Pickup Sideboards Made From Diamond Plate TRUCKS Accessories “I’m always hauling items that have to be tied down in the truck box so I made rugged side panels out of used diamond plate truck running boards ” says New York antique dealer Peter Sowinski “They protect the top of the truck box and the aluminum handles I mounted on the sides work great to attach tie-down straps ” Hooks on the inside hold a ladder straps and other tools Sowinski says nothing he hauls in the box of his Ram pickup will damage or dent the custom side panel extensions He bought the used boards at an auction along with other scrap aluminum and formed the parts into rugged 14-in high-side box extensions Mounting brackets on the original running boards elevate the side boards about 4 in above the top of the truck box That space is filled with two pieces of square aluminum tubing that run the length of the box Both pieces are bolted to aluminum posts and bolted into the stake pockets on each end of the pickup box Sowinski cut two 2-in by 8-in planks for the front panel and bolted each end to the corners of the diamond plate sides He says the sides and front are so sturdy they don’t even squeak or rattle Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Peter Sowinski Wild Goose Chase Antiques Hammondsport N Y

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