Has anyone installed a truck boss deck? I bought one of these several years ago from Marathon and they installed it on my 2000 Chev 2500 any way I bought a new GMC 3500 and need to move the deck from the old truck to the new one it doesn't look that hard but but they charge quite a bit to swap it over so it must be a pita to swap has any body done this?
Marathon truck boss install
- Thread starter mxzguy
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the_real_wild1
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Don't you just undo the tie downs and remove it????
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- #3
No it clamps on to the bed rails if was an older Marathon with legs that would be all you would have to do I think you have to remove the top of the deck than remove the rail sides I was just wondering how much work it is to swap they want it for 2 weeks so they must be super busy I will probably do it my self.
Work2Ride
Active VIP Member
It's a pita, you have a crane or something to lift it? If so, should be able to do it with two guys otherwise you're looking at 3-4 guys to lift it onto the pick-up. I had a open trailer that we lifted it onto then lifted it from the trailer to the pick-up which made it easier but still tough.
Disassemble the ramp rails from the deck first. Install the metal rails to the box second. Then have the square rails towards the centre of the deck, lift the deck onto the metal rails. Get it some what centred, then have one guy crawl underneath to position the square rails overtop of the metal rails and the other guy lifts that side, do that to the other side as well. Mount the square brackets from the metal rails to the square rails, also the legs, I have only two legs, I put them on the back, I know other guys suggest 4 legs.
If the boxes are the same dimensions, then your rails shouldn't have to move. What I do to speed up the process is take off the 6 clamps(with the 3 big bolts) and the legs. Put the deck on the box but leave 6 inches of room towards the front. That way I can spray the clamps with wd40, slide them on and if they give me a bit of trouble I smack'em with a rubber mallet. Doing it that way took like an hour, only my second time putting it on but we had a crane to lift it off the trailer and set it on.
Let me know if you have any questions, if you were in Grande Prairie, I would definitely help you out.
Disassemble the ramp rails from the deck first. Install the metal rails to the box second. Then have the square rails towards the centre of the deck, lift the deck onto the metal rails. Get it some what centred, then have one guy crawl underneath to position the square rails overtop of the metal rails and the other guy lifts that side, do that to the other side as well. Mount the square brackets from the metal rails to the square rails, also the legs, I have only two legs, I put them on the back, I know other guys suggest 4 legs.
If the boxes are the same dimensions, then your rails shouldn't have to move. What I do to speed up the process is take off the 6 clamps(with the 3 big bolts) and the legs. Put the deck on the box but leave 6 inches of room towards the front. That way I can spray the clamps with wd40, slide them on and if they give me a bit of trouble I smack'em with a rubber mallet. Doing it that way took like an hour, only my second time putting it on but we had a crane to lift it off the trailer and set it on.
Let me know if you have any questions, if you were in Grande Prairie, I would definitely help you out.
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- #5
Hey work to ride thanks for the input I also only have 2 legs they recommend 4 now and I will probably get the additional legs as the old truck just had steel bed rails the new truck has plastic caps so it might be better to distribute the weight better. is this deck that heavy that you need 4 guys me and my buddy were able to handle his old Marathon deck wood top leg style OK. I may just suck it up and pay Marathon to do it what with winter just around the corner and I just have a smaller attached garage not big enought to fit the entire truck in and close the door. I still have to get the spray in liner done before I install the deck so it will be cold by the time I am able to do the swap. Have to see how it goes.
Work2Ride
Active VIP Member
Well what we did was lift it onto an open two place trailer that had a metal deflector on the front. Placed it on the trailer and then lifted it onto the metal deflector. From there we lifted it onto the truck. The first time when I picked it up from the seller, we had three guys, two of them weren't very strong. We scratched my truck in 4-5 different spots, I was pretty pissed because I only had the truck for a few months. I was able to touch it up with the dealer paint. I just think you buying a brand new truck(mine was used) don't mess around and scratch it up because you were impatient. If you brought it to Grande Prairie on a trailer, we could get it done for you in an hour +/-. It all depends how much they'll charge you. I just remember when I bought my deck from this kid, he had no idea how to put it on, it was an absolute chit show.
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- #8
Yea a $60,000 truck I would hate to scratch or dent it installing the deck and I have no where warm to do the swap so I will probably just pay Marthon to do it. I had planed to wait and buy a new truck in the spring but found the truck I was looking for on a lot and bought it so now I have to do this in the winter.
woody_tobius_jr
Active VIP Member
I take mine off every spring, I have a princess auto gantry that I back under. Undo the 6 clamps undo the legs and then lift the deck a bit and slide it back about 8" so you can slide the clamps out of the channel, since they are hooked under your box rail. Once they're off lift the deck, drive out from under it and back your other truck under it. You'll want about a 3/16" gap between the rail on the outside and the top of the box rail, otherwise your slide outs will bind. It takes me about an hour in the spring and fall to do this.
On a side note, I just bought the flip over extension, replacing my solid extension if anybody is interested in a solid extension let me know, I have one that is taking up space now.
Sent from my iPad
On a side note, I just bought the flip over extension, replacing my solid extension if anybody is interested in a solid extension let me know, I have one that is taking up space now.
Sent from my iPad
Work2Ride
Active VIP Member
There is a flip over extension? Pics?
woody_tobius_jr
Active VIP Member
Can't really see it that great, but it weighs about 90 lbs. I would have taken a picture of it flipped out, but I washed my truck on Monday and everything is frozen c**k stiff on it, and I can't get the bolts undone. I'm not to keen on the fact that I can't close the sides right up with it on. Once it warms up a bit I'll mess around with it a bit and see how it works, and post some picks in the daylight. Oh there is the LED light in the first pic thats tied off that I had on my solid extension, I'm going to wire the corners of the extensions ( not sure why they don't do that right from the giddy up, but whatever, gives me something to do)
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NoBrakes!
Active VIP Member
Putting one of those decks together with a buddy is 2 days of my life I'll never get back... they made a different extension that bolted on but was just a few extra bars on the end. worked good and you can slide the sides all the way in with it installed. My friend has the older extension for sale. PM me if youre interested
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