Bought a deck and never had one before

[X-it]

I put a couple of bolts through the truck box just to detor theives, they will not hold much imo. At least the turn buckles will rock and roll at the same speed as the truck box and deck does. The attaching of the snowmobiles to the sled deck is always the weakest point, from what i have seen.

 

[OOC ZigZag]

Have run with Marathons for the past 6 yrs had 3 setups all in 3500 dodges. I use the camper tie downs and mount to the fixed mounts in the corners of the box. I take some wire after I have tightened down the camper tie downs and tie so they can't back off been problem free for me.JMHO Cheers

 

[overkill131313]

opps! I forgot to add the quote.......would delete this post but cant! just read below......lol

 

[overkill131313]

nice deck man! is yours a long wheel base? do you have a ramp that slides in the back? my problem is I needed my ramp to be a foot longer than my 7 foot deck so it sticks out the back a bit.....but not as long as the sleds lol......I was going to do the fold down sides but went with a slide out set up instead.....I just wish my deck would stay nice and shinny but after a few years it doesnt look so nice.......thinking I should blast and paint it to match the truck! or start polishing! lol

X2.....box is gone and custom deck/box is installed/bolted to the frame. No issues. Sides fold up for partial box when I take off the sleds or when I have one sled on.

View attachment 111171

 

[shoppingcart111]

Here's an FYI, I bolted my marathon down to my half ton with the supplied hardware and the little plastic backer plates that they give you. It worked fine and never had any unwanted movement or shifting (even carried two sleds on it from time to time ). I removed it this summer and now my box floor is pulled up slightly in the four corners where it was bolted...... This year I'll be making some 1' square backer plates out of 1/4" steel and tack welding them to the underside of my box floor. Dont ever think that a deck couldnt pull out in a bad enough situation even if its bolted down! Turnbuckles would def. work but their only as good as the weakest attachment point, which is the factory tie anchor.

 

[SidewaysInto3rd]

Good post....just add a lock nut, as previously mentioned by ???(sorry dont remember and dont have the time to look) ......

I mentioned adding a lock nut to the turnbuckle.. but even with that one of mine came loose

this year I'm doubling up on the lock nut! .. my lock nut needs a lock nut!!!!!!!

The good thing about Sky-Hi decks are that it doesn't just have 4 legs. it has a full frame under so it distributes the weight along the bed. no need for wood or other plates!!!

 

[ferniesnow]

nice deck man! is yours a long wheel base? do you have a ramp that slides in the back? my problem is I needed my ramp to be a foot longer than my 7 foot deck so it sticks out the back a bit.....but not as long as the sleds lol......I was going to do the fold down sides but went with a slide out set up instead.....I just wish my deck would stay nice and shinny but after a few years it doesnt look so nice.......thinking I should blast and paint it to match the truck! or start polishing! lol

Thanks. Yes, I had an 8' box or long box. Jacobson's gave me $1000 off the price for it. When I bought it, it was the only 2500 Extended cab 4x4 with the 6l and a long box in Western Canada. The ramp slides underneath and it is 8' long also. I love my deck, ramp, and Super clamps.

I hear ya' on the shiny part! I use Boydo's polish and that is a lot of elbow grease. The winter salt sure kicks the hell out of the shine.

 

[OOC ZigZag]

Thanks. Yes, I had an 8' box or long box. Jacobson's gave me $1000 off the price for it. When I bought it, it was the only 2500 Extended cab 4x4 with the 6l and a long box in Western Canada. The ramp slides underneath and it is 8' long also. I love my deck, ramp, and Super clamps.

I hear ya' on the shiny part! I use Boydo's polish and that is a lot of elbow grease. The winter salt sure kicks the hell out of the shine.

X2 decks ramps and superclamps

 

[powderhoundbrr]

Well here is the new deck installed (with just turnbuckles on the four corners) . $2000 for the SKY -HI deck and 2 Superclamps. I have never really had Superclamps before so I am excited about trying them out. I think I got a good deal..........

