Alum. flatbed input.

[scooterh]

New Guy here.
A little background. I owned a 1996 Dodge extended cab 4x4 with 5.9 cummins. Hauled an older Coachman 11.5 slide in. ( which had the best floor plan i've seen) pulled a CJ 7 on car hauler from Ohio to all parts west. 1997 drove to Alaska with just the camper. Sold pickup and camper 10 years ago.
41 years of being an over the road Trucker ( Owner Operator), I never lost the yearning to travel. 2 or 3 times a year my wife and I head west either on a Harley, in a jeep. or taking an ATV to roam the mts..
Dreaming of the best camper combo for me always takes me back to a flatbed with storage under camper wings.
Now that I'm on the backside of 60, I've decided to bite the bullet and buy a Ram C/C with an alum. flatbed custom built with either removable boxes under camper wings or hinged side rails that can be lowered to accommodate storage containers. The purchase of Ram will probably be as soon as Monday ,08/27/08.
Campers that I have the most interest in are in order, the Bigfoot 10.4 ( love the panoramic view) and the Arctic Fox 1150.
Also like Northen Lite, but they dropped the rear dinette.
Is there anyone who has a configuration similar to what I have described that could offer any suggestions or what to not to do as to the length of the flatbed? Width will be 92 inches including rub rails. Bed may or may not have built in wheel wells to keep bed distance from bed floor to top of cab the same as a regular pick up.

Thanks in advance.

[scooterh]

Thanks for all replies.
I have an email to Bigfoot for answers concerning center of gravity, wet weight with all options except gen. and using a 10 ft. flatbed.

As a side note, I watched a video on Fast Lane Truck about a flatbed swap on a F350 single tire. Hope the link works.


https://youtu.be/RzguTWQthQU

[ticki2]

You should also check out the TCU , look for flatbed near the end .

[ticki2]

I have 16 year old EBY aluminum flatbed that has held up well considering it has doubled as a plow truck for that many winters . Looking at their web site it seems they will do some custom work . I closed in the sides with pt plywood swing down doors , not weatherproof but lockable .I use waterproof plastic container for items that need it. Very versatile as the space can be rearranged as needed. I use Anchor Guard front (short) spring loaded tie downs at four corners to 1/2" D rings bolted through the bed . I reinforced under to spread the load over 3 cross members . I remove the manual jacks and store between headboard and camper , I only load and unload once a season . This is only one way of dealing with a flatbed .

[Marcela]

scooterh wrote:

Marcela wrote:
I checked with Alumline on aluminum flatbed for 10.4 a couple weeks ago, 10-12 weeks, $12-13k, and 100 lbs. per running foot.

Was that quote for a flatbed or a alum. utility bed?

A quote I got last year from Ravens trailer in Dover Oh. for just a deck, receiver hitch and wired lights in rear was less than $4000. Boxes would be extra. Deck would be less than 2 inches higher than frame rails with no cross members. Deck material is what they used on their flatbed trailers. I've put a 50000# single coil on 2 -4x4s in coil racks 4 ft apart, and never stretched the floor. Of coarse the design is different than I beams in conjunction with cross members, but I doubt I'd have more than 2 or 3 hundred #s on either side. Hard to say what the price would be with the increase in alum. costs.
If everything falls into place and I choose Ravens to build deck, I'll take pictures of material and fabrication to post online.
Keep in mind most of the weight with a truck camper is concentrated over the truck frame rails.

I can't post a pic of it but search my few posts and there is a pic of one another guy has, I asked him about it. Pretty fancy at that price.

I'm thinking a 9' steel flatbed and bolt aluminum boxes to the bottom and leaving the top open. If you get a 9' flatbed with the corners cut you can almost mount a 10.4 all the way to the front I believe as it is mostly flat across the bottom except for the outside portion is kind of in conflict.

[KD4UPL]

I had a 8' 8" flat bed on my '05 Chevy dually. I carried an 11' camper. I always wished my rear axle was back further, I think it would have made the ride better. I always thought if I did it again I'd get a cab and chassis truck with an 84" cab to axle and install an 11' flatbed. This would require finding a camper that is flat across the bottom instead of dropping down past the 8' mark. I know there are several available, I'm not sure about the ones you're looking at.
My bed was 8' wide. I always wished it were narrower. I would make the bed exactly as wide as the wheels, don't know what that dimension is on the trucks you're looking at.
I had actual boxes on the sides and under the bed. they were lockable. I kept stuff in there all the time even when not camping: tools, fluids, tow-strap, jumper cables, extension cords, chocks, etc. I find having tool boxes on a truck so much more handy than a "normal" pick-up bed.

