Tarp for Bed

[prossett]

Done my general maintenance and check on my new '83 Jimmy - almost perfect bill of health, amazing for a 22-yr-old truck! - and now my focus is on weight reduction.

I'd like to replace the tailgate with a net (60" OK?) and remove the bed roof.

My question is: how about covering the bed with a generic tarp, with eyes where the factory bolts go to secure it?

I doubt I would have to unfasten it often, maybe just the back two and I can easily enough screw out two bolts; and I hardly ever drive the highway so flapping doesn't really matter.

It also never rains here, and I mean never as in maybe 1-2 times every 2-3 years. Lots of sand, though

Basically I want to cover the bed as cheap as possible. Any reasons why the tarp would not work out OK?

 

[RootBreaker]

depending on the look you want.. I have a 6' bed tunno cover (sp?) used with new hardware.. believe the hardware is the ones with the snapps... these are (I think) $199 new... will take $75 shipped to ya if ya interested... cover is in good condition and hardware is NEW

 

[prossett]

Thanks RootBreaker - appreciated, but the UV rays here eat up stuff like you wouldn't believe it, it just disintegrates in a few months! I can get good strong canvas cheap and the cutting and stuff I can do myself. I was just wondering if there was something I was missing because a search found me nought, so I reckon not many people do it - maybe it'll sag after a bit of stretch and then flap?

BTW, I'm about 7,000 miles away in the United Arab Emirates, and another thing is last time I tried PayPal didn't accept int'l VISA cards... it's hard for me to buy stuff.

 

[BigCountryx]

It might not look too great, but I don't see why you couldn't just get some flat bar and sandwich the canvas between it and the bedrails and stretch it as tight as you could. Then you could just bolt the flat bar to the truck using the factory mounting bolts. Might have to get creative in attaching it to the tailgate.

 

[prossett]

Yeah, that would help stop the wind getting under the canvas...

As for the tailgate, I'll be taking that off and putting in a net. It seems my truck's tailgate is 68" but the net is 60" - that might require a little thinking, too.

 

[Roz]

i think it would work fine, the prob may lie in the bed flex. it will flex with the tailgate off. if u dont wheel hard prolly be ok. if u can sew just split it down the middle if its tall enough. if not im shure it wouldnt be hard to get it done and cheap.


where in UAE are u? spent a few weeks in Jebel. the big american trucks are a little rare out there. the ones i seen looked coool.

 

[CustomChevy]

I used to use a tarp to cover off a trailor, worked perfectly, even at highway speeds

 

[prossett]

Thanks guys - I wheel hard but don't do much cross-axle work since I cross dunes straight up, so it should be ok. What I do get is the frame see-sawing down the center.

if u can sew just split it down the middle if its tall enough. if not im shure it wouldnt be hard to get it done and cheap.

Not sure I get this - split the tarp down the middle? Do you mind explaining - tks. I sure can sew, or find someone who can do it.

I'm about 200k from Jebel Ali, to the interior, near the Omani border, on the edge of the red sand dune desert - very nice if you happen to like deserts. It looks like Mars.

 

[Roz]

cut it length wise sew it end to end. it will be half as tall but more then long enough

i think i know where u are, isnt there some canyons on the way out there? i think i did some cliff diving into some awsome water out there. seeing as how it was 130* out it was awsome since the water park was packed early that morning.

 

[prossett]

Yeah, there's some great spots out here. The amazing, and unique, outdoors make up for a lot of other things I miss out on.

I'm thinking to simply stretch the canvas over the bed, without any cage support or height. Just like a tonneau cover across the bed.

What kind of name is a "tonneau" anyways!?!? - sounds like a fat French tuna...