Flatbeds

[JMingledorff]

Well when the new truck gets here I'm going to put a flatbed on it. Any suggestions?? I'm looking for one that doesn't look too much like it belongs on a work truck. Also need a gooseneck ball and rear hitch that can pull 10k. The beds I've seen from local companies in Atl are fine but I'm hoping for something better looking.

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

I commend you for your wisdom in choosing a flatbed.



Can not help out with the fancies because mine is just an plain jane Line-Xed work Tempco with Circle D underboxes. I would not recommend the Circle Ds cuz they leak.

 

[jelag]

I'm about ready to put a flat bed on my 04 and purchase another truck..... I want something with a wood deck... . and the upcharge for that has forced me in the past to build my own from aluminum... . I think the last price was around 3400 or something and I built it for around 1000 with a nice wood deck... . and 30 hours of labor... my own... .



Jim

 

[Concrete Solutions]

I have One of the best looking, best featured, heavy duty, 22500 rated ball and a design the lends itself to attaching to the truck in a manner that there is NO POSSIBLE

WAY IT WILL SHIFT OR TEAR OFF EVEN IN A ACCIDENT! Powder coated, Flip up sides,

stake pockets covered by the flip up sides and holds cross boards at rear and at front

under the wide tapered headache rack which keeps stuff from sliding around.

About 1000 LBS.



1600. 00 they give you a 1000. 00 for your bed and t gate so 600. 00 out of pocket.



I will post PICS AFTER I wash the mud off I have a 4 mile private shale/bentonite Rd

to the Ranch and with the snow melt WELL>>>>>>>>>

BTW I will also need to get the Manufacturer Name as well.

Rich

 

[JMingledorff]

Thanks Rich, deffinately want pics and the name. $1000 for my bed is great. $500 is the best that I've been offered for it so far.

 

[kgarciactd]

http://www.hillsboroindustries.com/Products/AluminumTruckBedsComm.htm

ive seen a few of these around, they look pretty good.

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

Well, now that price has been mentioned, I paid $950, lights, and mudflaps (DRW 1 ton flatbed) installed at Blackfoot Boots and Saddles in Blackfoot, ID. So that doesn't count the bed, which I kept, put back on when I sold the truck, and then put the flatbed on the 97. Pics are in reader's rigs. Of course the boxes were extra.



Also installed two flatbeds from the same place on company trucks and traded the beds to a yard in Pocotello, or Pocotijuana, something like that. Gave us enough for the beds to pay for the flatbeds.

 

[Concrete Solutions]

I don't have MY picts yet but here is the manufacturer and a pict with the

3 tail lights we need for the dodge. because of our separate turn sigs if you don't

use a turn sig only light you will have burn't light indicator on the dash glowing all the time. I used an amber on the outboard edge for a turn sig. Please ignore the chev

in the pict, #ad


I forgot how to make a link and have no clue how to put the pict up sorry just cut and paste.



RICH

 

[Cattletrkr]

I talked to the BradfordBuilt rep at a farm show last summer. They look like an extrememly well built unit with good paint, something most don't have. $1600, was that installed? That's a pretty good deal if it was.



They also make aluminum ones if that's what you're looking for.



22,500lb rating is way too low for a GN hitch. Should be able to easily find one with a 30K or 35K rating.

 

[Concrete Solutions]

MY Mistake It IS 30,000 LBS on the GN



NO that wasn't installed but it was Delivered for that price.

I went Nuts when I put it on and was able to put it on on a bullet-proof manner

 

[JMingledorff]

Rich, so they shipped you the bed, did you ship your stock one to them? If so how? I have access to a loading dock and forks but wasn't sure how I could ship it w/o worrying about it getting damaged. That is a good looking bed too, deffinately more like what I had in mind.

 

[Concrete Solutions]

Rich, so they shipped you the bed, did you ship your stock one to them?



No thats not correct,



I bought it though a dealer located outside of Souix Falls SD

They come to WY to buy trucks in mint cond.

They showed the bed to a rancher friend, I was there as well, and I said hell yes I'll take one too!



When you take off the bed set it down on the rails (topside down) this is also how to transport, the dealer of the beds gave me the 1000. 00 for my bed.



Keep in mind a new t-gate is worth 500. 00 alone.

 

[JMingledorff]

Gotcha thanks for the info. That looks like the one for me. Price is even better than the ones I've seen locally.



Now that you say where you live I totally understand why your truck is muddy. I pheasant hunt in Gregory SD every year. I've never driven so far on dirt/gravel whatever it is.

 

[WWatkins]

I just bought a bed from Cadet (located in Oklahoma). Am happy with the bed and would buy again. All aluminum +3100 including GN hitch, LED lights, freight to Tucson (closet Cadet dealer I could find), and installation. I like the aluminum even with its drawbacks.



Custom aluminum beds in CA run anywhere from about 4500 and up. One guy gave me a $7000 quote on a 9' bed with fireman diamond plate, gn hitch, rub rails, led lights, installed. Obviously, he didn't want my business.



The steel beds can be had for considerably less, but they're heavier than I wanted.



Also heads up on the wiring. The people who know best decided we need a lamp out warning light which means the truck wiring has a wire for each bulb, unlike the used to be where the stop/turn was one wire. I used LED lights for my flatbed and I had to use four resistors, one for each brake and turn wire, to make the puter think the lights are ok.



I kept the rear lights 'stock' so four light - two on each side all have running lights, but only two have brakes, and only two have turn signals. I wired the lights in the headache rack to the trailer wiring so each light has three functions, running lights, brake, and turn signal... ... ... no resistors needed.



Someone on ths forum stated the dealer can alter the circuits so that the rear lights can function as in olden days... ... ... The end results weren't worth it to me to hassle with a dealer, so I didn't pursue it at all.



http://www.cadettruckbodies.com/id21.htm



Another dealer is B&W in Kansas... ..... their webpage has some nice looking stuff.



One other heads up. Some of the bed manufacturers ASSUME you have a cab/chassis which would be equipped with some ugly square rear lights. On some of the stock models, the tailboard is cutout for these ugly lights... ... ... . you need to specify a tailboard with whatever lights you want and not the cutouts.

 

[hammersley]

Don't screw around - ge the best.........

http://www.protech.net/flatbedbodies.html



None other even close - PERIOD! If you don't think so, you haven't seen how thay are made!

 

[CO Lineman]

i hope to make to the stock show in Denver and look at some more manufacters of flatbeds..... I mostly haul my ATV's around on my truck so my next new truck which might be a couple years but would like a flatbed for easy hauling... .

 

[LSteiner]

grassfire flatbed firetruck

This looks like a good place to ask this question



A friend of mine and his volunteer fire buddies are putting together the subject

truck based on a new 2005 dually.



They have already purchased the bed and pretty well have it outfitted but have

a few questions concerning the rear lighting. They want to use a single large

led to be used for TAIL, BRAKE, & TURN.



So what we are looking for is some place to look on the web that gets into

details on the wireing or better yet, some input from those of you who have

already been through this and can offer some direct insights.



Thanks for any and all comments.

Larry

 

[TWilkening]

Another vote for Bradford. They are some nice beds, and the fold down sides are real nice. You can get them with LED lights too. I think Bradford also makes a Hauler Bed with the side skirts. Never seen one in person, but if they're as tough as the regular flatbeds, they are nice.