gfd_703
Well-known member
I have the big Montezuma tringle box that has served me well in several pickups over the years but for some reason it was always lacking in the access department. When mounted on a flat bed access is superb but when in a pickup reaching across the tailgate make reaching the wrenched hanging across the back difficult for most and impossible for me without something to stand on. There are commercial versions of what I built but they mount to the pickup itself and I refuse to damage the bed of a almost 40 year old one owner pickup. So to start off every pickup I own has some form of a skid in the bed that everything is mounted to as to make everything removable with a forklift. This truck is no exception, there is a fuel tank and tool box mounted up front and the Montezuma was mounted at the tailgate. On to the mount. I use a farm implement spindle as a base. Much heaver built than utility trailer spindles. I cut the axle part off leaving just 1 inch attached to the hub. Mounted this hub to a 12x12 3/4 thick plate by first drilling a hole to allow welding from both sides. Next I welded a heavy plate to my skid already in the truck. These 2 plates were bolted together with 4 1/2 inch bolts to allow removal of the complete swivel if ever needed. Next I made a plate to match the wheel center and bolt pattern of the hub. Mounted the cut of axle stub and gusseted it heavily. Then a 1 1/2 inch angle iron frame was made to hold the tool box and attached to the hub mounting plate. I added a couple of 1/2 inch holes with tapered openings and bushings that allow a pin to be lifted which lets the unit swing into the open or closed position and will self lock into either position. Now the box is over to the side to allow loading other things into the bed, swings to within 2 inches of the edge of the dropped tailgate and leaves the box about 4 inches above the tailgate so if working on something the tailgate is available to lay tools of parts on without the tool box being in the way.
