Remove box for flat bed...Why not?

[tmartin000]

I was thinking, I realize that I wouldn't improve carrying capacity, but why not remove my truck bed....and add an aluminum flat bed and have a better more useable surface for camper and boxes for storage?

Any thoughts?

[Fastbrit]

Just made the switch for an aluminum f\b.
Much stronger than the original bed and offer a stable platform for the t\c.
when looking at the original bed in the mirror it was rocking from front to back a lot.
Now it is solid as a rock.
Way easier to put the camper on only from the side mirrors.
My original bed collapse 1\4 to 1\2 inch at the tailgate.
The t\c sits only 2 inches higher than before.

The original beds of any brand of truck are not conceived to carry a double or triple slide t\c JMHO

[SoCalDesertRid1]

Those aluminum beds are indeed very nice looking.

Yes, galvanized steel is quite durable.

[tmartin000]

SoCalDesertRider wrote:

tmartin000 wrote:
I live near the ocean, aluminum is the only material I will consider.

I'm a skilled aluminum welder and fabricator and like to work with aluminum, however, galvanized steel works just as well or better in coastal environments and is alot less expensive to build with than aluminum and doesn't have the cracking problems of aluminum when used in a structure that is subject to loading, twisting and vibration.

Thank you for that. So, if it's galvanized, I should be good?

Looking online for aluminum truck beds revealed some gorgeous boxes. I just figured that I wanted aluminum.

[free_radical]

06Fargo wrote:
I know why the box sides and tailgate have to be chin high on a NBA player now so your advertising b.s. can say "best in class cargo cubic feet volume mostest biggest..."

but anyone know why the rear wheel wells of a pick 'em up truck need to be so big and clumsy?
)

Probably bc the morons who designed these trucks never own or use one for its intended purpose,,ie loading and carrying stuff..

Im also totaly annoyed how high my 2 wd 1/2 ton sits,,even with heavy load on,,4x4 I would understand but 2 wd no one ever goes off roading in some deep mud..my previous 2000 sierra was just perfect stance nice and low,made for good handling in corners too..
why did GM ever change it to these high boxy trucks is a mystery..

[joerg68]

These are quite popular over here (link in english):
http://www.bimobil.com/en/modelle/pickups/

The one huge advantage is that you can have a lot more floorspace.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

My flatbed F350 had the filler necks come through holes in the flatbed sill channels, then were frenched into the side rails at a 45* angle, but they still spit fuel out when filling sometimes.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

tmartin000 wrote:
I live near the ocean, aluminum is the only material I will consider.

I'm a skilled aluminum welder and fabricator and like to work with aluminum, however, galvanized steel works just as well or better in coastal environments and is alot less expensive to build with than aluminum and doesn't have the cracking problems of aluminum when used in a structure that is subject to loading, twisting and vibration.

[drc5900]

covered wagon wrote:

Oh yes, the fuel fill is lower down so it's sometimes more difficult to fill with fuel because a lot of them tend to shut the nozzle off frequently. I solved that a couple ways if any are interested I can explain.

I am interested to learn how you solved that. Kindly please explain!

[tmartin000]

I live near the ocean, aluminum is the only material I will consider.

[covered_wagon]

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
Flatbed it! 😄

You don't have to put the bed way up high, if you have a 4wd and heavy duty springs, with stock or near stock diameter tires. The tire won't reach the height of the wheel wells in the pickup box anyways, so you can set your flatbed deck about half way between the normal pickup bed floor height and the wheel well height.

Leave out the outrigger cross member right above the tires and either notch the outboard side rails above the wheels, or make the bed wide enough that the tires' upward travel is within the bed width. The tire won't touch the bottom of the deck and will miss the channel sides.

Stronger framed aluminum flatbed beds have cross framing that sit on top of the chassi and is higher due to the higher/ taller bed framing required for strength. Steel flatbeds may have lower heights due to it's inherent strength. I don't know about steel flatbeds. Where as an oem bed has a much lower profile frame sitting on top. My pro Tech flatbed is about 4 inches higher from oem.

Best thing about aluminum flatbeds is the finish can be renewed by using steel wool and elbow grease. They are nice and the price of aluminum will maintain at least a base value after many years of use.

Oh yes, the fuel fill is lower down so it's sometimes more difficult to fill with fuel because a lot of them tend to shut the nozzle off frequently. I solved that a couple ways if any are interested I can explain.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

Flatbed it! 😄

You don't have to put the bed way up high, if you have a 4wd and heavy duty springs, with stock or near stock diameter tires. The tire won't reach the height of the wheel wells in the pickup box anyways, so you can set your flatbed deck about half way between the normal pickup bed floor height and the wheel well height.

