Had a guy from ebay come pick up my bed today. Ended up being a TDR member who wanted a replacement bed for his rusting 12V. He showed up in a nice reg. cab 12v with a dump body and a 3 axle tag trailer.

http://xj.cdevco.net/auto/nobed/DSCN0575.JPG

More pics here: http://xj.cdevco.net/auto/nobed/

With the bed gone, I need to get the truck back being legal and usable.

Anyone know where I can find a fuel cap "mount" that will (or not) take the stock filler hose and stock vent hose so I can just mount it somehow to the frame and be done with that?

Mud flap mounts I think should be pretty easy with a couple of pieces of angle iron.

For the rear, I need stop/tail/turn/red side markers/3 centered amber lights/license plate light. I was thinking maybe a C channel to go inside or outside of the frame rail flanges from 1 frame rail to the other might give me enough room for all that stuff.

Anyone know what is needed legally for a "bumper"? Or at least what will keep me from getting harassed.

I noticed that truck tractors do not have bumpers nor do they normally even have side markers or anything but then again, they probably don't have to follow the same rules since they usually have a trailer behind them.

Sure is nice backing up being able to see everything. I think the truck is a good foot shorter too, without the bumper.

 

You got the right idea, just make the fuel cap mount,mudflap mount, rear crossmember, angle iron, and use some Jeep style lights with sidemarkers and you are done except for something over the rear wheels when you don't have a trailer hooked. This is the time to mount a rig 5th wheel plate to your frame.

 

You pulled the box off because????? you are mounting a deck and you just need it legal until it is built? Yes the truck is 1' shorter and Dodge has the holes in the frame to move your reciever hitch ahead a few inches to accommadate the loss of the box. Or you are making a mini tractor making the unit un-usable for anything else? PK

 

If you're talking about the "three centered amber lights" on the rear of the vehicle, they need to be red in color and are refered to as "Identification lamps".

Also I'm not sure that you have to have a rear bumper on the truck to be legal. Might vary from state to state. You might get some guidance on lighting requirements here. Click here

This is for commercial vehicles but the rules are for all vehicles as well.

 

Sorry I didn't make it totally clear... The bed is going off but I am not putting anything back on. Just going to be a little tractor.

My mistake on the ID lights. Yellow in the front and red in the rear if I remember correctly. Thanks for the FMCSA link, there's a nice chart here:
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regul...ction_toc=1859

 

I forgot to tell you that the reason you don't need a rear bumper on the big trucks you see is that they are licenced as a truck tractor.

 

OK so a fellow has done the same thing here mounting a tool box crossways on the frame, really looks like an after thought. Unless you have a specific need for a tractor the truck has become totally useless except when hooked to a trailer where as with a deck and a hidden hitch the unit is capable of moving material around. You will also encounter excess spray and mud going everywhere even if you have fenders and a choppier ride empty. The looks will be an owners choice only and resale value decreased. However if this is what you really want unless it is registered as an actual tractor it will be required to have a rear collision prevention device (bumper), tail light side markers with reflectors at the extemeties, license plate holder lighted and proper mud flaps. You don't need 3 ID markers on the rear unless it 7' + (dually). PK

 

OK - Ive got to ask - if you arent going to put a flatbed or service box on - WHY??

I dont get it....what happens if you buy some furnature, a big screen TV or need to haul some crap to the landfill ?

 

Gotcha.

I intend on putting the truck to work and to comply with certain states' regulations because of the length of the trailer it cannot be a "truck and trailer" combination, it has to be a "tractor" or basically, can't have the ability to haul anything in itself.

As for the toolbox across the frame rails... I did notice the 4 bed mounts towards the front of the frame rails and thought that would be a great place for a toolbox, but if you say it looks ugly, I trust you

 

To change your pickup to a tractor one item you must have when running without a trailer attached are mud flaps, brake/turn and tailights, a rear license plate light, and rear reflectors, I would still put on a flatbed rather then a bare frame....it will help control road spray onto your cargo

I have a old 1993 dodge one ton that we took the bed off of......I found a old tow truck body that I sand blasted and repainted and mounted this worked out very good to pull a 45 ft gooseneck hay trailer it also has alot of storage compartments

 

Hopefully they will not give me any trouble registering it as a tractor and I should be fine. I have no problem with making a rear bumper and doing all the proper "straight truck" lighting but if I don't have to, I probably won't or at least not for now.