wood and easily replaced when needed...

 

[maddawg308]

I guess if it was metal to metal there would be a lot more squeaking going on when you flex....

I think today a material like Delrin would be an excellent choice for a replacement, but Delrin is very expensive. Rubber I think would be okay, but might "grab" too much.

 

[jimm1009]

Not only squeaking but the harmonic vibration would be almost deafening
on pavement.

jimm1009

 

[gimpyrobb]

Trying to re-invent the wheel Mike? People smarter than you and I put it there for a reason. I have seen many trucks with lots of "issues" and never once was it from the wood between the bed and frame.

 

[Recovry4x4]

They are also used as a relief over the hot rivets. Without them the bed would be riding on the rivets.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

April 12th, 2010.

Maddawg308:

Like our esteemed friends up above have said, the sill spacer gives the bed a chance to flex a little without being metal on metal. The more modern materials might work OK, but why argue with success? The Unimog has a great deal more flexible frame then the deuce, and to compensate they bolt one side down fairly solidly, metal to metal, the other side sits on three swing hangers, much like overgrown leaf spring shackles, so the bed can move and also to allow the frame to move under it. I could never figure out why the Swiss used T&G planking for the bottom of the bed (bed floor), when I took the old boards out to replace them, I found 8 an 16 P nails in the planks (planks are carriage bolted to the sills). Well, let's say that the first 100% grade (45* angle) I tried to climb with anything in the bed, no restraint by itself was able to hold the cargo. Ergo I figured out that the Swiss cleated stops to the bed boards to help hold the cargo in place..... So better men have figured out ways to do these things, so why reinvent the technique or the technology?

Have fun, and remember, in leiu of cleating, timber frame the stops to your bed corners so those big boxes don't slide on hills.......


Cheers,

Kyle F. McGrogan

N.B. Mike, has the snow gone yet?

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Great tech-question!

Mechanically speaking...

The wooden spacer also has a channel routed down it's full length on the bottom side (Upside-Down "U" Cross-Section) and four holes near the front for clearance over a series of boltheads and rivetheads. If not for those relief features, the flat seating surface of the bed would be riding upon those protrusions on top of the chassis rails.

 

[cranetruck]

This image shows the spacer and the springs, which allows the frame to flex. Same on the deuce.

 

[jwaller]

my deuce has a rubber gasket between the cab and frame to cut down on squeaks.

 

[mdmorgan]

ever seen one with that shelf like fungus growing out of it?

 

[BFR]

If I were going to replace the sill with something other than wood I would look at the composite decking available at places like home depot/ lowes.
FWIW I was going to use some for a different purpose and the local Home Depot refused to cut it on their saw. When I pointed to the sign that proclaimed it could be "cut or nailed just like wood" on the display a store employee informed me they got tired of changing out the blades on the saw.

 

[Westech]

for the money and how long the wood would last, when we replaced the bed on my friends 5 ton we just used 1 x 4 (cut down 1x6) and painted it. looks just as good as the day we installed the bed 5 years ago. The stuff with the fungus on it must not be treated or painted wood.

 

[Barrman]

The cab has rubber spacers on the front with tear drop shaped bumps stop looking things on the back that screw into the bottom of the cab and touch the frame. This thread is about the bed to frame wood spacer that has all the holes in it so the tops of the rivets holding the rear suspension on don't get ground off rubbing against the bottom of the bed frame.

 

[ranchand]

MD, that kinda looks like someone replaced the oak with particle board witch explains the shrooms. I would get that crap outa there asap as it will soon crumble. Replace it with oak or purple heart, yeah, I think every deuce deserves purple heart

 

[bassetdeuce]

As moist as the summer is in Florida, I've never seen shrooms growing out of the bed spacers on the deuces. The post above is correct though, I've seen particle board shelving get damp and grow mold in a matter of days here.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

ever seen one with that shelf like fungus growing out of it?

This reminds me of a quote...

"At ease, Disease... There's a fungus among us!"

 

[mdmorgan]

MD, that kinda looks like someone replaced the oak with particle board witch explains the shrooms. I would get that crap outa there asap as it will soon crumble. Replace it with oak or purple heart, yeah, I think every deuce deserves purple heart

Its actually on an A3 i picked up for another member, but i will pass on the advice.

 

[4trans]

I aint sure but i don't think the composite decking has the compression resistance of oak but i am not sure if anyone knows please correct me

 

[steelandcanvas]

I've found out if you hang around here long enough, you'll get your question answered, sometimes w/o even asking. I've often wondered the same thing, but never thought to ask. Good thread!