2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Bed Cover/Topper Suggestions?

[JesseJ]

I'm planning an elk hunting trip to Colorado next year and am in need of a way to keep stuff dry in the bed of my pickup as we will have a good amount of gear to haul with us, three people going including myself. This wouldn't normally be a problem except I put stacks on it this summer. Has anyone come up with a good way to seal up the bed and still work around the stacks? It doesn't matter if it's a topper or just a tonneau cover, either one should provide us enough room, but short of buying a topper and taking it to a body shop for lots of fiberglass work, I don't know what to do. I am willing to spend some money but I didn't want to go down that road of a topper and a body shop as I would be out probably $1k when all is said and done. Any ideas? Has anyone made a bed cover for a truck with stacks?

 

[mrtwister]

I have seen a truck with the " Fold a cover" brand cover with cutouts in the front cover for the stacks. Looked like some weather striping around the stack for a sealing surface.

 

[JesseJ]

I would think you'd almost need some kind of metal ring around the stacks if you're going to do that. My stacks get pretty warm, I checked it after driving around town and they were about 150F, that was during the summer though, I would be leery of rubber weatherstripping. I wouldn't want it to melt to the stacks.

 

[mrtwister]

This was more of a hard plastic type weatherstripping than a rubber. Don't really know what is would be used for.

 

[BigPapa]

I have yet to see anybody come up with a weather tight seal around stacks with a topper or bed cover. You also have the problem of keeping your equipment off of the stacks. I'd say your going to have to go back to the regular exhaust, pull a trailer, or take a different truck. Maybe you could find a huge zip-lock bag to put everything in.



Scott

 

[JesseJ]

I have a 2x6 to prevent anything from sliding forward into the pipes. I have a bedliner with cutouts on the side to slide in a 2x4 or 2x6 so that won't be a problem. I didn't really want to pull a trailer because that would hurt mileage and our only other truck option is a Hemi which would suck the gas down at a whopping 13mpg. It is unfortunate they don't make ridiculously large ziploc bags. I think people could come up with a million uses for them. :-laf

 

[BigPapa]

At current fuel prices figuring 19mpg for your Ram, on a 1K mile trip the Hemi would cost you @ $45. 00 more than your Ram. I don't think you can modify your Ram like you want for that.



I'll see what I can find in the way of a zip-lock bag. Maybe they're less than $45. 00... ... ... .



Scott

 

[JesseJ]

Well it would end up being a 2k mile trip, so $90 but I do see your very good point. Perhaps you can relate to this though, would you rather be in a cummins or a gas burner? I'd much rather listen to the turbo whistle and the exhaust. Probably personal preference but gas burners are just too quiet.



Perhaps I could use one of those giant white construction plastic tarps and come up with a way to seal up three sides of it and have one end resealable for access. If it works well enough I could sell the patent rights to ziploc and make my fortune. :-laf

 

[JGK]

... It is unfortunate they don't make ridiculously large ziploc bags. I think people could come up with a million uses for them. :-laf

There actually is such a product. I've seen them in a local sporting goods store. Don't know the name off hand - I'll have to go by and look. They come in different sizes. They are a rubber or PVC lined cloth bag with weatherproof zippers. You can open them up and use them as a ground cloth. The biggest one will nearly fill a truck bed.



-Jay

 

[JesseJ]

Can you get me more info? Perhaps someplace I could look at one on a website? Cabelas, Scheels, Bass pro shops, places like that?

 

[JJanetka]

I did a search a while ago and found someone on the site with a retractable cover and stacks and I'm in the process of doing the same thing. I welded my system a little different using a total of 3 4" 90s under the bed and 2 5" 90s in it fabing up a divided wye so that the cross pipe comes across the top of the bed(8' sheet of plywood etc. still fits). I had the local steel supply bend me a piece of 11ga sheet and I cut a couple holes to slide down over the stacks. I used High temp silicone to seal the stacks to the plate. I still haven't decided on the Bak retractable(supports400 lb. ) or the usa truck cover(supports over500lb). I am just going to modify the tracks a little shorter. Usa truck cover site actually says they will make the tracks to your dimensions. Look in my gallery for pics so far.

 

[JGK]

Can you get me more info? Perhaps someplace I could look at one on a website? Cabelas, Scheels, Bass pro shops, places like that?

Big Foot Bags

-Jay

 

[JesseJ]

Thank You JGK! This looks like it will work really well. I could also use it when deer hunting closer to home and on camping trips as well so it would get used more than just once. The price is right too, just under $90 BigPapa. Thanks for the help all!

 

[BigPapa]

There you have it! TDR at it's best.



Scott

 

[JesseJ]

I went to bigfoot bags website, found out my local sporting goods store was a dealer. I stopped by on Saturday, they had one left, it seems they weren't selling well enough in my area. They had the large camo bag which is $150 on bigfootbags website and since they were trying to get rid of it I bought it for $60! The bag is constructed well with plenty of handles to haul it around, and they used good material that should be fairly water resistant. If you're thinking about purchasing one, I would say go for it. This thing is huge! 37. 3 cu. ft. of space inside. I laid down in it with arms above my head and could barely touch the ends with my hands and feet and I'm 5'11". Thanks for the tip on finding these JGK, one more problem solved.

 

[JGK]

Glad I could help! And even better that you found a smokin' deal on one.



-Jay