2011 Silverado 1500 - bed attachment?

[jage]

My dad has an old 1980s Viking popup at 1100lbs dry weight and he wants to buy a 2011/2012 silverado 1500 to put it on. The bed load capacity is 1500lbs, and it will never pull a trailer.

The question is, does anything special have to be done to the bed to accept this old of a unit, or can it just be tied in like it is now?

[free_radical]

Fishbreath wrote:
Jage

I have a 2013 GMC 4x4 SRW long bed and I can vouch for the thinner sheet metal in the bed. The stuff is slightly stiffer than aluminum foil! I leaned against the bed and put a dent in it! (No, I am not that fat)
It is incredibly thinner than past models.
I don't know if the stake pockets have thicker material, but if the side panels of the bed are any indication.....
Good luck with your purchase
Bill

I wouldnt worry ,
those stake pockets are square which makes them about 50 x or more stronger then flat sheet metal..

[Fishbreath]

Jage

I have a 2013 GMC 4x4 SRW long bed and I can vouch for the thinner sheet metal in the bed. The stuff is slightly stiffer than aluminum foil! I leaned against the bed and put a dent in it! (No, I am not that fat)
It is incredibly thinner than past models.
I don't know if the stake pockets have thicker material, but if the side panels of the bed are any indication.....
Good luck with your purchase

Bill

[jefe_4x4]

Also, there are GM 1500's and there are GM 1500's. Try to get the H.D. version with the increased payload capacity. Look on the door pillar for specs. He will like it. You will like it.
regards, as always, jefe

[llavaseur]

Make sure you check it for fit, the newer gmc trucks starting at either 2007 or 2008 have a bigger radius at the bottom of the tail gate opening that may prevent it from fitting .

[jage]

mkirsch wrote:
I see you have stake pocket tiedowns...

The newer trucks have thinner sheet metal. I would recommend a frame mounted tiedown system.

Why? I mean have you actually experienced damage or was it just a friend of a coworker?

I mean I have looked and I've only seen anecdotal "it happened to this guy I know" but I can't find anyone it actually happened to- and I can't find a single picture on the Internet. In a culture that post pictures of what we have for breakfast, that's a little weird.

[mkirsch]

I see you have stake pocket tiedowns...

The newer trucks have thinner sheet metal. I would recommend a frame mounted tiedown system.

[Joe417]

Jage,

I raised the height using 2 sheets of 3/4" building foam. My camper weight is about 3800# empty which is about 0.83# per sq. in. on a flat surface. The truck bed isn't flat so it will be more like 1.6#.

Your camper would be about half the weight so it should ride great on the foam. The foam also gives you a bit of insulation which could help in cold weather.

[Led_67]

From your post you will have 400 lbs. to play with from your bed weight so you might want to consider what you will take with you.

Joe417 has made a very good point about the tires as the last thing you would want to deal with would be a blowout also you may want to invest in some helper/overload springs for your truck just to be sure that you are safe.

Good luck

[jage]

Joe417 wrote:
I have my camper sitting on 1.5" of foam. Plywood will do the same but adds more weight.

Like the polystyrene insulation panels, or is there some specific type of foam?

[Joe417]

You may have to sit the camper on something to raise the height to clear the bed rails. I have my camper sitting on 1.5" of foam. Plywood will do the same but adds more weight.

You might want to upgrade the tie downs to torklift or happyjac but the old stake pocket brackets have held many a camper in, especially as light as the camper is.

Check your rear axle weight. You don't want to exceed the tire rating. That would be my most important concern.

Good luck with your upgrade.