Sled Decks

[Cheers]

Another bunch of questions, thanks for being patient with me.
We both have daily drivers, so our new long box F350 4x4 is used only for big truck stuff. Currently pull an enclosed trailer with our sleds or quads in it.
If I sell the trailer, and get a deck, does it make the truck very tippy having so much weight up high?
Are they scary/dangerous to load and unload.
Do the sleds get filthy on the dirty winter roads?
Is it okay to leave the sleds and quads loaded all the time, or is that too much weight to be on there most of the year.
We would like to buy a small RV trailer, would towing be an issue with a deck? Please note this is not a dual rear tire model of truck.
It has an 8' box, large 4 door cab, 7.3 gasoline engine, and 4x4. For small truck things like dump runs, and as a daily driver my Ridgeline works perfectly. If just going on a road trip, the wife has an awd Stinger.
This is our first 1 ton truck, I previously owned a Tundra, and 911, never had a sled deck, a bit worried about loading and unloading, and driveability.

 

[BILTIT]

I prefer a sled deck to trailer etc. I dont find it tippy but it takes a bit to get used to being so high loading/unloading. Just dont want to slip and fall. They can still get dirty on a deck but not nearly as bad as an open trailer.

I find the ramp to the deck is most important for comfort of loading. I prefer the xdeck curved (trifold) ramp over straight ramps.

 

[adamg]

I'll let the experienced sled deck owners chime on on your questions.

But I will mention what I found most surprising about a sled deck: gas mileage with two sleds up there is the same as with a big 8.5x24' trailer.

 

[towerrigger]

Loading is not for everyone. Sometimes it's the most dangerous part of riding for some.

 

[Bnorth]

I've ridden with guys where the most technical riding they do all day is loading or unloading from the sled deck it can definitely be intimidating for a new rider and loading a quad on them is sketchier than a sled IMO. That said it's my favourite way to haul sleds. Good traction over the rear axle on slippery logging roads and easy to turn around a maneuver in tight spots. Sleds get dirty up there, use a cover on them. Superclamps are key. You can leave them on all the time the truck won't mind. The truck is a bit tippy with the weight up there but not bad and nothing compared to say a slide in camper. Airbags can help with the sway if you feel it is a problem. For hauling an RV with a deck you want to check that it has a long enough tongue that the deck won't contact the trailer on a tight turn. I've seen lots of guys poke a hole in an enclosed trailer with the corner of a sled deck when it is extended to full width.

 

[BILTIT]

One thing too keep in mind is that most truck boxes are so short now you will need/want extensions with the deck for any long track sled. This is a 6.5" box (03 dodge) with a 121" sled.

 

[ferniesnow]

I will add some more thinking to your process. I am an older dude and realize my short comings on most days. When I began the decision to get rid of the trailer, I was sketchy of the climb/landing on the high decks (mostly from seeing the carnage in the staging areas at the end of the day). I investigated a mid-deck solution. Long story short, on three trucks I sold the box, rear bumper, and tailgate and installed an aluminum mid-deck.
Ramp is not near as steep, height isn’t a problem, and I don’t really miss the box (I have made 16” side rails that fit in stake pockets on the deck).
Even with the lower mid-deck, I don’t let my wife load as I think that is an accident waiting to happen. She does great riding, just not in the sketchy part of loading/unloading.
Since the addition of the mid-deck on the truck I am showing you, it is coming up 10 years using that deck and I now have a “new to me F350” to which I am installing a hydraulic deck (TuffLift) on. Load on the ground, touch a button and magic! I am selling the 2013 F350 once my deck is ready.

 

[Grinder]

I have airbags that tame the tippy . I dont run sleds anymore but its the same with the sxs you get used to loading unloading. With this machine i drive it up my first sxs i backed it up. It was smaller andci didn't have the riser.

 

[BILTIT]

@ferniesnow I really like the mid deck idea, the only negative i can think of is the loss of a locked space for gear. I really like having under the deck for secure storage.

 

[Cheers]

One thing too keep in mind is that most truck boxes are so short now you will need/want extensions with the deck for any long track sled. This is a 6.5" box (03 dodge) with a 121" sled.

Thankfully we bought a long box, its nice having the 8 footer.

