Dodge 2500 bed rack build

[Dodge in Texas]

Here are some pictures of the bed rack build on a Cummins 4x4 with ARB air lockers, re-geared, 41.5" tires, winch.
Its 2" tubing welded to rest 1/2" over the soft top covering a decked system inside. NutsIndustries was selling something like this for 1800 plus 300 shipping without maxxtrax mounting, hilift, shovel, or internal wiring. I decided to do it myself. The wiring is all inside the tubes with a water proof switch on the driver side and a second on the passenger side externally mounted to run two flood lights on each side. I have a FSR roof top tent not pictured but mounts uptop. Let me know who else has thought of doing this themselves or if your in Texas and building one... I can help. I have tons of pictures throughout the build. Let me know If you want to see more pictures.

 

[Grump E-Vet]

@ttengineer Check this out

 

[EMS WJ 2000]

I go back and forth on doing a bed rack on my 2006, the main reason is I carry 2 spare tires when we go exploring. I want to make a rack that carries them in the vertical potion, have my tools, floor jack between the tires. Not sure if there would be enough room to roll the tires out of the tire rack under the bed rack.

I was looking at this bed rack Nutzo Tech 2 because you can remove the cross bars as an option, however the price is over $2600+ for it after you add lights and the removable cross bars.

I like your idea of building one for a lot less.

 

[Ddenney]

I'm looking at ideas for a bed rack to put on my 2011. Very nice! I love your truck, I'd love to run 39s-41s on mine. Must have done alot of trimming?

 

[ttengineer]

I also built my own.

I had custom aluminum roll cage bungs made so I can have removable cross bars.

With labor it cost me about $1800.

I need to do a little more to it, like gussets, coating, and some more grinding on the welds.

I just couldn’t swallow the cost of the nuthouse rack. Plus I got something a little more to my liking with a slight savings and no shipping cost.

If you have the resources, skills, or contacts, designing and building your own is a great option.

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[Explorerinil]

Nice truck, what are the specs? Can you post more pics?

 

[js9234]

How much did this cost you? I'm thinking about building one soon especially after I saw the prices companies were charging for them. I could buy my own welder and parts and make my own cheaper than they are selling them. I'm usually back and forth between Ft Worth and Abilene. I've got a 2014 3500.

Here are some pictures of the bed rack build on a Cummins 4x4 with ARB air lockers, re-geared, 41.5" tires, winch.
Its 2" tubing welded to rest 1/2" over the soft top covering a decked system inside. NutsIndustries was selling something like this for 1800 plus 300 shipping without maxxtrax mounting, hilift, shovel, or internal wiring. I decided to do it myself. The wiring is all inside the tubes with a water proof switch on the driver side and a second on the passenger side externally mounted to run two flood lights on each side. I have a FSR roof top tent not pictured but mounts uptop. Let me know who else has thought of doing this themselves or if your in Texas and building one... I can help. I have tons of pictures throughout the build. Let me know If you want to see more pictures.

 

[Dodge in Texas]

Cost? around $200 .... but a lot of welding, grinding, drilling, wiring, fitting (for softtopper), and Rhino liner (additional $325).

 

[Dodge in Texas]

I'm looking at ideas for a bed rack to put on my 2011. Very nice! I love your truck, I'd love to run 39s-41s on mine. Must have done alot of trimming?

yes....ALOT of trimming, but well worth it in the end. I have numerous pictures of the trimming as I began until finish here somewhere in the Full Size truck postings.

 

[Dodge in Texas]

Nice truck, what are the specs? Can you post more pics?

Its a 2014 Dodge 2500 Tradesman 4x4 Cummins with regeared axles and ARB Lockers in front and back, cut and welded fenders, stiched and melted back together fender liners, 17K winch mounted under rear bed, lights in front, lights cut into rear bumper, lights on both sides, and lighting inside the soft top, lockable Decked drawer system, ARB differential breathers mounted up high inside the cab ( as well as transmission and transfer case venting),

 

[Dodge in Texas]

I also built my own.

I had custom aluminum roll cage bungs made so I can have removable cross bars.

With labor it cost me about $1800.

I need to do a little more to it, like gussets, coating, and some more grinding on the welds.

I just couldn’t swallow the cost of the nuthouse rack. Plus I got something a little more to my liking with a slight savings and no shipping cost.

If you have the resources, skills, or contacts, designing and building your own is a great option.

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very nice set up! I like that! mine sits a little taller but I also have a Decked drawer system in the bed so I needed more storage on top of that and I wanted to be able to run a soft top as well. Have you done any axle work (lockers?)

 

[Dodge in Texas]

I'm looking at ideas for a bed rack to put on my 2011. Very nice! I love your truck, I'd love to run 39s-41s on mine. Must have done alot of trimming?

I posted a whole bunch of pictures of the fenders being cut out and inner liners being cut then stitched back together. look up "Lets see some full size pictures" starting on November 18th 2018 or around page 378

 

[Dodge in Texas]

I also built my own.

I had custom aluminum roll cage bungs made so I can have removable cross bars.

With labor it cost me about $1800.

I need to do a little more to it, like gussets, coating, and some more grinding on the welds.

I just couldn’t swallow the cost of the nuthouse rack. Plus I got something a little more to my liking with a slight savings and no shipping cost.

If you have the resources, skills, or contacts, designing and building your own is a great option.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

TTengineer... Where was the camping/ muddy grass picture taken? was that east coast overland meetup?

 

[Grump E-Vet]

@ttengineer The Chicago Auto Show will be opening this weekend and FCA always has a huge set up usually with Jeep and Ram “Off-road” test tracks they drive you around on. I will be going as this will be my last year up here with move coming this summer. What do you want to bet that they will have more “Moparized” Ram trucks with great looking sturdy racks on them that will be “coming out soon” from Mopar. Then 3 years later still won’t be out? These are a couple of recent racks most of which were supposed to be “going into production” when I asked the reps there.

It’s almst as bad as AEV and their promised but never forthcoming racks and the tray bed they showed forever then only made 10 of!



So yeh you guys are right on going BYO

 

[ttengineer]

very nice set up! I like that! mine sits a little taller but I also have a Decked drawer system in the bed so I needed more storage on top of that and I wanted to be able to run a soft top as well. Have you done any axle work (lockers?)

Not yet.

I can’t decide if I want to do axle goodies, a bumper and winch, or delete next.

If I do axle stuff I’m going to look real hard at elockers and RCV front axles and a free spin kit.

I’m just not a huge fan of air lockers. I don’t know a single person that has them that hasn’t had an issue with them at some point.


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