Hey F550 5500 flatbed camper or custom bed owners:

[Avid_Fox]

I'm considering my next truck to replace my 2016 F350 6.7 dually. It currently hauls around a 2016 Arctic Fox 1150DB.

I thinking another new 1150 or maybe the Host Cascade.

Do any of the folks here that built up a flat bed or custom bed rig have any advice or heads up on what they did that was awesome or what they wished they had done differently when putting it all together?

I'm thinking a new F550 4x4 6.7 ext chassis cab 84" CA, with custom Douglas bed. As this would allow for shifting the CG to just over or even a few inches in front of the rear axle, if it turns out to ride better there.

Thoughts from owners?

[JRscooby]

covered wagon wrote:
I wish my fuel fill neck wasn't mounted in the side rail. You have to fill ever so slowly or it spews out all over your shoes. My pocket utility knife has a taper I slide in the squeeze handle to run so slow that everyone thinks its a hundred gallon tank. It's a pain. Better to have the fill neck angled more upward thru a side saddle tool box or some other way.

A company truck I drove once and a while had that issue. I would pull up on a block at fuel pump.
About the shoes. After decades of pumping diesel I learned to keep a squeeze bottle of baby powder in with my fueling gloves. Splash on clothes? Cover with powder, then brush off. Keeps you from spreading in the cab, and smells better.

[Avid_Fox]

Reality Check wrote:
Things I wish I'd done different? Hmmm... wish I'd jumped on it right away. Truck sat in the shop for a year plus 'cause we didn't have time.

Fastguns for tie downs. Last three flatbeds, same system. No reason to change, lot's of reasons to not change.

Flatbed build thread

That's a great build. You have skills and tools that I do not.

[Avid_Fox]

mike/kellie wrote:
You can use a horizontal pin connection or fastguns. The pins would require very accurate alignment. I stuck with fastguns but made custom tie-down brackets, powder coated them and utilized the existing bolt patterns.
Look through their gallery and identify how many use Fastguns. Let me know and I can send you pics

Pin connections would concern me about ripping the anchors out of the camper side. Are they rubber cushioned on the truck side? Or just a bolt through lockup?

[Avid_Fox]

Bedlam wrote:
Stable Camper has stake pockets offset mounts if you need your turnbuckles farther outboard. They also do a custom top box for CM Beds. I went with a standard flatbed and off the shelf enclosed boxes in stock sizes for my setup.

Yes, I've seen them. Tempting for price, but taller profile than a custom bed and not as much storage. Still considering them though.

[Avid_Fox]

covered wagon wrote:
I wish my fuel fill neck wasn't mounted in the side rail. You have to fill ever so slowly or it spews out all over your shoes. My pocket utility knife has a taper I slide in the squeeze handle to run so slow that everyone thinks its a hundred gallon tank. It's a pain. Better to have the fill neck angled more upward thru a side saddle tool box or some other way.

Great feedback on that little annoying item. Thanks.

[covered_wagon]

I wish my fuel fill neck wasn't mounted in the side rail. You have to fill ever so slowly or it spews out all over your shoes. My pocket utility knife has a taper I slide in the squeeze handle to run so slow that everyone thinks its a hundred gallon tank. It's a pain. Better to have the fill neck angled more upward thru a side saddle tool box or some other way.

[Bedlam]

Stable Camper has stake pockets offset mounts if you need your turnbuckles farther outboard. They also do a custom top box for CM Beds. I went with a standard flatbed and off the shelf enclosed boxes in stock sizes for my setup.

[Reality_Check]

Things I wish I'd done different? Hmmm... wish I'd jumped on it right away. Truck sat in the shop for a year plus 'cause we didn't have time.

Fastguns for tie downs. Last three flatbeds, same system. No reason to change, lot's of reasons to not change.

Flatbed build thread

[mike_kellie]

You can use a horizontal pin connection or fastguns. The pins would require very accurate alignment. I stuck with fastguns but made custom tie-down brackets, powder coated them and utilized the existing bolt patterns.
Look through their gallery and identify how many use Fastguns. Let me know and I can send you pics

[Avid_Fox]

I'm pretty sensitive to rearward CG on my rig now, and it bugs me to have it feel like the truck is being pulled on from the back, like a heavy backpack while hiking. I'd like to shift it further forward if I can do so without overloading the front axle. Hence the 550 truck path...

[Avid_Fox]

What options on the tie downs? Location or type?

[mike_kellie]

This was finished in Oct of 2017. I would explore the tie-down options. I had them make the frame mounts with removable extension and it works fine with our new Mammoth. You can PM me with any questions-


My Douglass utility body

[fpoole]

Well, I have a, I guess? custom bed but pretty standard from the Mfg, as I have a SxS and needed a 10' be to carry it when needed.
I had to have the tie downs for the bed reinforced to the frame so as to attach the tie downs to the rings on the bed instead of the the frame per se.. still attached to frame, but I just hook up to rings in the bed.

Suggest back up lights on the back of bed and head board just in case.
Might have them put on some side covers to secure gear on the sides.
There are probably a few more things but probably wouldn't apply like I have winch to pull up the buggy when needed...

and battery storage if going for more batts for Solar... I have mine on the side.


and yes, CG is a little off ~5" or less, but 550 frame handles it and no known issues...




Hope that helps a little..