plywood rack for dog in topper

[h2ofwlr]

I have used these for years on several trucks with toppers.  Basically run 1 piece of 3/4" plywood across the rails about 1/2" shy of the topper walls. have another piece about 6" shorter.  I use 2' wide on both.  Glue and screw together with 1.25" screws the 2 pieces.   I then add a piece of rubber mat on top of it to act as a cushion for the dog.  I glue it to the plywood.  Fleet Farm and other places carries the 1/2 rubber mat.  Very similar to the mats the horsemen use in stables.   To keep it in placeI use a topper hold down and weld a 1/2" high x 1" long piece of metal on thje top of 2 of the clamps.  This keeps the wood up front and will not let it slide.   Now your dog can see out the windows, and you can store emergency equipement under the rack.  I use 5 gal pails to put stuff in like tow chains, jumper cables, oil, etc, etc...    Point is it is multi functional area now. 

Here are a couple of pics from a few years back so you get a better idea of what I am talking about.

http://www.duckhuntingchat.com/album_page.php?pic_id=469
http://www.duckhuntingchat.com/album_page.php?pic_id=468

This was on a S-10  I had emergency extra clothes, boots, gloves, jacket in the wood box along with a few bottles of water.

[Mr Harry]

  I also make a shelf like that for my F250.  I use large C clamps to hold it in place.  I sometimes have it at the back of the topper, it works good for keeping my fishing stuff, and is  easy to get at.  Sometimes I push it forward so I can get a larger object in the back of the truck.  Good idea, I am surprised more people don't do this.