Here are a few
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More Pics here(let me know if thr link is no good). Unfortunately I had a cheap crappy digital at the time so a lot of pics didn't turn out.
I had originally decided to have side storage similar to utility beds, with some longer side to side, but ended up going the under the bed box made from extra wood from a previous project. I had considered using sheet metal, and really wanted to use aluminum diamond plate, but being cheap I went w/what I already had available.
With this being your first from scratch, you might want to draw out some ideas, or take some pics of the truck and draw on them. I had sketched out a few idea's on paper for friend so I had an idea of what I wanted, but once I the bed off I also used editing software(really limited one) to draw some up some variations on some photos to get an idea of what it was going to look like.
After that it was just a mater of pulling measurements to get an estimate of how much steel I was going to need.
I used HREW in two thickness, .095 and .120. I knew I would be using HREW for the base, but had considered DOM for the cage, but wasn't sure if it was warranted. I had read several articles on the pro's and con's of each, and as far as I could tell there isn't that much difference, and after talking w/the local fab shop I went w/HREW. The local fab shop has been building cages for race cars since the 60's and unless the customer/regulations demand DOM, HREW is all they use. They like others here have said, strength comes more from design then from material(w/in reason), and of course to not put the seam outwards on any bend, or where the seam would take the brunt of an impact. To help w/trail impacts I used a ladder design for the sides to help spread impacts out along the entire length of the bed as well as welded on 2" strip of 1/8 steel along the side and across the rear along the leading edge, basically armor plating it. This allowed me to use .095 for the base, w/almost the protection of .250 on the sides w/o the weight of .250 stock, 2.46lbs/ft vs 5.41lbs/ft for 2x2" sq tube. I have smacked it pretty hard on the trails and only removed paint, so it appears to be working well. The round tube, sguare tube above the bases and the 8 mounts for the bed to frame is where I used .120 wall. This combo saved me on average 1/2lb/ft in those areas that I used .095 over .120, 1/2lb isn't a lot but it adds up pretty quickly. If you do go w/HREW, make sure you get U.S. steel, your supplier should be able to tell you where they get their steel from.
