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Build a Flatbed

Started by firefighter ontheside, April 26, 2022, 02:21:17 PM

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firefighter ontheside

I'll pick it up tomorrow morning about 9.  The truck is still in the shop getting a ball joint, so I can't use it to go get the bed.  I'll have to use my other truck and trailer to go get it.  The old bed has beams running front to back that appear to be welded to the bed cross members.  Looks Like I will have to unbolt the those beams and remove the bed.  Then I can cut the bed loose and reuse those beams for the new bed.  I will use some sort of rubber or plastic spacers to keep the aluminum separated from the steel.  I looked at the truck we have at the firehouse and that's how that one is on.  I will need to fashion some sort of door to cover up the hole for the gooseneck.  The truck frame has a B&W turnover ball gooseneck, so I will be able to pull a gn or even my 5th wheel if needed.
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

Machinebuilder

I would almost race you to get that bed.....................

I think I have my name on an EBY, hopefully in June. New ones for an 8' bed replacement are not available.

I looked into building one but I do not have the place to do the fab work, and the material cost was high enough I decided not to.

Dave, Woodmizer LT15, Husqvarna 460 and Stihl 180, Bobcat 751, David Brown 770, New Holland TN60A

firefighter ontheside

I have to bring some logs with me to put the flatbed on my trailer, otherwise it would have to sit on my fenders.  I hope my tractor is able to lift these beds up and down, otherwise I'm gonna need a few of you guys to come over.
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

Crusarius


PoginyHill

This is the one I built about 20 years ago. I have never replaced anything on it. Lather the bed with used motor oil every couple years, but that's it. Never built at tailgate. Clamp on a wooden one to haul gravel as I need it. The cab is rusted so I cannot get an inspection sticker this year. I've been thinking about selling the bed with hoist & 12V pump. Will keep the truck as a plow truck. Is there a market for a dump body like this? Basically 8ft X 8ft. Side pull out for a flatbed.



 


 
Kubota M7060 & B2401, Metavic log trailer, Cat E70B, Cat D5C, 750 Grizzly ATV, Wallenstein FX110, 84" Landpride rotary hog, Classic Edge 750, Stihl 170, 261, 462

firefighter ontheside

Oh, I bet someone would buy that pretty quickly.  Looks like a nice bed.
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

kantuckid

Quote from: Crusarius on April 26, 2022, 10:29:46 PM
Quote from: Old Greenhorn on April 26, 2022, 03:13:30 PM
Bill, is it rusted and rotted through, or just rusty? My son re-does his truck chassis and trailer frames every year or two with a needle gun and then some fancy thick expensive paint that makes it look great and it pretty tough. I can get the name of that stuff if you think it might help.
If not, perhaps consider building that bed so that it can be made into a dump further down the road. Makes unloading logs a lot easier!
I bet you anything its called POR-15. good stuff but pricey.
Another company in IN, KBS Coatings - Rust Prevention - Stop Rust Paint - Gas Tank Sealer - Clear Coat Paints sells a similar product line as does POR-15. Both companies sell a product line beyond one such paint as mentioned here. I buy some of the KBS paints from a local AP's store, but mostly in the past I bought from the web.
As for longevity of White Oak in a bed- I ordered a new Gatormade utility trailer over 20 yrs ago without a wood bed. I then installed my own 1" thick WO using self-tapping screws designed for such purposes. That bed is still intact but is showing it's age and need replacement sooner, not later. You can still walk on it, etc., but it's ugly. Now and then, when dry, like maybe 5 years apart or so, I pour on a diesel/used crankcase oil mixture. 
I once bought Jeep J10 PU truck (was about 1983 or so) that had a decent cab other than rusted rocker panels but the bed was badly rusted. I traded that bed to a guy who had a commercially made small truck bed and added wood and stake holders and the bed lasted longer than the 6-8 years I owned the truck. BTW, that truck was one of the worst vehicles I've ever owned, period! Too long a tale to tell now. ;D
TSC sells a cheaper line of enamel paints in qt.'s & gallons in tractor/equipment colors and basic colors too. It's a very high quality paint line that I've personally used. They do run sales on it and it will last a very long time on a truck bed. Enamels are far, FAR! easier to work with than moisture cure paints such as KBS's version or POR-15! Price and user issues, I'd choose a high quality enamel.
I've got an antique motorcycle project that has moisture cure paint on it and I've found that it does seem to chip a bit easier (like from a wrench that slips and tinks it) than a high quality acrylic enamel.
Salvage yards? See what you can find interesting.
Kan=Kansas;tuck=Kentucky;kid=what I'm not

firefighter ontheside

Well, I left home at 7am and had the bed loaded at 9.  Guy had a track hoe to take care of that chore.  Home about 11:30.  That was all good.  Then I went to start the sawmill and gas was running down the side of the motor.  Stupid rodent of some sort had chewed thru the fuel line.  Luckily I had a piece in the garage and got that repaired.  A customer came to have some logs milled which went well until he tried to leave any my tractor wouldnt start.  Of course it was blocking his way out, so we had to push it into my yard so he could leave.  It's in the yard now with a tarp over it, because I have no time to mess with it.

