Truck camper on a flat bed

[ridinpreacher]

What are pros / cons of considering a nice flat bed dually; the flat beds that have the tool boxes mounted underneath the bed look like they could be very user friendly.

[okan-star]

Im glad my flat bed came without a hitch , so I could use a superhitch

[Bedlam]

I'm thinking my next TC will be a side entry. This will not only increase the rear overhang, but also have a larger drop behind the truck bed. There will be no way to run a flat bed completely under the TC to avoid an extension (unless heavily modified with a subframe or vehicle frame extension).

One of the reasons I am focusing more on the class 5 trucks instead of class 4 is the amount of leveraged tongue weight in addition to a future heavier TC weight. Ideally, I would like to pull a stacker so I could set up shop and haul vehicles at the same time without going to maximum length.

[Reality_Check]

^^^^ I guess that's my point. ANY hitch, will be reduced by an extension. The standard Torklift 17k is reduced from 1700# to 1200# once an extension is put on. Of course it's more than the stock, but it's still reduced. I was only answering the question about having a receiver set farther back on a flat bed.

The receiver in the photo I posted is already over 24" further back than where the Superhitch would bolt up. And I was surmising about the handling capabilities for a small trailer (7k was mentioned) with an extension.

I have the 17k on our 550 with the camper. They're great hitch's.

[Bedlam]

That's why I am asking about beefier hitches like this one:

http://www.torklift.com/index.php/products/towing/superhitch-receiver-hitches/superhitch-magnum-20k



And using extensions like these:

http://www.torklift.com/index.php/products/towing/superhitch-supertruss



I sold the 12,500 lb hitch that was on my 3/4t class 2 truck to get the 17,000 lb model allowing me the same or better weight rating with a 2' extension. I'm looking at these skirted flat beds for a class 5 truck which will eventually have a larger TC with even more rear overhang and require the 4' or 5' extension and still want 10,000 lbs of tow rating.

[Reality_Check]

Bedlam wrote:
I'm sure they are strong enough for load directly off the receiver. It's when you put an extension on the receiver to clear the rear of the truck camper where additional leverage becomes a factor. Right now I use a 2' extension and if I get a longer TC, I may need the 4' or 5' one for my enclosed trailer.

Extensions lower 'all' ratings. Doesn't matter what it's on or where the receiver is actually located. The lower capacity is not disproportionately affected because the receiver is not directly behind...

[Bedlam]

I'm sure they are strong enough for load directly off the receiver. It's when you put an extension on the receiver to clear the rear of the truck camper where additional leverage becomes a factor. Right now I use a 2' extension and if I get a longer TC, I may need the 4' or 5' one for my enclosed trailer.

[Reality_Check]

Bedlam wrote:

Sparky87k5 wrote:
I've been looking at doing this with a new CM built flatbed model SK that has the boxes (2) on each side built right into it. My measurements indicate an 8" rise in camper from a stock pick up box. I'm still undecided if the $4500 price plus the $1000 install costs are worth it.

Have any of you looked at upgrading the capacity of these flat bed receivers? I'm afraid that with an extension, something like this would not work for a 7000+ lb trailer. I really need the capacity of a Torklift SuperHitch.

The hitch on my regular work truck is a bit more extended than most..and it regularly hauls 14k; truck GW's at 33k. I can't speak for all, but any quality bed should have no problem carrying/hauling regular loads that the truck was intended for.

[69_Avion]

gbsb wrote:
I have a F450 Crew Cab Ford with a custom made Aluminum flatbed with diamond plate boxes under the bed and on top of the bed. I have a 990 Arctic Fox slide in camper installed and the rig works great

Pictures please.

[dokkema1]

[Sparky87k5]

Bedlam wrote:
Have any of you looked at upgrading the capacity of these flat bed receivers? I'm afraid that with an extension, something like this would not work for a 7000+ lb trailer. I really need the capacity of a Torklift SuperHitch.

I've thought the same thing as the hitch is only rated for 14,000 and the required extension would derate that even less. Only thing I could do is to rebuild it stronger, if that can be done or use the frame mounted hitch.

