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4’ x 8’ Plywood or Drywall in bed

FoMoCoBronCo

Jr. Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2023
Messages
72
Hi, all, I work in construction and I do some material hauling- not enough to justify a trailer, but enough to where it would be nice to be able to fit a 4x8 sheet of plywood, OSB, insulation, or sheetrock in the back of my bronco with the tailgate down. I currently have a stock rear seat installed, but would look to either install a tumble forward, or some sort of setup where one is mounted differently to make room for plywood if I need to haul it.

Obviously, the first thing to do would be to cut the wheelwells shorter. My first thought would be to make two parallel cuts on each wheel well 4.5” apart, in order to remove 4.5“ of material on each side. That would add an additional 9” of width to the bed, which would take me from the current 40” to 49”. Plenty of room for a 4’ wide sheet of plywood with an inch to spare.

I would need also need to add some material to the bed floor.

Last thing would be the wheels. I have a couple inches of clearance now, but I would need to add wheel offsets or change my rim style to move the back wheels further apart somehow.

Has anyone done a project like this or have thoughts / ideas on what I might be missing or not thinking of here? Thanks.

340d62d2bda04a8f0814aa941b8bc751.jpg



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Oldtimer

Contributor
Jr. Member with Sr. moments
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Messages
1,088
Loc.
Sunnyvale, CA
How many sheets are you planning to haul?
I made a 4 x 8 frame with 2x4s that sat on the wheelwells and milk crates on the tail gate.
Could still close the lift gate. I see stock tire rack hinges like mine. I would close tire rack till spare was against corner of open tail gate, and tie off. (And smell exhaust all the way home)
 

73azbronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
8,087
One word, trailer.

Had a heck of time convincing wife I needed a pickup when I showed up with a 4x8 plywood on top of my 2 door wrangler.
 

ep67bro

Contributor
Bronco Junky
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
3,744
Loc.
Easton, MD
Yeah certainly not the best plant to cut up a good bronco body just to haul some plywood or drywall. You would have to push the wheels out and worry about shock mounts and all kinds of other issues. I agree just put it on top of the wheel wells if its only every now and again or buy a cheap utility trailer for big loads.
 
OP
OP
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FoMoCoBronCo

Jr. Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2023
Messages
72
Great feedback. Sounds like either trailer or just rig it up as best I can with straps.

Thanks!


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dmoses42

Contributor
Bronco addict
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Messages
463
Loc.
Brunswick, Ga
If I were planning on something like that, I'd probably get a halfcab bulkhead to use as a "bed front" and just let the wood ride on the wheel wells and tailgate.
 

73azbronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
8,087
moving pad on roof, straps, walla. Of course this invites a whole host of possible youtube videos. Trailer=no videos
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
48,687
Carry a piece of pipe with you that runs through the two loops and extends out to the side. Wrap a little padding around it to lift the load so that it doesn’t ride on the tips of the rings at those two spots.
The load rides on the Tube instead of the rings.

But, since you were talking about chopping up the entire tub and moving the wheels out, what’s keeping you from a five minute job of cutting the rings off?
 

JSBX

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
623
You could build a rack out of 1 1/4" square tubing or pipe with 4 legs with plate for feet that will set on the bed floor. make it just tall enough to clear the fender wells. it would be easy to put in or take out as needed. Put some eyebolts in the seat holes or seat belt holes to strap it down or use some flat bar with eyebolts welded on that will bolt down through above mentioned holes.
 

Colo77Bronco

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2004
Messages
654
Loc.
Colorado Springs
I am widening my wheel wells by about 10" not because I have anything specific to go in there but I am running full width axles and the wheel wells are pointless in that far. I am already hacking them up to get my coilers and bypass shocks right so I might as well make the bed bigger.
 

Rockmnky

Newbie
Joined
Oct 3, 2006
Messages
43
Two words , Roof Rack ! Build you a roof rack and you can put anything you want on it , and a
the tailgate is closed !
 

Speedrdr

Contributor
Not so wise OLD owl
Joined
Nov 27, 2017
Messages
1,519
Loc.
Paris, MS
Another option for you: do you have a friend who has a utility trailer they’d let you borrow? Maybe the folks you work construction for would let you borrow a company trailer (unless they have all their materials delivered to the job site).

R
 

56f100bbw

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
2,324
Loc.
Tucson / lakeside AZ
I found a 65 Ford pick up bed 8ft at a junkyard found the camper sale on craigslist added a toolbox Up front I call it my bronco trailer but I pull it with my diesel. You can lock everything up and everything stays dry and it’s good for storage.
 

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