ToJTornottoJT
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I recently installed a Rebel Off Road XPLOR Rack. I already had a BedRug installed and wanted to keep it. My Gladiator did not come with bed rails. I ended up using the Rebel Off Road HD Bed Rails over the top of my BedRug. In order to make the install depth of the bed rails correct I did not use the aluminum spacer that is supplied with Rebel Off Road HD Bed Rails. It worked perfect!
Now I have the Rebel Off Road XPLOR Rack installed. The real purpose of the rack is to work as the foundation for my dog box build. I have two American English Coonhounds that I hunt with in the mountains of Arizona. Up until now they have ridden in the backseat. This is less than ideal when they find and get sprayed by a skunk. Having them in the bed is also better for a hunting technique called "Rigging". That is where my lead dog rides on the outside of the truck, either in the bed or on top of a specially built dog box. I then drive down the backroads where lions, bobcats, bears, and raccoons might be and my lead dog is trained to bark when he gets a whiff of a fresh scent trail in the area. After he barks and tells me their is game in the area I stop the truck and let him loose to verify if there is a trail nearby. After he does that I "dump the box" meaning that I let the rest of the dogs go.
In order convert the Rebel Off Road XPLOR rack into a dog box I first added the four extra Rebel Off Road Top Channel Mounts, but mounted them on the sides. This narrows the space so the dogs can stick their heads out, but can't climb out.
The next step is to add a roof, front, and back to enclose the area. For the front of the truck I might use the Rebel Off Road Headache Rack, but haven't decided yet. My dogs might get their toes caught up in the sharp corners of all those rectangular holes. I have seen dogs lose a toe before by getting them caught in expanded metal before. I am still researching this, I am not sure it is an issue or not.
For the roof I am looking at a bunch of different materials including King Starboard, HDPE, TOPOLO, or maybe one of the aluminum insulated panels.
After that, all that will be left is the rear door or hatch. I thought about modifying another Rebel Off Road Headache Rack, but am still working out the previously mentioned issues with the dog. I am also worried that they maybe too heavy.
I am not sure what materials to use yet, does anyone have any suggestions?
To mount the rear door I am going to use the existing accessory holes in the rack. I am in the process of cutting some angle iron to mount in the rear most hoop of the rack. I will have to add relief cuts in the angle iron due to the existing bolts sticking through in the area. The angle iron on top will give me the flange to mount a door hinge on to. The angle iron on the sides will provide the stop for the door to rest on when closed.
Does anyone have any suggestions to make this better or easier?
I was hoping that Rebel Off Road would offer a door instead of me having to engineer and build one.
Now I have the Rebel Off Road XPLOR Rack installed. The real purpose of the rack is to work as the foundation for my dog box build. I have two American English Coonhounds that I hunt with in the mountains of Arizona. Up until now they have ridden in the backseat. This is less than ideal when they find and get sprayed by a skunk. Having them in the bed is also better for a hunting technique called "Rigging". That is where my lead dog rides on the outside of the truck, either in the bed or on top of a specially built dog box. I then drive down the backroads where lions, bobcats, bears, and raccoons might be and my lead dog is trained to bark when he gets a whiff of a fresh scent trail in the area. After he barks and tells me their is game in the area I stop the truck and let him loose to verify if there is a trail nearby. After he does that I "dump the box" meaning that I let the rest of the dogs go.
In order convert the Rebel Off Road XPLOR rack into a dog box I first added the four extra Rebel Off Road Top Channel Mounts, but mounted them on the sides. This narrows the space so the dogs can stick their heads out, but can't climb out.
The next step is to add a roof, front, and back to enclose the area. For the front of the truck I might use the Rebel Off Road Headache Rack, but haven't decided yet. My dogs might get their toes caught up in the sharp corners of all those rectangular holes. I have seen dogs lose a toe before by getting them caught in expanded metal before. I am still researching this, I am not sure it is an issue or not.
For the roof I am looking at a bunch of different materials including King Starboard, HDPE, TOPOLO, or maybe one of the aluminum insulated panels.
After that, all that will be left is the rear door or hatch. I thought about modifying another Rebel Off Road Headache Rack, but am still working out the previously mentioned issues with the dog. I am also worried that they maybe too heavy.
I am not sure what materials to use yet, does anyone have any suggestions?
To mount the rear door I am going to use the existing accessory holes in the rack. I am in the process of cutting some angle iron to mount in the rear most hoop of the rack. I will have to add relief cuts in the angle iron due to the existing bolts sticking through in the area. The angle iron on top will give me the flange to mount a door hinge on to. The angle iron on the sides will provide the stop for the door to rest on when closed.
Does anyone have any suggestions to make this better or easier?
I was hoping that Rebel Off Road would offer a door instead of me having to engineer and build one.
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