Those of you with Ford trucks know of the two slots pressed into the bed to allow you to put a 2xX in as a cargo separator. We started off planning to add a divider that would hold a gas can or propane tank in the corner of the bed. We ended up making two dividers:
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As my son was rounding off the corners of the main divider, I had a revelation (Yes, he's wearing Pats slippers and shorts, and it's currently ~35
) :
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We had inadvertently made a mini workbench, and a tailgate/whatever bench at the same time! I'll make up some gussets and throw a bit of leftover stain over top of it tomorrow.
(At this point someone will most likely tell me that everyone's been doing this since 1975, but I still thought it was cool.)
I discovered those slots in my Chev this summer. Very useful things.
I think every truck with a pickup bed I've driven since the 80s has had those slots.
yep, I've done something similar in my past trucks. Very handy and damn near free.
einy
Reader
12/4/16 2:13 p.m.
Very handy in winter to keep one's sand bags, er ... traction control devices ... from sliding around.
In the winter I put them in and they are spaced perfectly to hold the sand bags over the axle. I then screw a piece of plywood over it and you now have front and rear compartments with the sand bags being kept safe. If you hall sheet stock another option is to put a third board up by the cab and one by the gate. Put a sheet of plywood over the whole thing. If you want to get real fancy cut the plywood and hinge the back section. Now you have covered storage under the back third
You just made me look in my truck. I sort of have them but they're very rounded at the intersection between the sides and the floor. I'm going to have to think about this. Fantastic idea either way.
The notches half way up the bed sides are for 2x6's horizontally to span the bed and make a shelf too. Cut to size, slap plywood on top, and a queen mattress will drop in the back of most full sized trucks. Add topper and you can store your stuff underneath and camp whenever, wherever.
all of this was covered in tv ads for the all new Chevy trucks in 1988.. well, not the part where you use it as a bench because that's what the tailgate is for, it probably even has round recesses where you put your favorite beverage... but everything else..
Well, because of this light bulb reminder I just went and slapped a 2x4 in my work truck to keep my tool bag from sliding forward every time I get on the brakes. Cool beans fellas 
Cool, glad it helped some people! I was planning on using it for keeping sandbags in place, but never thought about the camper bed/storage solution and some of the other ideas. First truck, so we're still discovering some of the cool utility ideas.
We discovered that you can put 4-5 gallon oil jugs in each side pocket to take them to the recycling center, and that a row of tires fits nicely between the cross piece and a toolbox. Also, the divider/bench is a decent height to use the tailgate as a table.
