levigarrett76

Im thinking of flatbedding my truck..

I have done some searching with no luck

Anyone have some numbers for the weights of:

Stock bed,
Steel flatbed with sides, goose/reciever hitch, toolboxes
Equiv in aluminum

prices too??

We have a 2003 C&C 7.3 f-350 4x4 with a nice steel flatty on it, but i have no idea what it weighs


do the aluminum beds typically fade like toolboxes and wheels do?

scootertrash35

been looking myself,been told a 8ft steel w/sides rear steps an 2 small boxes w/gn is 1000lb (that was a CM) aluminum wheels are 1/2 of steel so with bed i would think 5-600 for loaded aluminum ?

levigarrett76

so im guessing the aluminum beds weigh around what the pickup beds do?

Jeepdude_Jay

The aluminum beds are also about 3x the $$$$$$$ of a steel one.

stlhauler

I bought a hillsboro 96"w. x 9'long aluminum flatbed for my truck. it has the gooseneck hitch included. total cost of $2850.00 ( I installed it myself ) I love the look and the compliments it gets, if you are planning to haul alot of weight on the bed, go with a steel bed. For me the flatbed is way more practical than factory box. I use it to pick up parts for the big-rig. it's alot safer chaining a piece of equipment on a flat than inside stock bed imo. good luck with whatever you decide.

levigarrett76

i work in construction and on a farm...im looking at a flatbed for the nice low deck and easy bed acess. plus the option of the side toolboxes will make it much easier to get at my tools rather than climbing into the bed to get into my weathergaurd crossover box.

My main concern is the hitch construction as i tow alot. Would the reciever and gooseneck hitches be made from steel on an aluminum bed??????

how much did you have to give for that hillsboro bed? do you have anymore pictures? is your truck a pickup or cab and chassis...if it was a pickup was there any difficulty installing the bed due to the non flat frame rails???

Ron R

My old truck has the same bed on it. Dam good deal, good paint, good hitch, bla bla bla. Works great. Aluminum dose fade unless you polish it. And it dents easy, Get the steel if its for work and not show.

Jeff in TD

I've been kicking around a flatbed, too, but it would need to work with a 5th wheel hitch.

Someone suggested Strongback. It appears they attach a 1/2" steel plate to the truck to mount the ball (or 5th wheel hitch) to, and the aluminum deck goes over that, with a trap door.

http://www.800toolbox.com/flatbeds/flatbeds.htm

nitis

bradford built makes a nice bedd couple of guys have them around town a little spendy but nice

LKC

I have a Ravens flatbed: http://www.ravenssales.com/trailers/...d=28&Itemid=40. They custom build every bed to the buyer's specifications. The floor is extruded aluminum instead of the aluminum sheeting most manufacturers use for pickup flatbeds so my floor is dent free. I don't know it's weight, but I do know it's heavier than a Hillsboro bed.

C Schomer

I've built 3 of them now. Metal prices went way up! This one is 96"W x 93"L and has low, fixed sides and a very ample steel framework (crossmembers every 10") with 1/8" alum diamond plate covering. The deck is 6061 T6 and the 4 sides are 3003 polished. The steel is beefed up in the hitch area for GN or 5th wh. and the bumper/receiver hitch is 4"x4"x3/8" square pipe. It weighs 850 lbs and cost close to $2000 in material (light and all) so $2850 for all aluminum sounds like a very fair price. Alum is ~1/3 the weight of the same size steel. I've also built one with a steel frame and 1/8" steel deck and alum only on the 4 sides. I used fewer crossmembers because of the stronger deck plate but it still weighed 850 and cost about $850 in materials in 97. I built the first one in about 1983 - all steel for about $325. Craig

MCummings

Here's my Flatbed.






It's a one from the bottom CM bed.. I really like it, and is exactly what I was looking for.

I paid about $2,200 installed for it. Not too bad if you ask me. I've got LEDs' to put in it all around.

Only thing that is taking me awhile to get used to is having to tie anything down you put in the back. No more just chunking it in the bed and driving off. Tie Downs are something that I need to have on hand at all times.

Merrick

levigarrett76

i have called around and got a bunch of prices....

looks like im going to go with a CM SK model with the 4 saddle style toolboxes.

It weighs 1300 lbs, this is a VERY nice bed.

about 1000 more than a regular flatbed with the same features

best price i have found is $3087.00 for the bed, and $350 for install, tax is $197....total comes to $3630.70.

I think im going to yank my bed and hitches and bumper off tonight and take it to have the bed dropped on.

Anyone else in here run the CM bed?
http://www.cmtruckbeds.com/Categorie...f-e48c8684e286

MCummings

I run the SS on my '98.5 and a friend just put a new SK on his '07.5. I'll see if I can get some pics.

Merrick

levigarrett76

awesome, how did you like the ss? i considered it but i really like the sk, itd be awesome to see pics of one on a dodge, i prolly wont do mine till next week