flat bed or conventional pu

[Road_Phantom]

I have seen RV'ers towing 5th wheels with flat bed pick up trucks and wondered what are the advantages besides ease of leveling.

[R12RT]

Jram wrote:
"I build 5er friendly hauler beds for my trucks and I'll never go back to a box. Craig"
Can you post a picture or two. (to show my DW)

Here are a couple sites to see what they look like.

Classy Chassis Trucks

Utility Bodywerks

[Jram]

"I build 5er friendly hauler beds for my trucks and I'll never go back to a box. Craig"
Can you post a picture or two. (to show my DW)

[TimnJo]

In Ontario, Canada:
"Operators that don't need a CVOR certificate:
pickup trucks that:
have a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of 6,000 kg (13,227 lb)
are being used for personal purposes without compensation
are fitted with either the original, unmodified box installed by the manufacturer, or an unmodified replacement box that duplicates the one installed by the manufacturer
are not carrying or towing a trailer carrying commercial cargo or tools, or equipment of any type normally used for commercial purposes"

[C_Schomer]

I build 5er friendly hauler beds for my trucks and I'll never go back to a box. Craig

[discovery4us]

I have had many flatbeds and insurance has always been cheaper and I have never stopped at a scale. CA DMV fees are higher but that is based on the weight of the truck not just because it is a flatbed. Also no mention of commercial on my registration.

As for towing a fifth wheel not really an advantage but certainly not a disadvantage.

It always amazed me that with a regular bed I leave the tailgate down and everything blows out the back. Flatbed and everything is blown into a pile dead center up against the headboard.

[WTP-GC]

packnrat wrote:
insurance is higher for a non pu bed truck.
in all 50 states and district of coumbia. a flat bed truck is a full commurcial truck and falls under fed dot laws as well as state dot and reg street laws.
some states require you to stop at scale houses. so check your axle weights. permits. etc. log book rules??

Nope, nope, nope.
I have both, flatbed truck insurance is actually cheaper than my traditional bed truck (in my case). Oh, and my flatbed truck is not classified as a "commercial" truck and has never had any DOT issues. I don't have a log book or special permit. I'm not saying that some states don't require these things, but to say ALL 50 STATES is just plain ridiculous.

[Wild_Card]

packnrat wrote:
insurance is higher for a non pu bed truck.
in all 50 states and district of coumbia. a flat bed truck is a full commurcial truck and falls under fed dot laws as well as state dot and reg street laws.
some states require you to stop at scale houses. so check your axle weights. permits. etc. log book rules??

got a link for this line of spewed pure BS?

[packnrat]

insurance is higher for a non pu bed truck.
in all 50 states and district of coumbia. a flat bed truck is a full commurcial truck and falls under fed dot laws as well as state dot and reg street laws.
some states require you to stop at scale houses. so check your axle weights. permits. etc. log book rules??

[WTP-GC]

I have towed 5’ers with both and can assure you that a flatbed doesn’t have any significant advantages UNLESS you have tall side fences. I personally prefer the traditional bed.

[FF286]

I plan on putting a flatbed on my next truck. The one thing I have found around here is while they have B&W hitches most have a fixed ball. I will probably have to order one to get the turnover ball so I can use the companion.

[johntank]

ScottG wrote:
Before you decide, check with your ins. agent. In some states they treat these as commercial vehicles and ins. can be high.

I have to agree also, years ago when I got my first 1 ton DRW my agent told me if it did not say pick up on the window sticker/mso it would be rated at the higher commercial rate.

[jkwilson]

Best of all worlds unless you need a standard truck bed for non-RV uses:

http://www.rv-dreams.com/rv-hauler-bed.html

[RollandB]

ScottG wrote:
Before you decide, check with your ins. agent. In some states they treat these as commercial vehicles and ins. can be high.

Very sound advise!

Most insurance company’s use the VIN to decode what the truck was when it came from the factory. For example, an F450 that came as a pickup bed usually isn’t a problem. If it came as a Cab and Chassis its a different world. I tried to get an underwriter two years ago educated on a Western Hauler but could never get their blinders off. The big concern was how to value it for physical damage coverages which does make some sense. Cab and Chassis trucks could limit the insurance choices to a few.

That being said, I would very much consider a Western Hauler type set up, but probably wouldn’t get DW to buy into a flat bed

[ol_Bombero-JC]

ScottG wrote:
Before you decide, check with your ins. agent. In some states they treat these as commercial vehicles and ins. can be high.

In CA - where "no pickups" sign/s are common at scales (which are run by the CHP) - The "NO pickups" does *NOT* apply to a (any) pickup with a flat bed (or utility bed). Period.

You may be ignored - maybe not "chased down"....but it *IS* the law.
(See CA DOT - who must stop at scales)

Spend some time on the various pickup forums - and you will see posts by "surprised" CA owners - who suddenly have a desire to convert their pickups *back* to a factory bed.

~