Keep it or toss it

[Mopar Man1]

What do yall think? My 92 D350 has a Western Hauler Flatbed on it,everybody that sees it loves it,personally it's annoying to me. I can't see past the headache rack in the mirrors,I have to strap every single thing down on the bed,wiring done on it ain't terribly great etc etc. Now it's nice to sit on with a lawn chair in parking lots but thats bout it. I thought bout putting a reg. dually bed on it and everybody told me I was crazy!! What would yall say if it was your truck? Keep it or toss it for a reg. bed? If keep it,how can I keep things on it without having to strap every tiny thing down,other than tall side boards... help a brother out Oo.

 

[cguthrie]

I wish i was closer, i'd probably take it off your hands. What do you do with your pickup, i'd say if you haul hay with it ever keep the flatbed, that would be my main reason.



Chris

 

[ak_fleming]

"personally it's annoying to me. "





I think you answered your own question with this one statement.

It doesn't matter how many other people like it, if your not satisfied with it change it.

 

[WashingtonFLHTRider]

Nice looking bed. However if you don't like it then you should either change it or make some mods. You could cut the headache rack off and build one that fits the line of the cab closer(so you can see past it in the mirrors). And you could build some 12" to 18" side boards for "pick up truck" type loads. Just some thoughts.

 

[DDudgeon]

How about getting a sheet of rubber, impregnated would work best. Maybe a couple sheets, depending on what you find. Use those handy-dandy self tapping #10 screws to hold it down around the perimeter. You could get a truck bed mat but those can be expensive and you would have two spots still uncovered over the wheels. So with rubber on it, things should'nt slide around unless you drive like you stole it.

 

[bgilbert]

Just use one of those other 1st gen Dodge pickups in your pics to haul the little stuff. BTW 1st gen dually beds are NOT CHEAP or easy to come by. Or get some west coast towing mirrors, but then you'd have to drill new holes in your doors, plus would have the bare spot where the other mirrors were.

 

[Philip]

Let me know when you want to trade beds.

 

[Greenleaf]

I bought a couple of truck loads of cut fire wood from this gentleman not long ago. He has a '97 4x2 and this flat bed. It's like super nice, all aluminum and very user friendly. I was convinced that this is the way to go if you need a real truck, however they don't look very good IMHO and this bed he bought was real high dollar. (He didn't want me to scratch it in any way!)



I'd change it out if your not using the truck for much. If someone could build his own, that would help with the cost etc. etc.



By the way... this truck was a 4x2 and the front end sat like it was setting up on some kinda sky jacker springs. It has the solid front axle and isn't like any dually I've seen. I'd take the truck, but wouldn't want the flat bed.



Just my . 02



GL

 

[MFalkinham]

Everybody has different needs, and for some a flatbed might be quite practical. For me, I can't think of a single time when it would have been more useful than my standard dually box. My biggest problem would be protecting cargo from theft and bad weather. I often haul expensive electronic gear for work, and without my aluminum topper that stuff would be missing or ruined in no time.



My vote would be find someone with a dually box who wants a flatbed and trade with him.



- Mike

 

[jlast]

Keep it,



i have the same mirror bases, then about a 4" extension added on to it, then the larger mirror that are up and down. see fine.



My bed is closer to the 93 but still same rack style. ARE those towing mirrors on the 93?

 

[Mopar Man1]

Let me know when you want to trade beds.

You come all the way down here,if your bed is white like mine that would be perfect,I don't want this flatbed anymore. Got any pics of your truck? You'd have to come all the way down here if you wanted it :-laf



Jimbo

 

[TKingsbury]

Did you like the one on the black truck better? If so, you could just put some small steel side rails on and modify the headache rack a little. If you want to keep stuff from sliding, have the bed surface rhino lined (or equivalent). My dad has a flatbed on his 93 D350 single wheel and the best addition we made to it was spot mirrors.

Travis. .

 

[Mopar Man1]

Did you like the one on the black truck better? If so, you could just put some small steel side rails on and modify the headache rack a little. If you want to keep stuff from sliding, have the bed surface rhino lined (or equivalent). My dad has a flatbed on his 93 D350 single wheel and the best addition we made to it was spot mirrors.

Travis. .

Naw I didn't really like the one on the black truck. I sold it to SamRam's buddy,then found this D350,figured this flatbed would be nicer but I'm not a fan of it. The feller that had it last said he would buy the flatbed back from me if I wanted a reg. bed but he sold the factory bed that came off of it. Phillip needs to come down here



Jimbo

 

[TKingsbury]

The only thing I would check before you commit to a bed change is the frame and bed mounts. I have seen trucks with the rear of the frame trimmed, and bed mounts altered or removed to put on aftermarket beds. Not so much of a problem nowadays, but you never know until you look.

Travis. .

 

[dpuckett]

I'll see if I can dig up some pics

The 93 W350 I had a few years ago had a custom aluminum flatbed on it. The front was bevelled so it was the width of the cab (it was 8ft wide, then about 18" back from the front, it was cut at a 45* angle to come flush with the back of the cab); then the headache rack was even with the contour of the back of the cab. Had a diamond cut out in the headache rack so you could see the trailer behind you in the mirror. Of course it had REAL dually mirrors on it- the ones that flip out to about 2ft outside each side of the door. I cant imagine having a dually with the tiny power mirrors on it anymore.



I'd swap ya in a heartbeat if my bed was worth a crap. I dont really care one way or another, but I do prefer the pickup boxes.



Philip's pickup is black



Daniel

 

[Philip]

My bed is black. It also has some red showing threw in places. It is not the orginal bed on my truck. I can send you some pic's. Let me know.



How does thanksgiving sound for a road trip that way?

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

I thoroughly enjoy my flatbed. It is so much tougher and more versatile than a box. Had a couple of trucks with boxes inbetween flatbeds. When I got my tempco installed with mudflaps, light, and circle D boxes for $1150. Cost $250 to x-line the bed and backside.



I have a topper box for traveling, or a large camper for when the wife is along, a cattle panel "dog pen" for the border collies during the summer, six inch or 12 inch sideboards for hauling different loads, or leave it "blank". It takes about 15 minutes to swap configurations using an A-frame hoist system I set up.



I looked at Circle D, JMI, and Tempco beds and settled on the Tempco for heavy duty, design, price, AND the front rack DIDN'T block the dually mirrors. My suggestion would be to either to sell it and buy a flatbed with a decent front rack or modify the rack you have. I am not in favor of having huge mirrors sticking out. imho