Overhead storage ideas needed.

[Vombrown]

here is the bed I will be using on my project truck, At least this is a picture of the exact bed from the Internet. I need some ideas on overhead storage for this thing. I've stared at it, drawn up crap but I know some of you guys are good at this sort of thing so SHOOT!

I would like to keep all the bed open and build off of the tool boxes or bed sides. I thought about building a full cage and a roof rack but now I don't know. Gimme some input here, feel free to photoshop, draw or sketch....GO!

 

[rampage]

What are you looking to put up there? And do you want it at roof level?

 

[K5wrench]

Are you a plumber?
Carpenter?

My old plumbing truck was set up kinda like this.
Not my truck in picture.
Just some rando thing of the net.

If you are gonna carry pipe, those racks are bomber.
Just make sure the front has a strong cap.
Pipe will slide a long way through many vehicles and humans if you get in a wreck.

For lumber carrying you might want a full flat top up there at least wide enough for sheetrock or plywood.
That might be a bitch to load and unload though.

 

[blazinzuk]

What are you gonna carry? That dictates the style.

If it's a carry whatever a normal ( kind if if normal) lumber rack might be the way to go.

E tracks are useful for random hooks and changing loads.

It's amazing what you can fit in those utility boxes.

This one had a huge oxygen bottle he needed to carry plus a generator. Used some e tracks but not as much as I should have

 

[blazinzuk]

Better pic of it done.

 

[Vombrown]

The short list is this:

Flood lights/work lights all the way around
Spare tire, high lift Jack, various larger hand tools mounted on the outside or on the roof rack portion.
Possibly an oxygen bottle, torch hose reel and air hose reel.
at least 4 jerry cans

I want to keep it all as "compact" as possible, roof rack needs to extend over the cab to at least the marker light area but not any further. I'm not building it as a work truck, it just needs to be able to carry all the stuff that I need whenever I'm back in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Vombrown]

What are you gonna carry? That dictates the style.

If it's a carry whatever a normal ( kind if if normal) lumber rack might be the way to go.

E tracks are useful for random hooks and changing loads.

It's amazing what you can fit in those utility boxes.

This one had a huge oxygen bottle he needed to carry plus a generator. Used some e tracks but not as much as I should have

View attachment 265576

I picked up some of that e-track channel here locally a couple weeks back. About 32 ft in 8 ft sticks. I'm thinking it needs to "Mushroom" out to the outside width of the tool boxes. At first I was thinking I would build a 2x2 square tubing framework and then essentially enclose it with expanded steel. Making a cage of sorts. Barn style back doors that lock. I don't want anything in there to go anywhere if I need to get the truck on two tires.Also since there isn't a floor in the bed I am using I can tie this roof rack/cage to the frame if I want. Then install my bed floor.