Any Tips Or Tricks On Installing A Flatbed On A Truck

[Norman89]

I'm only giving my advice here, not telling anyone don't weld your frame, not questioning anyone's welding skills, not questioning anyones metallurgy knowledge, this is my experience in the heavy diesel industry and how things are done to my knowledge

[Boss .300 winmag]

Kinda hard to change the back widow if the beds welded on isn’t it?🤔

[dyhardhuntr]

Norman is right. ALL heavy truck manufacturers and in the owners manual of others they state Do Not Weld to frame or drill flanges. Welding frames is something that a backyard mechanic does or someone trying to do it the easy way(In my experience). However that being said there are 2 ways we do it at my work. We either use the factory bed hold down mounts or we use 2x2 wood and ubolts. Just shim your flatbed up so it has the clearance you need and go from there. A little more work but not difficult. Add in a junction box for lights. Set it up so if you have to take the bed off it’s nice and easy. Also like previously stated make sure your fuel fill is at an angle and not flat. Good luck and post some pics as you go!

[Boss .300 winmag]

Got it on this week. Ended up only using 4” wide x 1” thick rubber on the contact points with the frame, it gave me my clearance I needed to be above the right shock.

Fortunately my job this summer used heavy duty rubber in its design and plenty of it left over for me to have some for the install.

The four front pillars I used bolts with a piece of flat metal stock,” across the top of the flat bed rail, the rear I used two 3.1 square u bolts on each side. That gave me the same amount of mounts as the factory uses.

I’m going to have to watch myself driving it due to the weight distribution is quite different.

[Boss .300 winmag]

I love the look of the rear.

[Boss .300 winmag]

The day the bed came off.

And the day I sprayed it with Raptor liner.

[TVHunts]

That looks great! 

[dyhardhuntr]

Nice job! Looks awesome!

[LDennis24]

Very nice!

[Boss .300 winmag]

Thanks for the kind words guys. It was a lot more work than I had anticipated, but we’ll worth it now. Painting vehicles is so expensive it’s not worth it for the ranch/hunting truck. I’m still have to replace the headlight assemblies, grill, and front bumper.

And get the OEM steel wheels powder coated, new tires will be in next Friday.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Added side racks today from old 2x6 boards I had in the barn to hold hay and firewood up.

The end board is temporary till I get some hardware from the interwebs.

Might cut a 45 on the middle board as well.

Put on some new Duratracks Friday.👍

[Boss .300 winmag]

Schreiber's Meadows today with about six inches of the white stuff.

[Special T]

Work truck have flat beds! Welcome to the club!