Would you buy a flatbed for your TC?

[Buzzardcheater]

Curious to see thoughts about a flatbed for a truck camper. Seems like pros are more storage with side lockers, cons are potentially less stability and need for solid tie-downs.

My situation is that I'm hunting for a used 1-ton as I upgrade to hauling a big TC - likely a Lance 1172 (my dream proto-retirement rig). It wouldn't be a daily driver, but it would need to do some hauling/towing in addition to carrying the TC. Given that I'm looking for recent used vehicles, I'm seeing a fair number of flatbeds.

So - y'all have the experience and opinions... thoughts?

[sabconsulting]

bka0721 wrote:
...they are not a pretty thing on the back of a truck. They look like they should, functional. Not a vehicle your kid is going to ask you to borrow, to take his date to prom with...
b

What are you saying Bryan? I think a flat bed would be the business for taking your girl on a date :C . Though maybe that says as much about my girl as it does about me :B . Though Sally was tutting over me drooling over that 1 ton Model T on Saturday.

In Australia you see loads of nice aluminum flatbeds on the little model of truck I run. I'd love one, but I wouldn't want to raise the camper any higher. The Australians commonly have lower profile campers with pop-up roofs on these flat beds (sort of half way between a hardside and a regular popup).

Robert Ryan will probably jump in in a minute with some pictures (should be sunrise down there in a few hours).

Steve.

[Kayteg1]

The extra height should not affect the handling, but if you drive into woods, you will have to carry pole saw with you.
I bought my camper with flatbed and liked the storage space, but fast enough I figured out SRW was not enough to make safe trips with 4200lb camper.
Later I bought dually with utility bed. Even better storage, but not only UB add about 5" under the floor, but to clear the boxes, I had to put 4x4 planks under the camper.
My AC was scratching 13-6" height, but having cab&chassis suspension no problem with handling.
That pushed me into seeking regural bed and that is how I ended with Dodge bed on Ford.
Regular beds are cheaply made. I had to reweld 100 spot welds on Dodge bed I bought used.
My friend drives Chevy with tool boxes on sides and his tail lights are hanging on duct tape. Chevy declined warranty becouse he had tool boxes mounted on work truck.

[Fastbrit]

The flat bed I ordered will be 2" higher overall. If I notice a change in the truck handling I will add
a Roadmaster sway bar kit. That will certainly do the trick;)

[zb39]

I don't think you guys are that much taller than me. I loaded mine for the first time and measured the height. I need 13 feet to clear the AC. I am putting a new door in the pole bldg so I can load this easier. I won't have to move the 5th wheel first.

[54suds]

you can order lower mounting rails ,one of the factors limiting the bed surface height is wheel suspension travel clearance.

[mkirsch]

No because it makes the camper sit several inches higher.

With one of the tallest campers on the market, on one of these modern jacked-up dually trucks, with the extra height of the flatbed, you're going to have to start watching bridge height signs VERY closely.

[Fastbrit]

Just ordered one with heavy duty 1/4 square tubing and extrude plank floor since it is stronger than regular diamond plate . My problem is that with my heavy camper I notice that the regular bed had suffered. Some spot welds have broken. Will pick it up the first week of may in Pennsylvania.
I will post pictures on here and my first impression

[Reality_Check]

Buzzardcheater wrote:
Would you buy a flatbed for your TC?

Yep...


Well, actually, no. I'd build one. Again. Needs, wants and ideas change constantly. This one will go another few years or something.

lol.... BK calls it right; "suitcase". And you will fill it.

[jimh406]

I still use my truck to haul other stuff, and although I could make a box to haul stuff, the pickup bed works for me. If I did go flatbed, I'd go with a utility body which isn't quite a flatbed or pickup bed.

[bka0721]

Luv, Flat beds. Grew up with them in Kansas. Saw 3 of them today with Truck Campers on them, various locations in Utah.

But, they are not a pretty thing on the back of a truck. They look like they should, functional. Not a vehicle your kid is going to ask you to borrow, to take his date to prom with. I would own one, but I am a functional guy.

One thing that is important to note, the bigger the suitcase, the more tempting it is to bring more stuff. With bringing more, you need more truck. If you notice the common thread with my set up, fpoole and bedlam, we all have f550/5500 trucks. But we all made choices for having those trucks to haul with a specific need and use. Plus, I can say for the 3 of us, we didn't want to limit ourselves out of the starting gate. Which is where you find yourself now.

The point about height is on the table and that should be considered and a must, a dually. The higher you go the more unstable the cargo, thus TC beast. So you need to make allowances for that, too. You mentioned a Lance 1172 TC, a very popular camper and many here have them. That camper is going to have payload in excess of 5k+. Then when you add boxes, stuff to go in boxes, people, entertainment/toys and or trailer/boat. Now you are talking about an additional 2k to 3k.

So, back to the suitcase, what size do you want? Overhead, under the seat or steamer trunk.

b

[fpoole]

Yah, what he said... heheh...

Luv the FB and once I get it config'd out, like Action Packers on the sides, it'l be really kewl..

I luv it and it works just fine with the only 'con' is that it's higher and you'll need to take that into account. My max height is about 12'8" ? under 13' and it hasn't been a problem. While we, Bedlam above, are running with the RAM 5500, I don't have any sways in the wind and don't even know it's back there.

One thing is that loading/unloading I use 2" blocks (2 1" wood blocks) to put under the jacks for heights. The jacks are close to being max'd out and if you have any angle, I need the blocks.

Other than that, the extra storage is really great..

I can't get a photo from google to show, so here's a link.

[Bedlam]

It works well for me. Once I upgrade my TC, I will have false walls or tool boxes to take advantage of the extra space. Tie downs can go to the stake pockets like mine with the short range FastGun turnbuckles. The only down side will be the height of the TC - It will sit higher than in a bed between the wheel wells. I am around 12.5' high at the A/C.