Welcome to the first entry in July’s Medium Mod-Ster Contest. One engaging Medium Mod will be published in every Email Alert in July. At the end of the month we’ll hold a reader vote to determine July’s winner. For information about the Mod-Ster Contest, including how to enter, click here.
Doug Sloan, Port Charlotte, Florida
Small Rear Storage Platform
2012 Ford F-350
2006 Arctic Fox 811
I added a small rear storage platform made of 1/8-inch aluminum to carry the barbecue. I did not want the barbecue in the back seat of the pickup.
My Arctic Fox 811 has a space above the rear bumper. I was told that the bumper would not support the extra weight, so the platform needed to be self-supporting.
The rear bumper has four lag bolts attaching it to the camper. I used those bolts to hold the platform onto the camper’s structure.
Then, I cut a 1/2-inch piece of plywood and attached eight cargo loops. The barbecue and stove are held in place by two motorcycle helmet bungee cord nets.
The rear storage platform has worked out better then expected. I have driven over 2,000-miles, including some winding mountain roads. No adjustments have been necessary.
In order to reach the dump valves inside the compartment door, the barbecue just has to be lifted and pulled. There is enough play in the bungee netting to open the door and pull the waste valves.
It took me an hour and a half to complete this modification and cost me $26 for the bungees and loops. The storage platform was a gift. In my opinion, the skill level of this modification is hard.
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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If you’d like to enter a modification you’ve done on your truck camper, click here. You can enter as many mods as you want, at any time. Good luck mod makers!
