Any one have photos of the underside of their flat deck? Im considering different ways of attaching it to the truck. And also different ways of adapting to the hump over the axel.

And another question, what clearance.did you leave between the tires and the deck?

Thanx in advance!

 

Measure from the top of the spring to the stop. Leave at least that much.

Wood or metal?

We built some wood beds. We'd jack up the front til the rockers were level, then we could set the deck level and have the right rake when we let it down. Seems to me we used a pair of 4x4 stringers, then used a couple pieces of 4x4 and 2x6 under those setting on the frame, slide the front one around til we got it level. Used all-thread and a piece of steel plate to clamp the bed to the frame.

To put a steel bed on I'd start the same way, but use some heavy angle or channel to hold the bed on. Bolt it to the side of the frame, then weld it to the bottom of the bed. One on each corner. If the bed will hold a gooseneck ball I'd put one on each side over the axle, too.

 

The chevy 3500 box truck at my last job had wood blocks on the frame and it was professionally installed.

 

I'm building a metal deck. Originally I had planned to use 4" heavy channel for full length stringers, then 3" Chan. for the cross members, then angle iron for the sides. But I was getting a bit worried about weight, and that would also raise my (already high) deck another 7"s .

To avoid raising the deck so high I think I need to have 2peice stringers. (infront and behind the Axel). Are there any structural advantages or disadvantages to this?

Also bolting onto the side.of the frame sounds like a good idea but not sure about.doing that where the tank is.(hard to get a nut and wrench in between tank and frame )

Are there pros and cons to bolting.to the side vs. The top?
Are there pros and cons to using wood.mounts vs metal?

 

My brother once put a metal flat bed on his 3/4 PU. It was fully loaded and squatted with nothing on it. Point is, you may need to consider its weight.

 

I honestly would talk to a shop that sells flatbeds and ask them how they prefer to install them.

 

I built a steel frame with a wood in-lay deck. I used 4" channel front to back, in 2 sections because of the 2nd gen mounts up front are off the frame a few inches. Not sure how the 1st gens are....but then I made a box with 2x4 sq. tube to sit on that, with 2" angle cross members to support the wooden deck at 16" o.c. All this got bolted directly to the top of the frame...just like the original bed was. So that puts the deck 8" above the frame rails, but works nice for me.

I have put it through some pretty tough work and it hasn't shown any signs of giving up yet. Mostly trees and scrap iron, loaded up the top of the cab or better. Having removable sides (that double as ramps) is pretty useful.

 

Gorms, your deck doesn't sit as high as the hydra-bed deck does, I don't think. I'm not sure how they are built underneath (for stringers and crossmembers, never paid much attention) but the gooseneck ball and rear bumper/hitch are part of the bed. It has 6 attachment points, and I think they all bolt into the side of the frame. I know the 2 over the axle do.

 

I've seem wooden blocks and u-bolts used. I've seen lengths of 4x4 lumber cut with a contour for the frame rails and run the full length of the bed, plus the u-bolts. Also seen vertical flatbar come down off the deck structure onto the sides of the frame rail with thru-bolts (look under a cube-van, pretty typical).

I will have to make one for my W250 eventually. Plan on running DRWs when I feel I need it. (I have a C&C D80 to install). The deck will be framed to be as low as possible and still handle 37" tires for the most part. Set it up so there is only a steel skin on the deck over the tires so I can keep it as low as possible. Not sure what that entails for meeting the frame, but that's the start of my build strategy.

 

If I have to replace the bed on mine it will probably be with a Hydrabed.

 

Hey gorms did.your deck end up weighin yer truck down a lot more the the old box? I've got a similar design for mine but using channel for the sides of the frame.
What's the dimensions of yours?

 

It is heavier then the orig box by a couple hundred pounds probably, once all said and done. Nothing I did was "light"- 3/16" wall tubing, 2" x 1/4" angle across, 4" x 1/4" flatstock around the sides, 2x8 p.t. deck. Might ride a little lower (an inch or so), but my springs are sagged so bad it's hard to tell. I'm only about 1 1/2" off the overload springs empty. Airbags are fixing that as soon as it warms up.

With the sides on I am right at 8'x6'4" inside area, real tight fitting full sheet of plywood lengthwise. The width is perfect (I think 6'8" total) but I wish I made it about a foot longer but I ordered the steel dimensions on a whim so it is what it is. Might extend it and build a real hitch off the back at the same time.

 

Thanx for the pics. Are your boards screwed down at all?

 

Yes 5/16 carriage bolts 2 through each at each crossmember....lotta bolts.