M818....I'm trying a new way to put a bed on it...

[MWMULES]

Well, with 16r20 tires on there, that will not look AS out of place. Plus getting something to fill in the gaps will make it more appealing to the eye.
That looks like it confirms my plan of using a second set of ramps put on upside down on the trailer to mate up with the ones on the truck. I don't think I would have to make up much room to have those work like I would want.

Yes it would look better with bigger wheels and we think alike on the storage. the bummer is I just let 6 NOS five ton tool boxes go about a month ago, Duh! I think a buddy may have a loose set of ramps, if he does I get a picture of them on this and send them to you.
Jim

 

[Hammer]

Yes please on those pictures! I think that is the way I want to go, if they look as close as I think they will be.
And definitely room for storage under there now, just time to be a little creative.....

 

[eldgenb]

Yep, it is high, the 5th wheel puts it 12" off the cat walk. If I had big ass tires I would need that clearance if you were off road. I thought about recessing the pin up into the floor but that would have lost a lot of space, also thought of cutting hole in floor to clear the 5th wheel, again big loss of space.

eldgenb I have another M105 to pull and would like to get a bigger trailer to pull behind but the auction Gods have not seemed to grant me one yet. Also here in KS if I get a M871 or a M127 I would then to get my CDL back.
I got the rest of the brackets fabbed up to day and it is real sturdy, but still high.

This Idea of retaining the 5 wheel and mounting a removable bed has been floating on here for awhile. If I had retained the frame and mounted the plate to it then it would be even higher. I figured I would take a crack at it and right now all the cash I had to put out was $63 for the king pin and $12 for to hitch pins. Last but not least the help of 2 buddies that have the same OD sickness!

gottcha, what about the idea of cutting a hole in the middle of the 105 bed and then boxing it in to protect the hitch so that it sits flat on the frame of the truck? I don't know what you intend to haul in that but it should be protected just fine, you can even do the boxing at an angle so it acts like its own ramp to get over and out of the 5th wheel plate with just a come a long, you could even bolt or weld guide tabs on the outside of the frame to bring it on straight. Just my .02

 

[MWMULES]

what about the idea of cutting a hole in the middle of the 105 bed and then boxing it in to protect the hitch so that it sits flat on the frame of the truck?

Somebody else can try that mod. It was one I had thought about in the beginning, but did not want to loose that much of the floor.

 

[MWMULES]

Today was cloudy and cold but no rain. I added the mud flap brackets, Betts B69, thanks to 70deuce for the info. I was lazy and used the hole already in the frame for the forward bolt and drilled a new one for the rear. Had a couple of found flaps and used them till I get new ones, now have some bling on the bottom right. Gregg got the stick welder fired up and we mounted the forward supports, 6" tubing to the bed and 5" angle on the catwalk over the frame rails. Bolted rear supports to bed and frame. Bed looks better on the truck with stake sides installed. Hopefully this week I will get access to my buddies plasma cutter to start fender well removal.

UPDATE I found out a year later when I went to remove the bed that the forward supports got hung up on the 5th wheel. We ended up swapping them around so they are now welded to the cat walk and pin to the bottom of the bed. They are far enough forward that they don't interfere with pulling a M146 trailer.

 

[MWMULES]

Finally got over to my buddy Chick's man cave to use the plasma cutter. I was really impressed with how fast it cuts. Now I have to get me one. We cut out both wheel wells and made some templates to fab-up the sheet metal went I get it next week. I am going to weld in 1 1/2 tubing into the existing cross members to support the new flooring.

 

[robr]

when you get this all done do you mind if I come up and look at it I might have to do this for my deuce tractor

 

[MWMULES]

I might drive it down to Augusta in May to the http://www.steelsoldiers.com/steel-soldiers-rally/37174-2010-kansas-steel-soldiers-rally.html it depends on fuel prices as my Dodge M890 gets 3+ times the MPG. My work is nowhere near the level of yours and you changed my way of thinking about bobbed duces, really a fan of your threads.
Jim

 

[robr]

I might drive it down to Augusta in May to the http://www.steelsoldiers.com/steel-soldiers-rally/37174-2010-kansas-steel-soldiers-rally.html it depends on fuel prices as my Dodge M890 gets 3+ times the MPG. My work is nowhere near the level of yours and you changed my way of thinking about bobbed duces, really a fan of your threads.
Jim

lol have I started to turn you to the dark side

 

[srodocker]

welcome to the dark side *vader voice*

 

[Hammer]

I plan on cutting out the fenderwells like you have done, but I was just going to use that same metal for most of the filler metal. It IS the same shape and all

As for the outer rail, the bed I am using has a bit of rust on it, so I was going to just put an entirely NEW rail that goes from the front to back on each side. Making it a single piece would really help out with the strength of the bed. And make the cut outs for the fender wells a non issue.

 

[MWMULES]

Hammer I was thinking of doing that also but I have access to a break and really like the way Tascabe did his http://www.steelsoldiers.com/unimogs/33272-unimog-404s-into-east-bloc-stand.html . Less seams= less rust and I plan on keeping it till I get too bowed-up to get into the cab! I haven't used a break in years and the hard part will be trying to fab the outside of the stake pocket.

 

[Hammer]

Ah well, if you have a nice brake like that, then you should be able to bend up a piece to make it look perfect!
Weld it in, grind the welds, epoxy primer and paint, and you won't see it was cut!

My rails are too rusted though, so I have to cut the entire length off each side, so it's no big deal for me.
That, and I don't have a good brake to use....

 

[MWMULES]

Update. well finally got around to bending up the panels and cutting the plates for the inside of the bed. Downside is my buzzbox fried so will have to wait and use a friends.

 

[Stan Leschert]

Have you thought about putting some skirts under the box? It does not look right with all of the open air under the box. Just a thought.

 

[MWMULES]

Finally got it done....almost, my heavy welder shot craps and my buddies and my time off never lined up so ended up using a 110v buzz box with fluxed wire to tack it all together. That way I can load it with trade goods for the MVPA convention, which is just over a week away and weld it up solid later this year when the heat index is at least below 100! I got the 105 top with bows from another on this site last year. He said it was used , but in good shape. I never looked at it and has been folded up since I got it. I very happy when I pulled it out today as it is a close to new as you can get! Looks like it has only been put on once for an inspection. Now to find a pressure washer strong enough to get the Army's over spray off of the tires. Sorry for the bad pictures but was standing in the shade when I took them.

 

[jesusgatos]

If/when I get a 5-ton tractor, I'm definitely going to build a bed like that for it. Great idea.

 

[MWMULES]

M920's will be kooler and is on the right track as using a cut down 5T bed will cover the wheels fully and having drop sides makes it much more user friendly. Plus a cut down cargo bed will be stronger, when I cut out the fender wells you could see the whole trailer bed sag. I had to go back use square tubing and extend 4 ribs out on each side to tie it all in again to a header. I would have rather used a cut down cargo bed but didn't have one of those lying around and could not find one for sale anywhere close.

 

[jesusgatos]

Yeah, but the concept is solid.

 

[Hammer]

I REALLY want to see this with some big tires on it!
It looks like it is sitting really high up there with the stockers, but it might look about right with the 16's on it.

Btw, Your mention of sag was another reason I plan on just running a straight piece of tube from front to rear. MUCH stronger then stock, and makes up for any cutting you have done. Plus my lower rails are pretty rusted on the bed I want to use.

The cut down drop side would be a lot nicer though!

Oh, it is is looking pretty good now!