[scooterh]

Marcela wrote:
I checked with Alumline on aluminum flatbed for 10.4 a couple weeks ago, 10-12 weeks, $12-13k, and 100 lbs. per running foot.

Was that quote for a flatbed or a alum. utility bed?

A quote I got last year from Ravens trailer in Dover Oh. for just a deck, receiver hitch and wired lights in rear was less than $4000. Boxes would be extra. Deck would be less than 2 inches higher than frame rails with no cross members. Deck material is what they used on their flatbed trailers. I've put a 50000# single coil on 2 -4x4s in coil racks 4 ft apart, and never stretched the floor. Of coarse the design is different than I beams in conjunction with cross members, but I doubt I'd have more than 2 or 3 hundred #s on either side. Hard to say what the price would be with the increase in alum. costs.
If everything falls into place and I choose Ravens to build deck, I'll take pictures of material and fabrication to post online.
Keep in mind most of the weight with a truck camper is concentrated over the truck frame rails.

[Marcela]

I checked with Alumline on aluminum flatbed for 10.4 a couple weeks ago, 10-12 weeks, $12-13k, and 100 lbs. per running foot.

[Kayteg1]

New F350 dually carries 6000lb camper just fine.
Not only aluminium bed makes the rear initially lighter, but I think they stiffer the suspension as my camper actually leans forward and for camping on the truck, I have to put planks under front wheels.
Tban for 2 of us and 3 dogs, single slide 12' camper has all we need and for summer, light clothing we don't use more than 1/2 of storage.
I had TC on flatbed before and basement camper made 13' tall.
I did not like it.

[71stpsde]

Sherptek is a lot of money. I got a quote for just the bed and it was 11k and then to add the options it was like 14k. You'll be best with a traditional flat bed.

[scooterh]

fpoole......Man you have run the gambit. "He who dies with the most toys wins." you are lapping me.

Optimistic Paranoid........That is a great link to Sherptek..Thanks.
I have talked with the people who built and repaired my aluminum semi-flatbed trailers "Ravens" and a former employee that now has his own business building custom flatbeds. Both are more than willing to work with me on design.
I have a call into Sherptek about cost and if they have worked with Bigfoot.
Will contact Bigfoot to see if they have any recommendations.

[Grit_dog]

Scooter , no advice on the setup. I just got a little pickup truck with a camper , lol.
But congrats in advance on the new setup. It’s pretty much exactly what I’d be wanting once we have more time to recreate than work. Flatbeds are jsut uber useful!

Couple comments though, I wouldn’t let YOUR insurance co be the determining factor in what truck you buy unless ALL ins co are just as expensive in all states. You’ll be full timing so tailor your situation to your advantage.
On the storage/side boxes. Good cases for either hard mounted toolboxes or portable stuff. If you don’t need be extrabed width that the tool boxes take up then I would 100% do tool boxes for weather, dirt and theft deterrence. Yes you can secure coolers and storage bins from theft pretty effectively with side boards and the camper as a lid. But once you remove the camper you have virtually no way to secure those items and going FT I would presume a good amount of base camp camping where the truck is being used bobtail.

[Optimistic_Para]

Sherptek is one flatbed manufacturer who brags that they work closely with certain TC manufacturers to engineer flatbeds that fit correctly. Currently, they mention Host, Lance, Four Wheel and Alaskan.

https://sherptek.com/camperintegration

I will suggest that once you make your final decision on a camper, that you contact that manufacturer directly to see if they have any recommendations as to a flatbed maker that they know works with their campers.

[fpoole]

Yah, it's always sumpt'n.... insurance etc...

Did some time in AZ, Quartzsite... nice in the winter and I'm sure you'll find Pickleball down there somewhere...

Good luck on it all, not easy trying to config the thing as you know.. LOL...

See ya on the road...

[scooterh]

My insurance co. considers 4500 and 4500 series commercial. that makes it cost prohibitive. 4500 Ram has only about 500# payload increase, and a higher curb wt. If I get a Bigfoot 10.4 I may carry extra water since their gray and black tanks are large. as far as STUFF. I really like Stuff. Mosquito tent, inflatable boat, extra gas for Honda generator. pretty much anything I don't want in cab of truck or in camper. Heck, I may even get another English Bull Terrier. He would get the back seat.
My next trip to Alaska will probably be in excess of 4 months. This next camper will be my second home. Maybe start spending time in Az.in the winter. I hear they play Pickleball out there. 🙂
Arctic Fox 1150 can be used with the slide wall cranked in with no problem. Still I would prefer the Bigfoot for floor plan and clam shell design.