Flatbed Design Focus - Utility or Off Road

[Resurrection_Joe]

Hello, I was trying to design my flatbed on my DD rig. I cant decide if I should keep it all flat and open for cargo, or just rip it all to shreds making a off road biased flatbed with big old wheelwells and small cargo areas for tools and such. I will have a roof rack, but it will be pretty high, but who cares I'll grow another foot or buy a ladder. The flat cargho bed would eb nice if I'm ever hauling playwood though.

So heres a pros and cons list

Off Roady - Good tire fitment up to 42", good flex room, focused on off roading, K5 like soft top and rear seat, looks pretty cool, cant haul anything

No Off Roady - Allows for cargo, only allows for 36" tires with minimal flex room

Well what do you think? I've bobbed the frame already, so hey why bother and buy a trailer. I'm leaning towards off roady type bed so I can get 42's eventually after D60.

Oh bother.....

Hmmmmmmmm

 

[SCOOBYDANNN]

I think we are the few and far between of the flatbed bunch---I really dug the idea you had on your website (im thinking that is the "no offroady" design. That design had a lot of cargo room---what kind of cargo would you be taking w/ you---even though it is your DD most of the stuff would be spare parts. even though my flatbed is pretty bare right now the last outing i had almost all the spare parts in the little box at the rear of my truck---(hubs, tools, fluids, jumper cables, rags, etc. and the spare parts i dont have are drive shafts and axle shafts but thos are long and you can just tie them into the frame. the way im thinking of going is kinda a psuedo bed (tubes running the outside of the bed about 3" above the bed itself) and mabye a storage campartment dropped into the bed where it hangs below the bed (have to figure yhis one out). the rest of the bed is gonna be flat.

 

[HarryH3]

I saw a flatbed rig last year that was sorta the best of both worlds. The bed was low and flat, for easy hauling of plywood and such. But over each rear tire there was a section of diamond plate that was hinged to the center section of the bed floor. When the rig gets really flexed out, the tire would just push up on the diamond plate and move it out of the way. /forums/images/icons/cool.gif You just can't pile stuff on top of the plates when you're wheeling...

 

[jc71355]

I would build it with removable fenders. Make some that are flat and some that are large enough to fit your 44's at full stuff. When you need the cargo area just put the flat one's on. Just make the bed high enough that the tire has enough clearance for street driving. This could also provide some under bed storage for tools and stuff. All this is probably easier said than done but it's an idea.

 

[Grim-Reaper]

You only need 4 feetr of width to haul Plywood. Leave the center open. As long as it's smooth then even if the tire scrubs the inner fender it's not going to hurt anything . Couple 2 inch spaces on my truck did wonders for my scrub issues. Set the floor in the center low and build the wheel weall as large as the need to be. put storage places in front of and behind the wheel wells like a service body. Heck if you want to get real slick make a slide in section for offroading that would hold spares and other gear. If you need to haul cargo slide it out. I have see the pictures of your stuff I'm sure you could work something like that out.