What about a 3500 flatbed???

[CumminsPuller]

Yesterday while i was out looking at 3500's, I saw several with the flat bed instead of the box(very nice rigs). They are definetly cheaper... Since this will be a personal vehicle aswell as a job vehicle, is there anything I can do (like a long tool box on each side) to make it more usable where i can actually throw something on the bed and not have to strap it down..... Any Idea's??????? With a flatbed would I still be able to put some kind of headache rack on it?



Do they make a quad cab/ 8ft. bed flat bed?





Jason

 

[Steve Campbell]

Shelby Griggs has a very "user friendly" (Lots of storage spaces) flatbed that he had Les Schwab tire company build for him. I like the flatbed because it reduces my insurance cost and the convenience on the ranch is great.

 

[mikel]

The flatbed trucks are usually built on a Cab and Chassis instead of a pickup that someone took the bed off of. The C&C is the strongest thing that dodge makes. Look at the front suspension. If the truck is a C&C then it will have a solid axle and leaf spring front suspension even on a 2wd.



The flatbed can be made very useful, and best of all it can be made into exactly what YOU want it to be.



Good luck,

Mike

 

[SOOT]

Flatbeds

If you look at my sig you will see i have a C&C flatbed and am very pleased with it. it does not take near as long to clean as the regular truck and LESS area for damage ( i. e. ignorant drivers). mine has 4 inch sides and seams to keep stuff on fairly well. most flatbeds come with a built on headache rack.

 

[David Muench]

I have a flatbed too. A 2001. 5 163" wheelbase chassis cab with a 11' Knapheide Westerner Gooseneck flatbed on it. Just got the bed put on so no pics of the truck with it yet. I love flatbeds though. . Much more useful than a pickup bed, and easier to park too (no guesses where the edge of the truck is when backing into a mall parking space). I've got lots of room to add a bunch of underbody tool boxes too. .



The chassis cabs are great too, very strong frames. The frame center section is 3" thicker than a normal 3500. Lots cheaper too. My reasonably well optioned SLT with ETH and 6 speed (4x4) ran about $29. 5k. . Only down side is you can't get a true chassis cab with the quad cab (dumb, Dodge). . Though I see plenty of quad cabs with the beds replaced with a 8 or 9' flatbed/service body.



If you want sides to it, you can get some tall stake sides or some short ones, most flatbed bodies have stake pockets. You could make your own out of wood or you can buy them.

 

[ISBPilot]

What I done to help hold things in place, was get a spary on bed liner. Had the whole top and side rails sprayed. Sack feed or anything with a little weight to it will ride fine at any speed and around curves as well. Anything bundlesome, rounded, or light weight I just use a small rachet strap to hold a little pressure. It won't usually slide at all.

 

[David Muench]

Planning on doing that myself too. Not sure if I want just the deck done or the side rails too. . Also not sure if it will work with the piano hinge of the gooseneck trap door. .

 

[QRTRHRS]

#ad


Flatbeds: Easy to clean, scratches don't mean nothing, no tailgate height to worry about hitting your fifth wheel or camper, sides or not, easy on your back for working, can be easily customized to suit your needs. This is what I have on my CC. This company will change the bulk head, etc. to suit your needs. They make aluminum side panels to suit also.

 

[therabbittree]

what prices did you you guys pay for your new 2001 to 2002 chassis cab 4x4s im looking for a st, 4x4 139"ho&6spd,410,fullsizespare,snowplowprep,anti spin,cruise,air,slider rear window, cloth seats. rubber floor... etc... i know the sticker price but what is teh dealer prices you've talked em down to etc???... ... im looking for some flatbed opinions. . i like aluminum as it looks sweet and is light. . but concerned about strength, easy of home welding ,and $ any prices? etc. . and i'd like a dumping flatbed and a goose neck hitch which im told is a no no. . but i don't want the goose neck hitch attached to the dump body itself but rather the truck frame under the dump bed . . so effectively the hitch is in same mounting spot as a non dumping truck's gooseneck would be... . does any one have similar setup?. . any input on hosit types ?. . i like the double stage pistons . . as opposed to a scissors lift. . as they leave more room for goose neck on the stock frame... . any ideas?... pto- electric over hydraulic or regular manual pto?... . I want to run dual stacks with my flatbed combo. . do any of you run stacks and have pics?. . thinking for selling my '89 1ton with plow and getting new truck... mummn let me know any ideas you guys have

thanks

deo

\x/ hillfolk

 

[David Muench]

I paid 1. 5% over invoice, which was like $400-500 or so. I don't think you could do a combo dump body/gooseneck because the hydraulic ram would need to be where the gooseneck would be. Dump bodies add several inches of spacer under the bed to fit the ram/dump frame too, personally I wanted the bed as low as possible.

 

[Steve Campbell]

QRTRHRS, is that one long tool box incorporated into the headache rack on the flatbed shown, or is it a small box on each side of the rack?

 

[QRTRHRS]

Steve,



That is the bulkhead angling around. Eby cuts the front corners at a 45 degree angle to reduce drag. I don't know if they would make square corners or not. They will make the height exactly to what you want.



deo, I would check into the dump with gooseneck setup. I would think it would be doable with twin rams or with the ram up front like on a larger dump body. Comes down to your pocket book. By the way, mine does not dump. I spoke to an EBY sales rep who pointed out that they use different main frame rails. Mine, being fixed has real shallow rails. It would need a subframe. Just some food for thought.