Quote:
Originally Posted by md8810
My understanding:
The factory configuration is a wood sub floor under the metal floor. The metal floor is riveted in place to the side and front panels after the wood is installed on the sub frame. The sub floor supports the metal floor loads.
The ladder like metal sub frame provides the support for the sides and front panels with the cross braces supporting the floor.
The "show deck"configuration without the metal floor: Wood spacers the same thickness, 3/4", as the wood subfloor, replace the subfloor. The spacers are placed on the metal subframe cross pieces. The "show deck" or custom deck boards are placed on the spacers. The front panel can be fastened to the deck boards for rigidity. An end cap is used to cover the end grain of the deck wood at the back. The long metal strips that cover the joints of the deck boards are fastened through the deck board seams and spacers to the metal cross braces. The height of the finish deck is close to that of a stock metal floor.
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Thanks. You mention tying in the bottom of the front panel with the wood and that would be fine I think, but the side panels are close to 6 feet long and there is nothing to fasten them to at the bottom. I suppose you might be able to attach them to the wood floor, but I would think long term with road vibrations, etc., it wouldn't be the best solution. The box frame underneath the bed does not extend the whole width of the finished box so that's not an option to fasten it to either.