Bed weight without using alot of space

[Guswhit]

I put this sheet of 1" steel in the bed of my truck to use as extra weight when I plow snow, and protection for the floor from heavy wood. I tapped some 1/2" holes in it so I can pick it out with the fork lift if I need to in a hurry. Also added some turnbuckles to help hold in place. It wasn't moving around on the bedliner until the freezing weather got here. I suspect some water froze underneath of it and made it slick. I use to put tractor weights in the back for plowing snow, but it was such a cluster trying to use the truck for anything else with them sticking up. The sheet of 1" weighs 1,306 lbs and works perfectly.

 

[zogger]

That's interesting, unique.

I have yet to see an actual mounted snowplow on a pickup down here.

Hmm, perhaps a niche business those few times a year we get snow and ice...

Funniest one I saw a long time ago was some old land yacht station wagon with a plow, chains on the rear with the inside slap fulla old dead batteries for weight.

 

[bassjam]

Where does one acquire such a large 1" plate of steel??! That's some serious weight, but I guess that winter I plowed snow there was about 2000 lbs of salt in the bed to begin with.

 

[nathon918]

Where does one acquire such a large 1" plate of steel??! That's some serious weight, but I guess that winter I plowed snow there was about 2000 lbs of salt in the bed to begin with.

steel supplier... common 4x8 plate...

 

[turnkey4099]

steel supplier... common 4x8 plate...

Or some local outfit that builds stuff. I am in an agricultural area and it seems almost every town has at least one outfit that uses plate steel. If they don't have it in stock they will put it on their next order.

Harry K

 

[JeffHK454]

That's a mighty pricy bed weight...

 

[ppkgmsy]

That's a clever idea. I don't know a lot about ballast but my understanding is you want the weight over the rear tires to balance out the plow.

 

[bassjam]

That's a mighty pricy bed weight...

That's what I'm sayin'!! I know where you can buy steel, but I can't see paying retail price just for bed weight. I'm thinking the OP has an "in" somewhere...

 

[Guswhit]

That's what I'm sayin'!! I know where you can buy steel, but I can't see paying retail price just for bed weight. I'm thinking the OP has an "in" somewhere...

Yes I work part time in a welding shop so it wasn't as bad as you might think. The shop uses 1" plate pretty regularly for grapple tines so I figured I could trade it out every year if I had to, reducing the amount of road grime it collected. We'll have to see.
Plate came 97" long and 49" wide, just fits.

 

[craddock]

steelI had a 10 ft. half inch plate in mine. My bed is six ft. so I cut to length and laid the extra on top of the other and welded. It takes up less room makes a good floor but I have wondered if in an accident what would happen? I am just like you and use a forklift in the spring and take it out for the summer. I hold mine down with two half inch bolts that go through my bed for the safety hooks on the gooseneck hitch.

 

[chucker]

I use 2 pieces of ribbon rail on each side from bnsf cut them to 26" long and place them behind the wheel wells to the tail gate. 1 flat side down & bolted with the other flipped over against the side wall. ribbon rail weighs in at 106# per yard, so roughly 290# distributed over the rear end. this is in a 91ford f350 full sized box and a western 7.5' hydro turn plow works good with little noticeable loss of space.

 

[Lignator]

like it. i always wanted to do the same but get a wider piece and cut out for the wheel wells to hold it in place. the plate would look like and "I" or "H" depending on your perspective.

 

[Guswhit]

like it. i always wanted to do the same but get a wider piece and cut out for the wheel wells to hold it in place. the plate would look like and "I" or "H" depending on your perspective.

I thought of this too. My thinking was it would be much more difficult getting it out of the bed if I wanted to. We have lots of cutoffs I at the shop I can get pretty reasonable(scrap).

 

[tla100]

That's a clever idea. I don't know a lot about ballast but my understanding is you want the weight over the rear tires to balance out the plow.

Weight is weight. Maybe it does not transfer as good, but better than nothing.

 

[Cseal]

If it were me I would put some bolts down through the bed and into the frame. You know just in case of a front end collision.

 

[chucker]

when plowing snow you don't need that much weight in the truck. all the weight that is needed is to keep traction with the rear tires and keep the back end from bouncing while in momentum motion! for road travel and equal weight for the ride is to just off set the long arm reach of the plow when lifted during transport! heavier shocks along with extra overloads for the front end is a necessary upgrade to do more than your personal drive way!

 

[Sawdust inspector]

I welded a plate I got to my spare hide-a-ball I cut off so it could never move. Then the guy I borrowed it from liked my idea and never gave it back to me. He worked for a utility and they used them to cover holes in the road while they worked.

 

[Red97]

steelI had a 10 ft. half inch plate in mine. My bed is six ft. so I cut to length and laid the extra on top of the other and welded. It takes up less room makes a good floor but I have wondered if in an accident what would happen? I am just like you and use a forklift in the spring and take it out for the summer. I hold mine down with two half inch bolts that go through my bed for the safety hooks on the gooseneck hitch.

30mph to dead stop will rip all the welds off the lower bulkhead of the box opening it up like a soup can. Then try to push through the back of the cab.

If it were mine I would take those mini binders off of the front. In a accident situation they will try to lift the front of the plate effectively making it like a battering ram. I would bolt it down also.

Don't try to use the factory box bolts. Looks like you have a ford. 99% of the time they don't come out and have to be cut off and replaces along with the clips in the frame.

1300 lb plate vs 40 spotwelds in 16 gauge.

Just don't ask how I know this.

 

[nathon918]

30mph to dead stop will rip all the welds off the lower bulkhead of the box opening it up like a soup can. Then try to push through the back of the cab.

If it were mine I would take those mini binders off of the front. In a accident situation they will try to lift the front of the plate effectively making it like a battering ram. I would bolt it down also.

Don't try to use the factory box bolts. Looks like you have a ford. 99% of the time they don't come out and have to be cut off and replaces along with the clips in the frame.

1300 lb plate vs 40 spotwelds in 16 gauge.

Just don't ask how I know this.

16 gauge? what is this 1950?
those welds wont break, the 22-20 gauge material will just rip apart and shear a nice 1" slot through the box, cab, dash...
+1 bolt it down!

 

[Red97]

16 gauge? what is this 1950?
those welds wont break, the 22-20 gauge material will just rip apart and shear a nice 1" slot through the box, cab, dash...
+1 bolt it down!

LOL that low and close to the the weld they will tear out. depending on how fast you stop the plate should stop at the seats.