[AT] Custom Flatbed

Cecil Bearden crbearden at copper.net
Sun Aug 14 04:07:38 PDT 2011


Joe
What about a winch mount?.  I have a hydraulic powered winch (works off 
powere steering pump) on mine at the rear of the truck just above the 
trailer hitch and a mounting for gin poles at the back.  Also have a 
receiver hitch welded at the outer ends of the bumper and at each corner of 
the bed for using various tools we made for working and also pulling.  Just 
cannot have enough of those 2 inch receiver hitch tubing outlets.  What 
about a lift for large round bales or are you crazy enough to be handling 
hay?  Whatever you do there will always be something you wish you had.  If 
you weld a 1x2 inch tubing along the top outside of the bed sides, it will 
keep things from sliding off the side of the bed and if you ever haul hay it 
keeps it on the bed.  I would get a turnover ball or a removeable ball for 
the gooseneck hitch so I could have a flat bed if needed.  Also be sure to 
get receiver hitches for the rear.  One of the nice additions is the 
moveable receiver that allows you to slide the hitch sideways and back to 
get connected and then back up of pulll up to lock the trailer and hitch 
into pulling mode.  I would send you some pictures of the bed I built, but 
it was built for a state government agency I worked for and only 6 months 
after I retired they gave the truck to the Geological Survey because no one 
could qualify for a CDL to drive the truck.   Also if you are installing 
this on a F250, you need to get the gas filler caps as high as possible, to 
prevent having to drive up on a block of wood to get the tank to fill..  ( 
that is if your truck was a pickup before it was a flatbed)    I used 4 1/2 
sq tubing to install them in the rub rail sort of like you would "french" 
taillights into a bed or body.  You might also provide a connection for high 
amperage 12 v while you have the bed off.  It sure is handy to run winches , 
hydraulic pumps etc at the rear of the bed.  Also make sure to install a RV 
type of light hookup for the trailer then you can get any other adapter to 
fit..  If you think you might ever pull a trailer that connects to the 
hydraulic  brake system, now is the time to install that also.  A small air 
compressor in the bed is also handy.  We built one and used a section of 4x8 
rectanguler tubing for the bumper and also for the pressure tank.  A air bag 
overload spring system is also really necessary if you are going to flat 
bed.  Those factory springs are never heavy enough.  I put 15ooo springs on 
my 95 F350 power stroke.  www.Airbagit.com has some great buys on compressor 
and bags.  you can then air up tires on trailers etc...

The possibilities are endless...

Cecil in OKla


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <jahaze at aol.com>
To: <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2011 7:02 PM
Subject: [AT] Custom Flatbed


>
>
>
> After considerable thought and review, I decide to move forward with a new 
> flatbed on my 1997 F250.  I have been looking for a used one for about a 
> year without too much luck.  I had also told myself that I wanted one on 
> the truck before winter, so I found a local place that does custom welding 
> and met with them today to go over what I wanted.
>
> He has a base price of $2,500, that includes anything I want on the bed, 
> priming, painting, wiring it up, and having it mounted on the truck ready 
> to go.  I will also have him install two mounted toolboxes underneath the 
> front of the bed for extra storage, total cost comes to $3,200 (with tax). 
> While this is much higher than a mass manufactured bed, I like the idea of 
> having it custom made just for my truck, and the fact that it is a local 
> shop.  Since the price also includes mounting, I don't have to do anything 
> but give up my truck for a couple of weeks for him to put it together. 
> Since I can have it customized any way I want, I was wondering if you had 
> to do it (or do it over again), what would you want done to it?
>
> Heres what I'm having done so far:  Rear step across the entire back (6" 
> wide) to make it easier to get up onto the bed, integrated gooseneck 
> hitch, stake pockets inside the bed rail (no rub rails for a smooth 
> outside edge), fold down loops for tieing things onto the bed, headach 
> rack, three lights on each side in the back, clearance lights on the side, 
> removable spare tire holder on the headach rack (my spare tire sits in the 
> bed of my truck now), and a reinforced crane mounting pad (for picking up 
> tires, plows, heavy rusty stuff)
>
> The bed will be done in steel diamond plate.  I though about putting 
> lights in the headach rack, but don't know if I would ever use them.  Can 
> you think of anything else I am missing?
>
> Thanks for your imput.
>
> Enjoy, Joe
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