What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

flatbed pics?

jekbrown

jekbrown

I am CK5
 Premium
GMOTM Winner
Author
Joined
May 19, 2001
Posts
46,254
Reaction score
2,869
Location
TEXAS
I'm buying a 70s 3/4 ton chevy tow rig that I wanna put a nice flatbed on. Not a wheelin' flatbed... more of a hauling-junk-around "working" flatbed. Anyone have pics of a nice one? I was thinking of making the sides out of C-channel, using lots of gusseting, stake pockets, and a wood deck. Not sure on the length.. but its a regular cab long bed truck, so probably pretty dang long. Want to be able to haul a LOT of stuff on/in it. Not sure what I'll do for sides... anyway, lets see some flatbed tech. :)

j
 
Good idea for discussion, I'm building one soon for my Dodge. I like the pics Steve posted up and have some ideas to add, on what I'm thinking of.

The first gen pic looks good, but a shorter underbed truck box (more ground clearance). Use the rear trailer bumper design as shown on the Ford, but no headache rack (Looking through expanded metal all the time would bug...) And it would be nice to see the rear of the truck when backing up.

Put a side flip truck box right behind the cab where you can get into the box without being on a ladder, or the bed. Rub rail and stake pockets all around. Deck plate for the bed, so you can put heavy metal stuff on there, like T-cases, diffs, etc. Pop-up/ turnover ball for a goose, so you can still haul 4x8 sheets of stuff.

If it's not a dually, keep the bed the width of the rear tires, better side rear view.

good post J!
 
I'd go with a front bulkhead regardless. If you don't want/need the full headache rack then do like the black dually. One thing I've seen done on some is to extend the outer posts of the buklhead down below the outer rails. Then gusset back to the underside of the outer rails. That way the gusset isn't in the way of loading/unloading stuff from right against the bulkhead.
 
its a 77 or 78... can't remember which one, lol! Definitely not pre-73 though. ;) Anyway, I'm diggin the pics, keep them comin! I really want to make the bed as wide as I can... I may swap in a dually rear end if I can score a parts rig with one or something. I like the "mini-headache rack" on the first pic... its out of the line of sight, but if something heavy like a t-case or an axle slid forward, it wouldn't punch a hole through the sheetmetal. Definitely a good feature. ;)

One thing I can't tell by the pics that have been posted... how do these flatbeds attach to the frame? Are they hard mounted? Are the body mounts retained/used?

I think I'll stick with the idea of a wood deck on the thing... its a lot quieter to drop parts on... and it'll match the trailer for my K5. ;)

Last thing... anyone have any kind of hoist gizmo on their flatbed? Since flatbeds tend to sit kind of high, I want a cherry-picker like hoist I can quickly set up to lift heeeavy stuff up and onto the flatbed. Having tried to move a D60 and ff14b without one (out of a lower truck!) I can definitely see the need for something like this... any ideas?

j
 
Those that I've paid any attention to use large square type U-bolts to hold the bed frame to the truck frame. Usually there is a piece of hardwood btwn the two frames for flex & vibration absorbsion.
 
Here is the flatbed I built for my truck

IMG_0108Small.jpg
 
nice pics, keep 'em comin! I'm diggin your flatbed project TJ... I hadn't thought about a dump bed before, but that might be really handy. I like the idea of a bed-mounted winch. It'd be even cooler if the winch was integrated into a hoist system. Hmmm... I think I should draw something up on autocad...

j
 
this might give you an idea for sides. just some boards that slip down into tubing and are bolted there, sorry I dont have a better pic, this is a truck from work.
1458900-25-Chevy3500%28Mallard%29.jpg
 
jekbrown said:
nice pics, keep 'em comin! I'm diggin your flatbed project TJ... I hadn't thought about a dump bed before, but that might be really handy. I like the idea of a bed-mounted winch. It'd be even cooler if the winch was integrated into a hoist system. Hmmm... I think I should draw something up on autocad...

j
Click to expand...


I am not done yet... :D I thought of making a removeable arm with pulleys so I can "lift" stuff up on the bed with the winch and pulley system.

T.J.
www.tjsperformance.com
 
Very nice. One feature I'm definitely going to have on my flatbed is a hoist. Guy on pirate uses this one, says it works great for anything up to 600-700 pounds. More than enough for even a D60 or ff14b... :thumb:

linky

j
 
crane

I have a "crane" on a flatbed made of 4" channel iron 11" on center,with plywood decking--it used to be on my 74 K20,until it's frame and body got too rusty to be trusted hauling weight anymore..plus it lost reverse!..So I had to cut it up and scrap it after 15 years. :(
It now sits on a 2wd 3/4 ton 62 GMC frame that was cut and made into a trailer,it has an Eaton FF axle under it...the coils springs on it are not the hot setup at all,but it works OK..I liked it better bolted to the truck though..it has a small 1500lb winch,but using a snatch block I've lifted well over a ton with it..

