dog box design, input/critique welcome

[justincorbell]

Decided to design a box for my big red, this is what i have come up with so far. As of now I am building it to fit into the bed with the tailgate open, it will be bolted to the roll cage of the buggy to prevent it from sliding (not 100% sure if i am going to build it this way yet or not, the way im lookin at it is that the 6" of tailgate would be deadspace when down anyway so why not use it and make the box longer....any opinions on this?) Any add-ons or deletes you would prefer? I would like input from ya'll being that this is my first box built for a buggy, ive seen and looked at 100's of pictures and this is what i decided on so far but im open to changes. It will be 2 stories, 100% enclosed on bottom and open up top to rig dogs.

Front view (closest to cab)
Clips will be welded to the top rail to secure dogs while riding up top and utility panel will not be added between the top 2 horizontals so that it will be easier to snap and unsnap dogs.


Side view, the second horizontal run from the bottom will be angle all the way around with a 1/2" treated plywood roof/floor.


Back view, i chose to add a 6" gate across the width of the upper deck for a couple reasons, 1 to make it easy for me to hang cut gear and other nonsense on and 2 so that the dogs and anything else i put up there will have something to prevent them from sliding off the rear.


Let me hear your ideas, likes and dislikes and anything you would change on it if it were yours. Should be beginning to fab it thursday hopefully. I'll post pics along the way and once complete. Thanks in advance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[hoghunter71409]

Justin,

I like the design and it looks very similar to the box I use for my ranger.  There are times I wish I had just a little more storage, but I am not going to add a dry storage box on the top, becuase I like rig digs up there too.

What I wish I would have done is had my box elevated off my bed about 4 inches so I could slide things under my box.  If you are using square tubing, you could put a rail under your box so that you had storage for things like vests, collars, a small tuper ware box that could easily be removed.  This would also give the box a little extra height if you ever decided to put the box in a truck.  I hope I described this correctly.

[justincorbell]

Justin,

I like the design and it looks very similar to the box I use for my ranger.  There are times I wish I had just a little more storage, but I am not going to add a dry storage box on the top, becuase I like rig digs up there too.

What I wish I would have done is had my box elevated off my bed about 4 inches so I could slide things under my box.  If you are using square tubing, you could put a rail under your box so that you had storage for things like vests, collars, a small tuper ware box that could easily be removed.  This would also give the box a little extra height if you ever decided to put the box in a truck.  I hope I described this correctly.

I know exactly what you mean, I thought about this as well but was leaning towards using the bed of the buggy as the bottom of my box, with it elevated I would have to put in a floor (not a big deal) my only issue with it would be the piss/ chit and other nasty things that dogs tend to come with  , I am going to keep it in mind though, thanks for the input!

I am also contemplating  setting the box a bit further back to allow for additional seating on top of the box which in return will allow for under foot storage.......still not 100% sure one way or the other.

[Peachcreek]

Wow looks real good

[DWEST]

Dont know if you'll have the room.  But my next box will have a water tank with lick taps stubbed into each dog bay.  No more spilled water bowls

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

[mod93dirt]

Looks good!  My only suggestion would be to drop down to either 3/4 or 1/2 in square tubing. My first truck box I built with 1in, and it is a heavy mother. I built almost the same box for a friend but used 1/2 in, and there was a considerable weight difference, and it was still more than strong enough. A little bit of weight savings is a big deal on a utv. Just something to consider.

[Shotgun wg]

I would not bolt the box to the roll bar. I would also leave the box short enough to close tailgate. That tail gate isn't the strongest thing in the world. 4 small ratchet straps to the tie downs on the corners would hold it in and make it easier to remove when needed. Not being bolted to roll bar would also make it easier to tilt bed to wash out whatever may need washed out. The top section is the one thing I would like to have on my box. I made my box so I could use it in truck and big red that meant I left the top part off.


Shotgun
Arkansas

[jimco]

Looks like a plan to me Justin.  I'm not a fan of a floor in a box for the same reasons you mentioned. I also
prefer a solid divider separating the 2 holes. I think your gate on top should be hinged on the bottom of gate.
Also if you wanted, you could get by with a 20" tall box and cut 4" off the overall height.  I couldn't make my mind
up on how tall to get my box built and the guys on here convinced me to go 20" tall. I'm glad I did.

