Bed style opinions/debate

[Matrix37495]

I would rather have a flatbed with underbody boxes than a utility bed.

One thing i love about my wood bed is if i tear a board up it's very easy to replace. I would have no qualms about dragging scrap metal off my bed as i would with a pickup box or aluminum bed...

 

[GOOSE]

I seem to be harsh on standard truck boxes, I see the one on my truck cracking apart and only lasting another few years. I have been planning a flat bed dump in my head for a few years now. 9' long, maybe 2" wider than the cab on each side. Has to dump. Who wants a truck that can haul 5,000lbs and have to unload it manually? Here's where it gets tricky: I want an auto crane type hoist that will stow in the headache rack. I want to be able to sling a good size jobsite tool chest or pallet and hoist it over the sides and into the bed. I also want to have ramps that stow into the bed...as a part of the sides. In addition to that, I want a small winch, about 3500lb, mounted to the headache rack up high. This would allow you to tilt the bed, and winch things up the ramps onto the bed. I would also cut an 8" pipe in half and weld them into the headache rack vertically. This would give room for stacks and not take up very much space. I would want sides ranging from 12 to 60" tall, maybe 12, 18, 42 and 60." This would allow me to do almost anything, from electrical work, delivering small orders of mulch and top soil, to blowing chips into it on small tree jobs.

Ultimately, a central hydraulics system would operate the bed hoist, auto crane type arm, snow plow, winches, on board generator and air.

I really like the looks of the pickup bed. Maybe the Logger needs to be designated to my personal truck and I need another truck to build this work platform on.

 

[79jasper]

Look up pronghorn beds. They are in the oklahoma panhandle. They are a flatbed/service body hybrid. The bed is wide enough to slide a typical pallet or 250gal tank in the bed, has turn over ball, and low sided service boxes on the side. Very nice looking, I just wished they made one with bale spikes! lol

I run bramco (fairview Ok 20 miles from me) bale beds at the moment and they can build a mean service bed too, saw one on the local fire truck and I got hard... lol

My dream bed has alluminum sides, a 1/4-3/8 deck and 4 big tool boxes under the bed, possibly tool boxes on top near the front.

I have a flat bed for a 9ft cab and chassis out back with 4 big tool boxes under it. Its for a narrower frame rail like your F350 dually, I took it off in favor of a bale bed.

Is this the company? http://www.b-gindustries.com/flatbeds_and_tool_boxes.htm
Those do look real nice.

I'm not looking to spend a lot right now. Just need something to replace the Leland ginpole bed, because it's gotta go.
But what you looking to get out of yours?

 

[79jasper]

I would also cut an 8" pipe in half and weld them into the headache rack vertically. This would give room for stacks and not take up very much space.

I like all your ideas, but this one caught my eye.
I've seen square tubing built-in as the side pieces of a headache rack on a flatbed. It was turned to where the corners were line this +, instead of a flat side front or back. They were also miter cut. Pretty slick looking.

I would rather have a flatbed with underbody boxes than a utility bed.

One thing i love about my wood bed is if i tear a board up it's very easy to replace. I would have no qualms about dragging scrap metal off my bed as i would with a pickup box or aluminum bed...

I agree there.

But as far as wood beds, does anyone use a sealer/coating on them?
I always thought it'd be a good idea, but never seen it done.

 

[tanman_2006]

Mine is the custom built bed that came with the truck, its solid as hell.

Never really though of a price but I dont want much, I'd say its worth atleast 1K in scrap because of the weight and under bed tool boxes.

The beds in that link are what I was talking about, I have been seeing them on alot of oil field trucks around here.

 

[79jasper]

Mine is the custom built bed that came with the truck, its solid as hell.

Never really though of a price but I dont want much, I'd say its worth atleast 1K in scrap because of the weight and under bed tool boxes.

The beds in that link are what I was talking about, I have been seeing them on alot of oil field trucks around here.

That's pretty fair.
If only I had the cash laying around.

Those bramco's look pretty nice also.

I'm just still trying to decide what all add ons I want.

 

[jaluhn83]

Depends on what you're using it for IMHO. I've always liked the look and useability of a good flatbed, but it's also higher to load and you have to tie everything down. With the pickup bed it's much easier to just throw stuff in the back. I'll probably keep the stock bed on my pickup but eventually plan to get a flatbed 1 ton to use for a ranch truck and trailer hauler. That's a long way down the road though.

Bottom line, pick what works best for you.

Not sure about the aluminum bed - not only would it cost an insane amount, but aluminum is soft so it wouldn't hold well to any abuse. Not a big deal if you're not doing anything that would bend it up, but still something else to worry about.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

for me, no thanks to kali DOT laws, a regular pickup bed is my only choice in order to fly under the radar. anything else IF NOT EQUIPPED WITH RV PLATES, is required to stop at scales and be subject to DOT inspection.

And this right there would be the reason I sold the flatbed that was on my F600, and replaced it w/ an '80-'86 F350 dually box. This is not only a Kali law, other states have it as well - running an MDT in and of itself turns one into a state bear bait, having a flatbed makes them that much more likely to get nosy. OTOH stick a pickup box on the truck, and stick a "camper" shell on that, and no one gives you a 2nd look, even if you're hooked to a trailer - IIRC the only time I've been stopped since I ditched the flatbed was that one time on the Grapevine, and I think that had to do more w/ the smoke out the stacks (damn injectors) than with what was on the trailer...

That's crazy. Especially since IMO a normal truck with a slide in would be considered "RV," More so than a flatbed.