A word of warning when lifting heavy items with the crane..I had to make an adjustable "foot" that slid over a peice of square tubing bolted to the bed to keep the truck from sagging when lifting on the crane side of the bed..sort of like a jackstand,only one end is bolted to the bed..you MUST remember to lower and use it while lifting,(and to raise it and pin it before driving away :doah: )--or your frame rails and spring on that side will take a beating..I often cheated,thinking 500lbs was nothing for my 10 leaf rear springs..WRONG!..

I had the drivers side front tire off the ground a few times with the heavier stuff I picked up--like the rear of a junk Dodge Ramcharger my friend wanted to cut the rear axle out of!.. :eek1:

My truck looked like a pretzel after the bed was removed,-one rail was 2" lower than the other one!..my frame was heavily rusted though,but I still feel the "foot" is needed..it also keeps the crane level,so when you go to swing a load into the truck,it won't come back and overpower you and sqish you up against the side of the truck!..I nearly got killed a few times using the crane..its very useful as a labor and back saver--but it can kill you pretty easy too,if your not careful,or the winch cable snaps!..(and be very careful going thru drive thru's,like Mcdonalds,or banks! :doah: )..

I liked the crane,but I'm thinking of making another one a bit dfferent for my stepside 82 K20-..one that goes in a class 3 trailer reciever hitch,that can be removed easier,and not waste space being bolted permanently in the bed,since its too narrow already....I suppose I could make a support off the frame rails and mount the crane behind the rear stepside fender,outside of the bed..or--

I have an engine hoist that I use to move stuff around outside--I wanted to make a swivel base for just the "boom" part only, that plugs into the receiver,with 2 outriggers that go to eye bolts in the bumper,so it cant keel over sideways..that way I can take it off and hide it when not in use..not sure if pumping the handle 2000 times to lift something is an upgrade though..might have to adapt the winch to it too..

Maybe I should just swap the flatbed on the stepside,and be done with it.. :thinking: :surepal: :dunno: :what: :screwy: :1zhelp: --but its kinda rusty and has seen better days,and the plywood is getting punky.. :( :crazy:
 
diesel4me said:
A word of warning when lifting heavy items with the crane..I had to make an adjustable "foot" that slid over a peice of square tubing bolted to the bed to keep the truck from sagging when lifting on the crane side of the bed..
Click to expand...

My current plan was to have two footings for the hoist... one over each frame rail. This would make the support system simple to design/build and give me some flexibility with respect to loading stuff onto the flatbed. Since it will have removable sides, hoisting stuff in will be pretty easy... just lift it high enough to clear the flatbed... and rotate the hoist swinging the part over the side of the bed and drop her down. I imagine a similar hoist in a normal truck bed would be sort of a PITA, because with the bed sides in the way, you are confined to loading stuff in via the back of the bed... which pretty much forces you to locate the hoist on either extreme end of the bed resulting in more leverage on the whole body/frame system and "tweaking".

j
 
Harbor Freight!

That crane in the link from Harbor Freight actually looks pretty decent for the price!..It's almost worth buying that one,rather than mess with the one I already have in a way..mine is a heavy SOB,made of 5/16 rectangular tubing,it used to lift a railroad crossing gate ,so its pretty beefy..I've never been able to wound it yet!..the boom doesn't extend though,its one peice..

Yes,the "outriggers" are very important,but I found you only really need the one on the crane side of the bed the most.

I made mine out of 2 peices of square tubing like they used on street signs,that slid inside each other,and had lots of holes already punched in them,so I could pin them at any length needed...it slid over a peice of square reese hitch tubing bolted to the bed's heavy angle iron cross brace ,and mounted it to the truck frame..even something simple like a trailer jack would be ideal..

My flatbed only had 2x6 boards for sideboards,so I didn't have to raise the boom too high to load things over the side..you still can go high enough to clear a fleetside or stepside bed's sides with it,but you'll have to have little or no slack in the chain on the engine or whatever else youre hoisting,and extend the boom up as far as it'll go..not an ideal situation..

I loaded 90% of the stuff in my bed from the rear tailgate area..the crane was mounted about 1 foot from the end of the bed on the passenger side,so I would not be out in traffic while using the crane..it did put a lot of stress on that one corner,but the bed itself was so beefy,it took most of the load,not the frame..had I used the "foot" all the time,my frame wouldn't have gotten tweaked..truck still drove straight and true,you'd never know it was bent by driving it..

I wish the crane was on one of my other trucks,I miss it.The trailer its on
isn't registered,and I dont trust the brakes in that eaton rear end,its been sitting 20+ years in my backyard,and all I'd need is for the pins holding the shoes on to snap off from being rusted to death--I can see me pulling the FF hubs off on the side of the road now... :doah: :mad: ..
 
wow, I like that a lot! :thumb: Could you take a pic showing the design of the rear part of the flatbed where all the hitch stuff is located? Interested in how its all tied into the frame etc.

j
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom