Transporting Flatbed to Wyoming

[Ol'TrailDog]

I recently purchased an aluminum pickup flatbed (8x8 dually) and now I'm exploring various options on how to get it here or at least near here. I'm in Moran, Wyoming and the flatbed is in Elkhart, Indiana. Or transported to Bozeman or Billings, Montana would work fine also.

• I can drive out there and pick it up as a last resort, but that will cost fuel and time off work. For what I paid this is still a viable option, albeit inconvenient.
  
• I've nixed flying out and renting a vehicle to transport it back as more that option one.
  
• Find a transport service to bring it here. However tentative exploration into that appears to be substantially more than option one, for example FEDEX or CentralDispatch.com.
  
• BIG QUESTION: Is there a service that dispatches tractor trailer loads that I could contact. A central contact that helps truckers or hotshots put loads together to make up loads and minimize empty miles. The aluminum flatbed could easily be loaded and removed as part of a the bigger trip.
  

Any thoughts? TIA

 

[GaryOwen]

Might try uship.com - I have no experience with them.



Also could try listing on craigslist.com in Elkhart. Might be someone hauling a camper that way that has ability to haul your flatbed too.

 

[LBARTLETT]

with what the bed cost I'd go get it and get it mounted or make sure whomever hauls it for you has plently of insurance!!!m the last couple of things I got shipped arrived in horrible shape, if your be arrives damaged you're doubling your problems



you might check on what a hotshot car hauler would charge to put it on their trailer



if it was me as picky as I am I'd go get it

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

SMOOOOCCCHHHHH!!!, cough, cough, gag, spit, pitcchhuuee!

Couldn't help it, I had to give Gary Owen a ... well I can't even say it... for the excellent tip. I gave uship.com and had a response within 15 minutes. Albeit, more than I wanted to pay. four hours later a hottershotter on his way back to his home in Bozeman, where I wanted the bed delivered sent me a bid too good to refuse. It will work out great for both of us.

I hope it will be a positive experience and LBartlett's admonishes unfounded. Fingers crossed. Thanks again Gary for an outstanding tip. If I would have known about this before I could have bid on other stuff that was just tooooo farrrr awayyy for me to retrieve.

PS: Just another reason the $35 buck/year for TDR is a bargain.

 

[mickeyblueyes]

how much was the bed. I am thinking of getting one of my own and have not yet price them?

 

[GaryOwen]

Glad to help, hope all works out okay. You might want to check on the hotshotters safety info at the following site. You can search by company name or DOT number.



SAFER Web - Company Snapshot

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

The Aluminum beds are expensive. In my looking around they run from $2200 upward of $6000... . not installed. I have seen some aluma in far off corners of the US for around $2000. The lower end models are like the aluma, aluma-line, c & b trailers, Tafco, Scott-Lite and use extruded aluminum versus diamond plate decks. Of these the c & b is the pick of the litter. The mid-range ones are like Cadet Silverton, Hillsboro, Omaha Badger. The expensive high end ones are like Layton, Highway Products, Protech, Mountaineer, and so forth, but they are soooo nice.



I've talked to some of the outfitters who are using them pulling gooseneck horse trailers and have had mixed reviews. Most complaints are regarding welds cracking mainly around the headache rack. Specific comments were directed toward Cadet and Hillsboro. The nicest one that I've seen on an outfitter truck was a Layton. I know Layton makes Truck bodies, but I was unsuccessful in coming up with his particular bed by searching the web. Most outfitters are still using steel beds.



I ended up with an ebay Hillsboro series 2000 for $1450. It will do for my purposes, and more over, my pocketbook. It was cheaper than what the new steel beds are going for. I've had several steel beds with good success, but this time I wanted an aluminum on the ol' keeper.

 

[LBARTLETT]

good luck with your flatbed and let us know how it arrives, if you have someone from Montana hauling it he'll probably take care of it like it was his own and you'll be fine!!!

 

[tolmsted]

Good to see your still around Ol'Trail Dog. I know the good feeling your experiencing to make a score on a replacement bed. It will look very nice on your truck. FWIW I scored on Craigs List last year on a slightly used Knaphide utility bed 8'L x 40"H SRW. I'll call it the old style w/ hook & chain tailgate model that I wanted/needed. I had it painted to match my Flame red oem color and I get lots of nice remarks about what a nice looking truck I have. A senior member of The Summit County Search and Rescue Group is talking with me to join the group as my rig looks about the same as their rig.



Cheers:



Tom

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

The TDR advice and the camaraderie that's well worth the $35 that keeps me coming back. I do a lot of folks and technology have moved on and I'm loitering in the dust, but oh well. I enjoy my truck, it's paid for, and I can afford to tinker with it.



I toyed with leaving the dually box on for the stock look, but I just couldn't get along without the handiness of another flatbed. So I'll plant the box in our backyard in Bozeman... just in case. Speaking of craigslist, there was a really nice custom aluminum flatbed in Boston for $1500 that I was communicating with the owner on, but I just couldn't figure out how to get it here without paying an arm and a leg. Too bad I didn't know about uship.com then. The fellow from Bozeman who is hotshotting my trailer is actually on his way to CT hauling classic autos.



I'm moving to John Day, Oregon at the end of the month and sold my firewood to a fellow who showed up in a 97 12v. When he comes back for the rest of the wood I'm going to pass along an older TDR issue, well maybe a newer one that doesn't have a wealth of 12v info.