Mounting a PU body on a 4500

[Bhale]

Hey Guys!

I'm looking to get a 4500 and get a PU bed mounted on it so i can haul my new slide in truck camper. I've seen a few setups like that and the beds are bolted directly to the frame, no rubber bushings. Is that the best way to do it?

TIA

Brian

 

[Dieselnut59]

Get a nice flatbed. There are some excellent quality and nice looking ones out there now. You will not regret it and it is MUCH stronger and versatile.

Flatbeds, utility bodies, etc all mount right to the frame, no bushings.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I'd get a utility bed. You can still use your slide-in if you buy the right one

 

[HBarlow]

Hey Guys!



I'm looking to get a 4500 and get a PU bed mounted on it so i can haul my new slide in truck camper. I've seen a few setups like that and the beds are bolted directly to the frame, no rubber bushings. Is that the best way to do it?



TIA



Brian

I own a cab and chassis and have a CM flat bed installed. The CM bed is an excellent product at a fair price and I am well pleased with it and recommend it to anyone who buys a cab and chassis.



But if I were going to haul a slide-in camper I might rethink the solution. After market flat beds like my CM raise the deck 7 1/8" over the truck frame. The beds are constructed with 4" C channel rails that sit on top of the truck frame rails running front to rear then 3" rails at right angles (side to side) on top of the 4" rails. Then the bed deck is constructed of 1/8" diamond plate steel. That 7" will add weight and raise the center of gravity of a slide-in camper.



If I was going to haul a slide-in I would seriously consider bolting a heavy piece of steel plate, maybe 1/2" thick, to the truck's rails and then bolt the slide-in directly through the floor to the steel plate. The proper way to do it would be to weld or bolt brackets with a 90* bend to the sides of the truck's frame then bolt the 1/2" steel plate (and the camper) to the brackets. You might also need 1/2 fenders to mount over the rear wheels to satisfy DOT rules in most states but you could fill in the space with very handy storage compartments constucted from aluminum, steel, or plywood.



You would save a few hundred pounds of weight, more than $1000 off the cost of a bed, and 7" of height while improving the center of gravity and reducing the tendency to sway.



Of course a steel plate would not be as practical as a flatbed when not carrying the slide-in but I guess the decision would depend on percentages of use as a camper vs. use for general transportation or work.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

slide in with a utility bed is an awesome combo... tons of lockable storage space vs. a regular bed

 

[therabbittree]

Or make or have a flatbed fabricated with the 4" main rails the same height as the cross rails. I redid my flatbed this way to have a lower center of gravity. I even frenched in thinner rails in the front middle to accomadate my scissor hoist under the flatbed and not raise its height etc. Ie my deck is 4 3/8" over the top of my frame. All the side support rails off of the main beam are flush with the bed , when viewed underneath etc. This is still strong, I've had lots of weight on my bed and no issues. This would allow a slide in camper at a lower height silimlar to a pickup bed and two side boxes could be mounted on the bed, on either side of the the slide in etc. You could even do a pair of under bed boxes too. The ultility beds around here seem to rot pretty easy and you lose the versatility of a flatbed. With the ultility if your slide in is removed then is a ulitlity and can't carry too much or varyed loaded or dump loads etc. . you can even make your flat bed a dumping one and have the best of 3 worlds. . with the ultility your stuck ultility only or ultility and slide in etc... just another few ideas. Also with my flatbed, I have my hoist under the bed and a frame mounted gooseneck hitch also ( trap door access thru flatbed etc)... so all that can fit with a low bed height.

Thanks

Deo

 

[HBarlow]

With the "floor joists" set between the main rails do you still have adequate clearance between the bed and the tires?



I assumed the reason my CM and other similar beds are constructed with 3" rails on top of 4" rails is to allow sufficient clearance between the bed and the tires. When my fifth wheel travel trailer is loaded and the rear suspension is compressed the clearance is adequate but not huge.



I like your idea but do you still have clearance when the truck is loaded?

 

[therabbittree]

yes, I still have clearance. I've had the truck on the helpers and bumpstops and still had clearance. You could fab the crossmembers so the tire area is free of crossmember too ie one infront and one behind etc. . mine is over the tire etc. . I cantry to take some pics etc

 

[2-ND TIME]

Mounting PU to 4500

Is the top of your frame rail level or is it contoured? This will dictate how your mounts will start. My 93 2500 had crazed the canopy that I had on it so going to reduce this with the new truck. I have seen alot of gasket material but will be looking into it further. You probably have but watch the distance from the bed height to the top of the truck roof. My truck will have the bottom of the body side moulding about 6" from the top of the frame rail, so I am going to have to mount something that will take up about 6 5/8" to 3/4" for the pickup box to match the cab. I am thinking of 3x5x. 125 tube with 1 inch softer rubber between the two with the pickup bolted to the subframe and able to flex between the subframe. I think that the tanker mounts will be more then enough for the mounting but will see?

 

[Bhale]

Thanks Guys!

I think i found the solution, Classy Chassis Truck is going to put one of these on the 4500 QC 4x4 i paid for last night. A little pricey but... .

Brian

 

[HBarlow]

That's a nice looking bed and will be far more useful than a pickup bed.

 

[therabbittree]

I second that ! looks good

 

[Forrest Nearing]

wow, that bed is freakin' hawtness!!!!!!!!!!!



far better than a regular pickup bed

 

[Bhale]

It's an aluminum bed with very high quality solid stainless steel latches and hinges. All the compartments are waterproofed with a thick rubber seal and pneumatic cylinders and the insides are coated with spray in bed liner material. I'll need to have them alter it a bit in order to get the camper to fit but that's the general shape.

Brian

 

[HardcoreDiesel]

Here is some pics of my new 5500 with a bed....

Just set it on tonight..... It's really going to be easier than I thought to get it mounted correctly.

 

[Paladin1911]

Nice! Looks good so far!

 

[SBeretz]

Wow, that aluminum bed is awesome. That is something to look for in the future. I also like the pickup bed on your 5500 Hardcore!. They are both pretty awesome options. I think the aluminum bed would be nice with a 5th wheel also, since you would have alot of extra storage space. Scotty

 

[46mech]

Bhale, that is one sweet looking bed!

 

[SKehoe]

I've been researching all options for a Slide in camper. I want the versatility of the utility bed but I really like the Pick up bed look. What are your rear bumper plans? I've seen the rear ends cut short, but I don't want to give up the 52 ga rear tank.

 

[HardcoreDiesel]

I've been researching all options for a Slide in camper. I want the versatility of the utility bed but I really like the Pick up bed look. What are your rear bumper plans? I've seen the rear ends cut short, but I don't want to give up the 52 ga rear tank.

Here is a photo of a truck that Inovative Customs did for someone else and that is how mine looks also (at the rear only). You can fab a stock bumper onto the rear and then use some diamond plate to cover the top gap. It actually does not look too bad in person. It allows you to retain the factory rear fuel tank and NOT alter the rear crossmember. This guy also had a custom tool box made to fit between thr bed & cab.



I have my fuel filler run forward to the stock location in the bed from the rear tank unlike this guys truck.



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