 

[Cheers]

I will add some more thinking to your process. I am an older dude and realize my short comings on most days. When I began the decision to get rid of the trailer, I was sketchy of the climb/landing on the high decks (mostly from seeing the carnage in the staging areas at the end of the day). I investigated a mid-deck solution. Long story short, on three trucks I sold the box, rear bumper, and tailgate and installed an aluminum mid-deck.
Ramp is not near as steep, height isn’t a problem, and I don’t really miss the box (I have made 16” side rails that fit in stake pockets on the deck).
Even with the lower mid-deck, I don’t let my wife load as I think that is an accident waiting to happen. She does great riding, just not in the sketchy part of loading/unloading.
Since the addition of the mid-deck on the truck I am showing you, it is coming up 10 years using that deck and I now have a “new to me F350” to which I am installing a hydraulic deck (TuffLift) on. Load on the ground, touch a button and magic! I am selling the 2013 F350 once my deck is ready.

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Nice idea.
Is it 2' lower?
Where do you carry the ramp at?

 

[ferniesnow]

@ferniesnow I really like the mid deck idea, the only negative i can think of is the loss of a locked space for gear. I really like having under the deck for secure storage.

I have two lockable tool boxes and a back seat. The truck is set up for my wife and I and not 4 buddies. I have never needed more locked storage. All my summer construction tools fit in the back seat and those that don’t I either leave at construction site or put in the garage for over night. Where there is a will there is away.

 

[ferniesnow]

Thankfully we bought a long box, its nice having the 8 footer.

Absolutely, and if I were to do another mid-deck, I would have it 10’ long. That would make a Crew cab quite a beast. The flat-deck part on the present set up is 8’-6”.

 

[Summitric]

How many kms on that ram now, Dean?

 

[Cheers]

I have airbags that tame the tippy . I dont run sleds anymore but its the same with the sxs you get used to loading unloading. With this machine i drive it up my first sxs i backed it up. It was smaller andci didn't have the riser.

Never seen that before, very slick idea.
Never driven a side by side, we bought a pair of conventional style Honda quads summer of 2022. Must say we enjoy them a lot. These are our first ATVs, and left stock, except for adding winches, which it looks as though not many do. Maybe in time we will do bigger tires, but haven't needed to as of yet. The wife got stuck once, we hooked winch hook to winch hook, after I turned around, and pulled her out with ease. The winches already paid for themselves in that one use IMO.

 

[ferniesnow]

How many kms on that F350 now, Dean?

205,000 easy, older man driven kms.

 

[rgashkei]

I have a 2013 Duramax 1 ton single rear wheel with an 8' box. You notice the extra weight up that high but it's not that bad. Doesn't get that dirty, just don't follow vehicles close when the road is wet. Make sure you get a longer ramp and no issues, I have an older deck so the ramp is only 8', loaded once then made a 3' extension so no issues now. Just have to watch the trailer design you get. Buddy had a sled trailer and I could not tow it with my deck on, trailer had a really short hitch so the sleds would hit it when turning.
Another issue is getting your ch!t out from under the deck, keep thinking of building a slid under it but I don't really use enough.

 

[Pistonbroke]

Another bunch of questions, thanks for being patient with me.
We both have daily drivers, so our new long box F350 4x4 is used only for big truck stuff. Currently pull an enclosed trailer with our sleds or quads in it.
If I sell the trailer, and get a deck, does it make the truck very tippy having so much weight up high?

Not as much as one would think!

Are they scary/dangerous to load and unload.
Do the sleds get filthy on the dirty winter roads?

I have easily seen more chaos and wrecks in the parking lot than on the hill many days.
Sleds come off really gross from all the road crap. Not much of an improvement over a 2 place open trailer.

Is it okay to leave the sleds and quads loaded all the time, or is that too much weight to be on there most of the year.

Leave ‘em on, you’re good.

We would like to buy a small RV trailer, would towing be an issue with a deck?

Should be cool. Watch your rear axle weight and GCVW by scaling the unit.

Please note this is not a dual rear tire model of truck.
It has an 8' box, large 4 door cab, 7.3 gasoline engine, and 4x4. For small truck things like dump runs, and as a daily driver my Ridgeline works perfectly. If just going on a road trip, the wife has an awd Stinger.
This is our first 1 ton truck, I previously owned a Tundra, and 911, never had a sled deck, a bit worried about loading and unloading, and driveability.

Just my observations…

 

[Tchetek]

Thankfully we bought a long box, its nice having the 8 footer.

Only way to roll!

 

[Tchetek]

Deck trips are nice for 2 person travel. But there is also nothing like having a heated trailer to dress, un-dress, and hang out/party in!

It’s best to have both!