truckbed

[Ls2cam]

Two Thumbs-up You did good job built on bed frame

[pfatz]

Flat Bed for 3500 (1ton)

After a long time in the steel fab biz, I built a lot of truck equipment. Pickup racks to heavy & specialized stuff. The first thing I've noticed about the posts are......the designs are too heavy. I was in the structual steel and pressure vessel biz mainly. I had several 1 tons at a time for hot shot, deliveries and pulling goosenecks. I found that the beds should be built to suit the intended work to be done. Winch beds were a bit heavier to withstand the stresses caused by gin poles and moving heavy stuff. All others to be used for hauling welders, steel were built as light as possible to do the job.

A plain flatbed was built with 3" Channel runners and 1x3x11ga X-Mbrs or 2x3x3/16" X-Mbrs. Sides were often 10 or 12" Jr C & The tail too. Cutouts for Lights & Tag fit nicely in this. I then used a 3" C drop down to a 3 or 4" x 6" TS for the bumper. I added a receiver tube properly supported to tow a bumper pull trailer. Lights & tool Boxes went below. as needed. The Headache Rack was usually 2x2x11Ga Sq TS with 3/4"x11ga Flattened Expanded metal.
Sometimes I mounted the tag plus load lights on the Headache rack. I cutout a space of the 11ga Deck plate floor at each front corner and welded it on the bottom of the X-Members. This gave me a place to store chains, binders, wood blocks, a Sledge quickly and securely.

Welder beds received a heavy smooth plate, IE: 1/2" in each back corner @ 18x24" as a place to weld, grind and use hard. Headache racks which were to be used to haul lots of long material would be built heavier depending on the expecter load. Near the back of each bed I set 2"x3/16" sockets on thebed runners, welded into the floor. This allowed me to insert a rack to support material such as 20' angles, tubing or beams. This was at the same height as the Headache Rack and kept the back material overhang above most following vehicles. (Put a flag on it anyway).

Lots of other refinements will occur to you as you work on it. IE: tiedown attachment points. Take a look at other 1 ton beds. Get some ideas. Keep it light. If for a welding truck, remember you are only going to haul a limited amount of weight & don't need it to be extremely strong & heavy.

Good Luck EdH

[hbswanson]

going for test

well i am thinking about going for another test this time it will be on 2in pipe in 6g for pipefixers in chattanooga tenn. it will be on the 27 0f this month my teacher says that he will take me a long to test he thanks i will past by the way i am welding now. have to tackweld in 4 places then a 6010 root then 7018 cover

[2tay530]

thats a good looking rig you got set up. I like the tank holders, aint notheing comeing out of those. should have painted it blue to match the good looking machine there. good luck with your buissnes hope you make it!!

Reed

[superredd]

Congrats and well done on your test!! i just started my C ticket schooling almost 2 weeks ago and just waiting to get to the welding part but i'm lookin forwards to all those great tests!

[DSW]

Congrats and good luck! Now the fun begins... Keep us posted on how your doing.

[hbswanson]

test is over

will toke the dot for state yesterday .done pretty good on visable they toke my pipe to be xray know monday about that i am hopeing i past that ,it toke 3 1/2 hours to do the test on 6ins pipe in 6g

well i past all the test i am a lis welder from the state of N.C now glad that is over it is good for 5years .

[Jetmekdc-10]

sorry for the giant pics, forgot to resize

[Jetmekdc-10]

My rig

What's up guys, I've been out of touch for a while. Been going wide open trying to get my business started. I tell you it has been difficult and expensive but I'm finally getting going. I managed to get my business lic, LLC, insurance on my truck and liability insurance. I am spending my time now going out to every place in the county to meet people and let them know I'm available. I have had some good response. Anyways here's my rig. It is a work in progress. The only thing I still need is a suitcase.

[hbswanson]

test

will toke the dot for state yesterday .done pretty good on visable they toke my pipe to be xray know monday about that i am hopeing i past that ,it toke 3 1/2 hours to do the test on 6ins pipe in 6g

[beamwalker]

i have a dodge 3500 it is a 1999 i am trying to find plains to build a flat bed for it can anyone help me i like the one in the ideagallery/around-the -shop

i got one that will fit right on it im trying to get a suitcase for

[superredd]

balkhead

hey! sorry for no posting i've been away the last week or so. The balkheads i usually make are of something like 3x3 tubing different thickness depending on the application. when installed they are the same width as the deck and are flush on the sides with the deck aswell. they may be angled towards the top or sometimes are straight. sometime they will have extentions on the top so that you can tie up long lenths like you have in your drawings. my pictures are too big to put up and i havn't had time to make them smaller and i apologize for that.

http://www.bctruckbody.com/customtruckbodies.html

have a look on this page, it has a few examples and some specs on custom made service bodies and flatdecks and such.

[hbswanson]

headrack

youall look at this and see if i need to put something else on it befor i start building it ? i like all the input you can give me on this. i'll put the rest of the bed on post later as i draw them up. it will cost about 1000.00 for steel to build the hold thing . thanks for all the help that youall have giving me on this project

[hbswanson]

my truck

i thank a black flatbed will look good on this with 2 tool boxes on the side

[HMW]

I used square tubing and sawed it off at different heights. Then I welded each of those to a piece of flat bar, bored a hole in the bottom and used existing holes in the top of the frame. Then added a piece of oak to the top.

Here is a couple pics.