 

[08154XP]

Congrats on the deck, you will love it. I prefer having the deck over hauling around my trailer any day, plus the sleds dont take a beating being pulled behind the truck

 

[ferniesnow]

X2 with the congratulations! I don't know about that Dodge tho'.....just pushing your buttons!!

 

[capt. crunch]

Where's the rest of your truck box?

 

[Chiebert]

I bought a crosstrax from goodngrubby a couple weeks ago and love it! I like your sky hi as well. But i know i would be smashing my head off the beavertail constantly I just use turnbuckles right now. Considering getting a big steel plate under my box and bolting it through that... We will see turnbuckles seem ok so far!

 

[brian h]

when i bought my deck 3 years ago which is a marathon,they said people are bolting thru the box to the frame rail due to somebody hit the ditch and the truck rolled and that is when the deck came loose from the corner pockets and they tried to sue marathon for damaged,until then they recomended using the corner hooks with turn buckles.i have mine with turn buckles with no issues,if a cop questions me about the turn buckles i have pictures from the internet on installation which shows turn buckles or bolting to the box.

 

[Chiebert]

Do u have a link to these pics? That sounds like a good thing to have in my glove box

 

[Pecos]

FYI guys.....very good thread with lots of great ideas. I would like to pass on an "incident" from last August. I "had" a 2004 chevy dually with the STF deck. Only attached with the turnbuckles. I was Tboned by another truck going 120 and he hit me square on the passenger side of the box. Sled deck exited the vehicle straight up 30 feet, flew across the hiway and landed in the ditch and completely came apart. Luckily, deck missed all other vehicles and pedestrians, luckily dummy hit the box and not my cab, and LUCKILY RCMP let me off with a warning. $1000 ticket for improperly secured load. Bottom line, my new truck and deck have HD turn buckles AND bolted down with 4x4 steel plates underneath. Take it for what it's worth, extreme case.......BUT why take the chance of killing someone? Can you imagine what would have happened had there been machines on the deck that day........

 

[littlehoe]

Well here is the new deck installed (with just turnbuckles on the four corners) . $2000 for the SKY -HI deck and 2 Superclamps. I have never really had Superclamps before so I am excited about trying them out. I think I got a good deal..........



View attachment 111196View attachment 111197

Hey that deck looks really similar to mine, mine is badged as an spx sled caddy though but it looks identical to yours... all aluminum deck with puckboard for the skis to run on... my only complaint is even with the beavertail the 8 foot ramp would be a little short if I had bigger tires or a lift...

As for mounting, the guy I bought it from had it mounted inside the box to the tiedowns... I haul a truck camper around in the summer so I just use the belly bar and rear square tubing that is connected to my hidden hitch to mount the deck too... Good strong turnbuckles and she tightens up real nice..

this is a pic on the old ford and then one on the Dodge I currently have...

 

[medler]

FYI guys.....very good thread with lots of great ideas. I would like to pass on an "incident" from last August. I "had" a 2004 chevy dually with the STF deck. Only attached with the turnbuckles. I was Tboned by another truck going 120 and he hit me square on the passenger side of the box. Sled deck exited the vehicle straight up 30 feet, flew across the hiway and landed in the ditch and completely came apart. Luckily, deck missed all other vehicles and pedestrians, luckily dummy hit the box and not my cab, and LUCKILY RCMP let me off with a warning. $1000 ticket for improperly secured load. Bottom line, my new truck and deck have HD turn buckles AND bolted down with 4x4 steel plates underneath. Take it for what it's worth, extreme case.......BUT why take the chance of killing someone? Can you imagine what would have happened had there been machines on the deck that day........

Great story. Thanks for sharing And that's why mine is bolted down and has plates underneath plus the turnbuckles.

 

[Mike270412]

Even commercial load securement rules only apply until the point of impact.

Sent from my Milestone using Tapatalk

 

[rmk 800 144]

I think the skis would snap before a grade 8 bolt would let go if done right...
Just saying....