Welcome to the sixth entry in April’s Mega Mod-Ster Contest. One marvelous Mega Mod will be published in every Email Alert in April. At the end of the month we’ll hold a reader vote to determine April’s winner. For information about the Mod-Ster Contest, including how to enter, click here.
Jerry and Janice Bonneau, Dawson, Alabama
Rear Camper Deck Made From Salvaged Parts
1995 Ford F-350
2002 Lance 1061
My husband can’t throw away metal that he might, someday, find a use for. We have moved our farm several times and all his metal treasures have moved along with us. I call it junk. He calls it stuff.
To create this mod, he used two aluminum deck panels salvaged from the upper deck of a cattle truck we owned over twenty-years ago. He decided to bolt everything together instead of welding it because he had plenty of leftover nuts and bolts.
The angle aluminum pieces were attached to the deck’s sides to prevent the two panels from folding where they were joined.
The original step brackets removed from the Lance needed a strong, flat plate behind them. After rummaging through his steel leftovers, he came up with a door from an old electrical fuse box. Jerry cut it in half and pop riveted them to the deck panel. Then, he riveted the step brackets to the sections.
We always travel with an extended tow hitch (that he made) so it was necessary to have the new deck the same height as the Lance deck. He bolted three used door hinges to the new deck panel and then attached them to the deck.
The Lance deck is made out of box tubing which made it impossible to reach the hinge bolts to apply the nuts. To resolve the problem he drilled the hinge bolt’s holes into the deck and then tapped the holes. The threaded holes made the Lance deck act like a nut.
The stainless steel corner brace cables, ring eye bolts and S-hooks are from a dog run. At the campsite, the corner cables help support the deck. When we are traveling the deck is folded up an secured with the S-hook cable.
The only new item we bought was an orange swim noodle which was cut in half and placed over the corner cables when the deck is in the down position – just for a classy look.
The deck feels solid under foot, has made access to the camper easier on the knees, and the grooved surface prevents slipping. In the travel position it stays secure without any rattling.
It took around ten hours to complete this modification and cost me an unknown amount of money since all parts were salvage or leftovers. In my opinion, the skill level of this modification is medium.
Disclaimer: The modifications above are submitted by Truck Camper Magazine readers. It is your responsibility to make sure that any do-it-yourself modification project you undertake is safe, effective, and legal for your situation.
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