Random Questions

Bedlam wrote:
Flatbeds give you extra storage but will make the camper sit about 6" higher since the deck height is basically where your wheel wells are on a pickup bed. I used off-the-self deck and enclosed boxes, but you can go custom if you want a cleaner look or something special.

This would be one of my biggest considerations going to a flatbed. The added versatility and utility of a flatbed is almost not even debatable. Aesthetics are a different opinion and priority to different people. So that is just a personal choice.
That said, your intended use of the truck overall and not just when you’re hauling the camper also plays a factor.
It’s also pretty common that most of the folks that are putting campers on med duty flatbeds are either A. Using the camper ALOT and the truck is primarily a camper hauler. Or B. Full time camper hauler.
Many will say sure you can use a class 5 truck as a daily driver. Take that with a grain of salt. And a couple Doans pills for your upcoming back and tooth aches, lol.
I’ve been using C&C trucks for as long as they’ve been making the F550 Ram 5500 type trucks. For WORK. They come with great creature comforts now, but you can’t turn a truck with those axle capacities and 19.5 wheels into something that rides even as nice as a typical 1 ton dually without basically going to an aftermarket air ride suspension. ($$$$)

My recommendation is flatbed is great if you can or are willing to deal with the extra overall height and if the truck will be dual purpose daily driver and hauler I wouldn’t go heavier than a 1 ton.

notsobigjoe wrote:
I don't have a 550 or a flat bed but I'd like to ask a stupid question. Are they higher to mount your camper on? Do you need to extend the legs of the jacks?

Ehhh... I generally throw a few Lynx Levelers under each leg to be safe. But my truck is a few inches taller than most flatbed 5500s, and the factory jack lengths still work most of the time, if on even enough ground.

I don't have a 550 or a flat bed but I'd like to ask a stupid question. Are they higher to mount your camper on? Do you need to extend the legs of the jacks?

Flatbeds give you extra storage but will make the camper sit about 6" higher since the deck height is basically where your wheel wells are on a pickup bed. I used off-the-self deck and enclosed boxes, but you can go custom if you want a cleaner look or something special.

I see campers on a flatbeds frequently. Ugly but does give extra storage. Check your weight however. Extra stuff as you indicated you want to carry is heavy.

We bought the Thule 2T pro bike rack which can carry 2 e-bikes up to 60 lbs each. With a 48" Torklift superhitch, we can extend our rear slide and just touch the handlebar of 1 conventional bike. We're just now looking at e-bikes-

Buy a C & C, 5500 was my choice.

I had 2019 Ram 3500 DRW pickup, did a bed delete and added a steel flatbed, and... well, now I have a 5500. Lets say I was a "little" overweight. Sure, I was probably on the extreme side and you could be more careful, but my rear axle crossed the scales at 13,260 once, and I decided that day to get a new truck.

You could save a lot of weight by going with an aluminum bed, but you will still end up adding a lot of weight with tools and stuff you carry. The math is very hard to make work on a one ton truck.

If you want to do this, save yourself a lot of headache and buy a 5500.

Edit: interesting, everyone who has replied so far has a 450/550 class truck.
Edit 2: photo

jimh406 wrote:
Yes, it can be done. If you do some searches, you can find a few examples of flatbeds with toys. I'm sure a few of those guys will respond to the thread in a bit.

As Jim said... some of us are always trying to get folks to come to the dark side. DO IT!!!

Flatbed build thread

Yes, it can be done. If you do some searches, you can find a few examples of flatbeds with toys. I'm sure a few of those guys will respond to the thread in a bit.