Not sure if this is the best forum for this or not... if not, admins feel free to delete/move at your discretion...

I'm buying a 77 Chevy, 3/4 ton, 2wd longbed to use for a tow rig. I'd like to put a flatbed on it. When I search for flatbeds here on pirate, all I find are toyota truggies etc. Anyway, anyone have pics or thoughts about design of a good working flatbed? Plan right now is to use large C-channel for the frame and have a wood deck on it. I'd like to mount a small winch near the cab and maybe even design a hoist system to use the winch to get heavy (like ff14b heavy) junk up onto the bed. This rig will prolly see a lot of parts hauling duty. Anyway... ideas? pics? Doesn't have to be chevy-specific...

j

no input here, but i'm also eventaully looking to do the same thing.

I'm sure some one has put a stake bed on the back of one of these things

Sounds like it should be pretty easy to do. The heavy c-channel frame with smaller c-channel for crossmembers, a wooden deck, stake pockets on the sides, and a headache rack sounds like a plan to me. Sink a toolbox into the front and mount the winch to the very front at the rack. It would also be pretty simple to make a hoist that fits in the receiver hitch and uses the winch to lift stuff. What size are you looking at? 8' bed? 12'?

No pics to help you out though, sorry. Just throwing some ideas out there.

Not sure on the length... on the one hand it'd be nice to have a looong one so I could haul more stuff. On the other, the whole pupose of the rig is to tow my K5. It seems like it'd be best for towing if the hitch wasn't a mile behind the rear axle. A shorter one would cost less in $teel too. I will probably swap a dually ff14b into the truck and run the flatbed a shade wider than the tires... and for length, I dunno.. 10'? Won't know for sure until I can take some measurements on the truck... I'm picking it up on saturday. Its a regular cab long bed...

The winch/hoist idea is a good one... it'd be super handy to be able to lift really heavy stuff (BBCs, 1 ton axles etc) up into the back of that bad boy without breaking my back. Flatbeds tend to sit pretty high so getting stuff in there is otherwise pretty tough. Another thing I was thinking is maybe a cherry-picker type deal with a superlong travel ram on it.. I think HF sells some really long ones and they are pretty cheap too.

I'm trying to come up with a good system for the sides. The oldschool stake pockets + 2x4s + wood thing is kinda redneck. I was thinking maybe something that had a relatively light steel frame and either some extruded mesh stuff for sides or something. Heck, even some kind of high tech plastic might work. This rig may be used from time to time to move barkdust or yard debris... so the sides need to be able to hold stuff like that in. I like the idea of a steel frame on the sides because then I could have some little brackets at the top corners to bolt each side to the next side... making the whole thing more solid/strong.

A guy over on ck5 posted pics of a flatbed with tool boxes mounted under it in front of the rear wheels.

http://coloradok5.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10012&stc=1

now thats a good idea. It'd otherwise be wasted space, might as well use it. This truck is going to be my mobile repair station when I tow my K5 with it, and it doesn't have much room in the cab, so mounting some tool boxes like that is a really good idea.

j

I would definately look into the dually 14b for the rear. It'll give you better towing capability and the extra width will be nice.

I custom build flatbeds, but they are much different than what you are designing. If you look at the cost of steel these days, and the cost of wood, and the lights, and wiring, and your time, then it might be more cost effective to buy a bed already built and then just modify a little. If you look at prebuilt wood deck flatbeds, then I would suggest two different companies. Either Knapheide or Workman. Knapheide is the largest body manufacture in the nation. They started business building wagons way back in the day. They were also the builders for the original bodies that came on the Model-T trucks. They make a very nice wood deck flat bed and might have a local dealer near you. www.knapheide.com The other company, Workman, is a smaller company that is out of Prineville, OR. They also produce a very nice product. Either of these companies offer different size long members, to help fit the truck. Knapheide offers the most options, and mounting options. If you want to build your own, Workman sells just the formed sides with formed crossmembers. This way you save on the labor, but also get a nice formed product that is lighter than the channel and just as strong, and better looking. Just a few options to look at.

yeah, I'd rather build my own... i have a welder, plenty of rods and a decently cheap source for steel. I even have a tube bender if I decide to make something out of tube on it. ;) Also, since cash flow is slow, i can build it in phases as the $ rolls in. Plus, if i buy one... i can't post a build-up thread can I? :)

getting a dually ff14b shoudn't be hard... could prolly do a straight trade with someone who wants to wheel their old 1 ton. ;)

j

I built one last summer. It went on a 550 Superduty, made it out of all 2x2, it was pretty damn heavy, but thats what he wanted it made out of. Pictures can be found here (http://photobucket.com/albums/v122/slvr98svt/F550/), however I can not find the pictures of the finished project for some reason. O well if I find them I will post them up here as well.
-Matt

Sorry no pics but I built a flatbed on my 99 CTD 4x4 It was easy mine was built to what I used to haul my 2 quads so it was 85 " wide and 101 " long mounted 4 toolboxes under it .It was all 2x2 box with 1/4 angle around the edge with 3/4 plywood it actually bolted up to the body mounts .But on that chevyStart with some pressure treated wood then some channel parrellel to frame then start your crossbars and where the wheels will sit reinforce that spot .Its kind of fun cause it goes quiuck and you can customize it to what you need MIne also had a 4' packrat box under ther bed have fun

I think there is a good write up on the Dieselstop.com. It is on a Super Duty, but you should be able to apply what he did to your vehicle.
Link to DIY Flatbed (http://www.thedieselstop.com/contents/getitems.php3?DIY%20Flatbed%20%232)
Harry

66CJDean has a bad assed flatbed set up. He built the stake sides heavy enough that he uses them for ramps to load up his Jeep.