Only if the camper was permanently attaches. Which slide-ins by default are not. And even w/ a slide-in as long as it's a "commercial" bed under it (defined by some states simply as a flatbed or utility box, and by Kali as anything and everything that is not a pickup box 8ft or less in length) technically you'd still be required to hit the scales. I ain't never heard of it being enforced in that particular setup, but that ain't to say that you can't get in trouble if the DOT goons are in the proper mood (or you do something stupid to attract their attention as you fly by).

A service body would also serve me well since I'm always working on everyone else's crap. And it's most usually away from home.

Careful there, check your local laws - service bodies are often considered commercial bodies, and thus would require you to, at the very least, get a DOT number for your truck. Which in turn automatically restricts you from certain roadways. Even without DOT numbers I had a heck of a time entering one of NYC's tunnels cause it was designated as non-commercial vehicles only and the lady at the toll booth was (based on local laws, so not entirely without reasoning) deeply convinced that a dually pickup truck surely must be used for non other than commercial purposes. Then she wanted to charge me an arm and a leg for toll till I politely refused to pay more than what a Chevy Suburban gets charged for cause some of them basterds are even bigger and heavier than me! It is at that point we reached an understanding, but it was an eye-opening experience.

Bottom line, use what you have the need for, but do your due research and know the repercussions and limitations of whatever you choose.

 

[79jasper]

Lcam, those are extremely good points. I didn't know that about the service/utility beds.
I'll have to do some researching on my state laws, and states I may occasionally travel to.

 

[asmith]

Only if the camper was permanently attaches. Which slide-ins by default are not. And even w/ a slide-in as long as it's a "commercial" bed under it (defined by some states simply as a flatbed or utility box, and by Kali as anything and everything that is not a pickup box 8ft or less in length) technically you'd still be required to hit the scales. I ain't never heard of it being enforced in that particular setup, but that ain't to say that you can't get in trouble if the DOT goons are in the proper mood (or you do something stupid to attract their attention as you fly by).

just to be clear, are you saying that any pickup truck that has a flatbed on it is technically required to stop at the scales? or just ones used in a commercial application?

in other words it is easier to skip by the scales and not attract unwanted attention from the police if your commercial vehicle has a normal bed on it.

 

[towcat]

just to be clear, are you saying that any pickup truck that has a flatbed on it is technically required to stop at the scales? or just ones used in a commercial application?

in other words it is easier to skip by the scales and not attract unwanted attention from the police if your commercial vehicle has a normal bed on it.

1)affirmative.
2)in kali, anything larger than a F350 will get the attention of DOT, pickup bed attached or not.

 

[79jasper]

Hmmm.... http://tulsa.craigslist.org/pts/3628541438.html
Seems like a good price. I could probably pinch pennies to buy it.
Then later on, I could add boxes and stuff.

 

[kc0stp]

Mines now got a flatbed on it and honestly now that its on Ive kinda grown to like it (orginally got it because it was the cheaped bed I could find, pickup or flatbed) Its at most an inch or 2 wider total then the cab, much heavier duty then a pickup bed ever would be, and makes it more unique (I kinda like being diffrent) plus with the shape the cab is in it completes the "look" it currently has. Id get you some pictures in its current state but its currently got a couple inches of snow on it. Frankly if you can get them cheap enough and fab up the brackets you could always try it out for a while and if you dont like the look of a flatbed sell it off for next to no loss (Im guessing I could probbly scrap mine for the $300 I paid for it)

Planing on adding upgraded/custom lighting (currently just has 2 of those square trailer lights hidden behind a wire mesh), finsh the gooseneck install, custom front side boxes (with steps...), air tank, possibly an additional fuel storage tank if I can find one thats no taller then the window hole in the headache rack and debating line-x.

 

[79jasper]

I'm definitely one for lights.
I found some good one's at northern tool. I think I'm still seeing spots from them. Lol And that's been a few months ago.

I like the step idea. Mine has the heavy duty slider hitch thing on it, I just use it as a step. It's set at small car radiator height.
Many people have reminded me it's there with their shins.

I almost thought about putting big truck fuel tanks up front. But that's another story for way down the road.

One of the main things I like about my current bed, is the rear roller. It help with loading heavy/bulky objects.
What I hate the most, is the empty weight is still crazy high. I just don't have a use for it.

I think eventually I'd like to have a pto driven hydraulic system for some stuff. Maybe just pneumatic.
Really I'm on the fence with lots of thing's.

 

[kc0stp]

Ive got a nice hitch out back I use to step up but that doesnt do squat for getting up the side easily so Im thinking when I get the side/under boxes made to add basiclly a little loop/step sorta deal under it thatll fit your average sized boot/foot while still not being obvious. Light wise I figure 4 of these down low by the current lights, with these for backups and if I can find it with a clear lens (preferbly) 1 of these on each side of the headache rack (vertical edges) then to top it all off some VERY bright backup lights running across the top of the headache rack (switch controlled) cause I hate hitching up in the dark (All above links are for refrence only, will probbly end up buying locally vs them)

That crazy high empty weight can be a good thing, now you dont need as much ballast in the winter to keep the back end in check (heck when I went ice racing I couldnt get the back end to step out) I think the biggest thing with flatbeds is if youll actully use it or not, personally I rarely use the bed anyways so for me its more of a cosemetic thing, the only true functionality for me is for stuff like the underbed toolboxes which will be used for battery box and recovery gear most likley (probbly air hose storage once I get my compressor on as well)