[ROCKIN ROO HOG DOGS]

From what I can see on your plan it looks like the "gate" on top actually swings like a gate,just my 2 cents...but I think it would work and look better if you hinge it at the bottom so it drops down over your closed doors,you could use the rong pull type latches to secure it,the was a post on here recently of a badass aluminum box someone bilt and that top storage part had a drop down hinge like what im thinking of,anyway,worth checking out,either way you go I think your gonna have a nice setup!

[ROCKIN ROO HOG DOGS]

Justin,that post I was referring to was by jfork on page 2 under "3 bay box project" you will see the dropdown hinge part on top

[J. Tallina]

Idk if it's in the plans or not justin but I'd leave about 6" on one side of the bed that you could use for storage. That's how a buddy's is and it's pretty useful for bags lil bit of tools etc

[justincorbell]

Thanks for all the info guys, i really appreciate it.

 I agree 100% on hinging the top gate down instead of to the side.....one of those "why didnt i think of that moments" lol, thats why I asked for everyone's input.

Mod93dirt, i will deff. Look into weight/money differences when i pick up my tubing, i just wasnt 100% sure 1/2" would handle weight on top (gear, hogs, etc. but i imagine this thing will be plenty rigid when im done.

Shotgun, i am with you on not bolting it and instead just ratchet strapping it into the buggy, another "why didnt I think of that" deals lol, however i think im going to still build it out to the end of the tailgate because the only thing (beside the box)  will be dogs and the weight of the box will be distributed across the entire length of the bed.

Dwest, great idea, im gonna look into that!

Jimco, i also plan on using a solid divider in the middle, thanks for throwin it out there tho! I will probly shorten the box height as well.

Rockin roo, thanks for bringin up the top gate hinges, will look much better that way. And thanks for findin that thread for me.

When i get to work tomorrow I will make some revisions and repost what i come up with, thanks for all the info folks!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[justincorbell]

Wow looks real good

I looked at the pics of the one you and colby built for his big red more than once, for ideas (in case you didn't notice ).....i can draw it on a computer...... We shall see how it transfers to the real world though lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Peachcreek]

My original post before i deleted it said. Wow very original design justin. but i figured i would be nice :p

[Lacy man]

Something like this

[Shotgun wg]

Something like this

I really liked this box when u first posted it. I do like how he added the panel on outside of top to prevent their legs from coming out the side.


Shotgun
Arkansas

[Lacy man]

Something like this

I really liked this box when u first posted it. I do like how he added the panel on outside of top to prevent their legs from coming out the side.


Shotgun
Arkansas

Thanks bud peachcreek on here fabed and designed it while I drank beer and helped lol but yea it wouldn't hurt added sides but I haven't had any issues dogs Fallin out get due to where the clips are on top but if you were to move the any further over I could see the problem there.

[justincorbell]

Not exactly colby but pretty close.

not too many different ways can ya design a functional 2 story box peaches (at least not that I can fab/weld lol) and if it works then y fix it right.

I will be building a big front rack for it next wouldnt happen to have any plans or pics for one of them would ya travis? Lol

I think i found a pretty simple way to  redesign it to allow for seating or rigging dogs up top, when i get to work tomorrow i'll draw out what im thinkin (got it on paper now but my freehand aint up to par with my computer drawing abilities lol) i'll post it for additional input as well,

lots of good ideas in this thread!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bo Pugh]

I would leave the tailgate where I could open and close it because it gives the dog something to jump on when loading instead of having to ring a dog box door off the ground. And if the box comes all the way out to the end of the tailgate you will have to open the door all the way open for the dog to be able to jump in and if it's other dogs in there they will be trying to get out. Instead leave the tailgate and dog can jump up there and you can crack door open and they go in.

[GRITTY CUR LOVER]

That's right BP, the tailgate is needed for loading and unloading dogs.  its a great fold down table for all sorts of chit.