Leave out the outrigger cross member right above the tires and either notch the outboard side rails above the wheels, or make the bed wide enough that the tires' upward travel is within the bed width. The tire won't touch the bottom of the deck and will miss the channel sides.

[tmartin000]

BigToe wrote:
In some states, removing the factory pick up body can change the registration status of the truck, which can lead to higher annual fees, weight declaration requirements, stopping at roadside scales, and other potential vulnerabilities if a highway patrol officer really wants to hassle you.

Specifically, in California, once the factory pickup bed is removed and a flatbed installed instead, the truck now legally is required to stop at scales, as it is no longer a "pick up". This is not practically enforced, but it is legally enforceable.

California actually has set forth a statutory definition of "pick up", and ever since the Commercial Vehicle Registration Act of 2001, trucks that are not "pick ups" have to have declared, in advance, the maximum weight that will be borne and towed by the truck, and pay fees according to that declaration. Should a CHP pull a flat bed truck over for not stopping at the scales, and should the CHP decide to weigh the truck and the weight of the truck, camper, and trailer exceeds the amount that was previously declared, then the fine is the maximum fees that would be levied on an 18 wheeler semi declaring 80,000 lbs.

Pickups, on the other hand, do not have to anticipate what weight they will carry. An owner of a pickup can decide one day to pull a 9,999 lb trailer, while having a 5,000 lb BigFoot 3000 in the bed, and not have to have paid fees for 22K gross combined like a flat bed truck owner would have had to do in order to operate legally in that configuration. Keep in mind, these rules apply irrespective of the door plate rating of the underlying truck chassis, and irrespective of the fact that the chassis could very well be the exact same.

The rules apply to merely the characteristic of the bed. And that is one reason why some California light truck owners keep the pickup bed installed, even when aluminum flat beds with underslung tool boxes offer more common sense convenience and practical utility.

Don't really care since I don't live in California. With Oregon plates, they'll probably wave as I drive by. 🙂

[BigToe]

In some states, removing the factory pick up body can change the registration status of the truck, which can lead to higher annual fees, weight declaration requirements, stopping at roadside scales, and other potential vulnerabilities if a highway patrol officer really wants to hassle you.

Specifically, in California, once the factory pickup bed is removed and a flatbed installed instead, the truck now legally is required to stop at scales, as it is no longer a "pick up". This is not practically enforced, but it is legally enforceable.

California actually has set forth a statutory definition of "pick up", and ever since the Commercial Vehicle Registration Act of 2001, trucks that are not "pick ups" have to have declared, in advance, the maximum weight that will be borne and towed by the truck, and pay fees according to that declaration. Should a CHP pull a flat bed truck over for not stopping at the scales, and should the CHP decide to weigh the truck and the weight of the truck, camper, and trailer exceeds the amount that was previously declared, then the fine is the maximum fees that would be levied on an 18 wheeler semi declaring 80,000 lbs.

Pickups, on the other hand, do not have to anticipate what weight they will carry. An owner of a pickup can decide one day to pull a 9,999 lb trailer, while having a 5,000 lb BigFoot 3000 in the bed, and not have to have paid fees for 22K gross combined like a flat bed truck owner would have had to do in order to operate legally in that configuration. Keep in mind, these rules apply irrespective of the door plate rating of the underlying truck chassis, and irrespective of the fact that the chassis could very well be the exact same.

The rules apply to merely the characteristic of the bed. And that is one reason why some California light truck owners keep the pickup bed installed, even when aluminum flat beds with underslung tool boxes offer more common sense convenience and practical utility.

[covered_wagon]

I've had a set up with an aluminum flatbed and side boxes. The boxes fit right under the wings with extra storage but you remove the tie downs to access the tool boxes.

Flatbed adds one extra step from being about 4 inches higher.

It's a beautiful set up and the tourists got out of their tour bus and took more pics of my truck than the surrounding mountain views.

[drc5900]

I had the conversion to flatbed done. Went from 8' to 10' bed length (it was an affordable flatbed available in my area). It came out quite a bit higher than I had hoped (about 8 to 9 inches higher): Now I need jack extensions to get the camper on & off the truck, I need to buy taller scissor steps, and when driving I can feel that the weight is higher up and more to the rear, especially going around sharp corners (but with the duallies it's nothing alarming). Also, with the camper 2 feet further to the rear, I am missing the shade over the truck cab on hot days, and I am missing the see-through to what's behind the camper when driving. Fueling up with diesel became somewhat of b*tch, an issue I have seen at other flatbeds.
However, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the extra cargo possibilities! I NEVER want to go back to a normal truckbed again.
But if&when time and money will allow, I will have the bed shortened to 8' and lowered to standard bed height (if only I had known in advance...).