[ticki2]

FWIW there is a whole section in TC university at the beginning of this forum devoted to TC's on a flatbed .

Before I added a lift hoist to my flatbed to make it dump there was only 2" more height than a pickup bed . The hoist and subframe added 4-1/2" to that .

My flatbed does not have an integral bumper and built in boxes , they are all separate . The receiver and bumper are bolted directly to the frame and can be made as strong as the truck can handle .

[Bedlam]

Sparky87k5 wrote:
I've been looking at doing this with a new CM built flatbed model SK that has the boxes (2) on each side built right into it. My measurements indicate an 8" rise in camper from a stock pick up box. I'm still undecided if the $4500 price plus the $1000 install costs are worth it.

Have any of you looked at upgrading the capacity of these flat bed receivers? I'm afraid that with an extension, something like this would not work for a 7000+ lb trailer. I really need the capacity of a Torklift SuperHitch.

[bka0721]

ridinpreacher wrote:
805gregg I've thought about a good looking service bed. I am finding that the biggest issue is the height of the sidewalls vary a lot. I am supposing you have to find one with that has a side wall height near that of the normal bed.

You need to look more. There are a number of people that have successfully mounted their Truck Campers on service body trucks with full height (40") cabinets with full depth (20"), such as myself.

By using the search engine here and checking out Truck Camper Magazine you will find different posts and articles on just that.

Flat Bed campers are really popular, more in some places than others. the C.O.G. can be an issue that can be addressed and corrected fairly simply, if that is the direction you would like to go. The easiest, of course, is use the truck bed that came with your truck, or in my case didn't.

b

[okan-star]

805gregg wrote:
Flat beds are above the tires, where regular beds put the camper between the tires, so with a flat bed your center of gravity will be about 1' higher, how about a service bed

I put a CM RD model flatbed on my truck about 3 weeks ago, it raised the bed height 4.75 inches

My camper had 2x`s under it to clear fifth wheel rails , which I removed , so my camper was raised 3.75 inches, cabover is now 6.5 inches over the cab

You want to look at beds with cut front corners for sure so you can flip the dually swing outs into the void
If you get a headache rack it will move the camper back also, mine moved back 3.5 inches, COG is still way in front of my axle

I mounted underbody boxes under the bed and thought I had measured everything carefully , but found the jacks when in where in the way of opening them, had to change from Reico Titan EZ swings to regular swing outs to move the jacks forward in the stowed position, so the boxes would open

The bed I bought was a real deal , 1200.00 ,it was new old stock they wanted to get rid of. It had the built on hitch removed ,it would have had to be modified to use a longer that 18" extention anyway ,that worked better for me so I can use a superhitch and an extention

I`m in the process of mounting(removable) underbody type alum boxes on the bed now , 17" deep x 18" high, I`ll have more storage space than I`ll ever need, that's a plus but all the boxes have cost me about 1700.00

Also figure the cost of some stakesides in if you want to use the flatbed to haul anything like a regular truck bed

I had to change turnbuckle types since they attach to the flatbed now and are shorter

I gained about 450 lbs with the flatbed alone , not a big issue for me, the campers not that huge, and I`m way under axle and tire ratings

An aluminum bed would have been lighter but cost many time more than what I spent , and I would have had to keep the torklift tie downs I sold , because alum bed wouldn`t have been solid enough to tie the camper to

Another plus was the flatbed had a gooseneck hitch built into it, I also made a lower mount for my fifthwheel hitch , and now there are no bed rails to worry about hitting with a fifth

I cant get a solid answer from our CHP here in CA about stopping at truck scales , but I was told when the camper is on I`m exempt

In CA a flatbed means your not a pickup truck anymore and if your GVW is over 10000 lbs you may need a CA # and pay motor carrier road tax instead of weight fees like a pickup, but there are tons of flatbed running around here and I hope they will leave me alone, I haven't been pulled over in 10 years, and Im close to moving to Nevada anyway

Also if you change, and your bed ,tailgate, and bumper are in good shape you can sell them and recoup some of the costs