Here's a few pics of the bed.  It was used a lot to tow a gooseneck and it shows.  Some damage from careless hooking and unhooking.  That won't affect how I use it one bit.  I will need to relocate the fuel fill spot to be in front of the wheels instead of behind.

 

 
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

rusticretreater

That sounds so much like a day in my life.  I am always, I need to do this, but first I need to fix/build/buy this.  Take today for instance... :)
Woodland Mills HM130 Max w/ Lap siding upgrade
Kubota BX25
Wicked Grapple, Wicked Toothbar
Homemade Log Arch
Big Tex 17' trailer with Log Arch
Warn Winches 8000lb and 4000lb
Husqvarna 562xp
2,000,000th Forestry Forum Post

Old Greenhorn

Looking good Bill! Those love taps can be buffed up a bit or plated over by a good guy with a heli-arc. The rest of the bed looks clean and straight. Minor stuff to do, but you found a winner pretty quick.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

Crusarius

definitely a good score.

kantuckid

Helpful hint of the day: With an alu bed mtd to a steel frame you must pay heed to galvanic action realities. My Ford F-150 is the first year of alu body PU trucks-might look into what Ford uses on these pickups?  I have no idea if it's a plastic spacer or rubber or what but it matters to your application too. 
Maybe it came with spacers?
Kan=Kansas;tuck=Kentucky;kid=what I'm not

firefighter ontheside

Yeah, I had already decided to put some spacers between the bed and the frame.  I will either use some rubber that I have or make some plastic HDPE spacers between the bed and the frame mounts.  I looked at the truck we have at the firehouse and it appears to have rubber spacers.
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

Crusarius

Stainless bolts are the worst thing to use with aluminum. Even though every trailer company in the world does it.

Resonator

Looks like you got a smokin' hot deal. smiley_thumbsup
X2 on spacers on the frame, hard plastic or rubber. Vibration is the enemy too, anytime you haul steel on the deck put down wood blocking first. I carried chunks of old rubber conveyor belt when I drove flatbed semi to keep the load from rubbing into the deck. 
Under bark there's boards and beams, somewhere in between.
Cuttin' while its green, through a steady sawdust stream.
I'm chasing the sawdust dream.

Proud owner of a Wood-Mizer 2017 LT28G19

firefighter ontheside

I didn't know that stainless and aluminum were bad together.  What would be the best combo? Galvanized?
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

Crusarius

I don't remember but I know zinc plated it much better than stainless. Stainless and aluminum are at the opposite ends of the galvanic spectrum and therefore react the most with each other.

Zinc or black oxide are my thoughts for best options. never thought of galvanized that may work as well.

firefighter ontheside

I looked it up after I asked.  You are right with zinc, since its closer in the galvanic spectrum.  I will use zinc coated steel bolts and washers, plus some plastic spacers.  I brought the truck home tonight and hope to do some work on it tomorrow.  That may just be getting the old bed off.  Thankfully, I can do that since we got the tractor to start.  I put the battery on charger all morning.  Dad came down and looked at it and said the negative battery cable is bad.  I of course disagreed.  Well he was right, because as soon as I replaced it it started right up.  I found a new place to connect a new cable to the frame and it was like magic.  
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

Sedgehammer

Quote from: firefighter ontheside on April 28, 2022, 05:21:27 PM
Well, I left home at 7am and had the bed loaded at 9.  Guy had a track hoe to take care of that chore.  Home about 11:30.  That was all good.  Then I went to start the sawmill and gas was running down the side of the motor.  Stupid rodent of some sort had chewed thru the fuel line.  Luckily I had a piece in the garage and got that repaired.  A customer came to have some logs milled which went well until he tried to leave any my tractor wouldnt start.  Of course it was blocking his way out, so we had to push it into my yard so he could leave.  It's in the yard now with a tarp over it, because I have no time to mess with it.

Here's a few pics of the bed.  It was used a lot to tow a gooseneck and it shows.  Some damage from careless hooking and unhooking.  That won't affect how I use it one bit.  I will need to relocate the fuel fill spot to be in front of the wheels instead of behind.

 



if that was my bed , i'd cut a 50" section wide in the middle by the full length out of it and lower that portion down as far as I could . yeah , lots of work , but i hate that a flat bed is sooooo tall when a nice modification or 6 could make the center 50" as low as the original truck bed was

nice score though , with a little love it'll last a long while
Necessity is the engine of drive

firefighter ontheside

This 2wd truck will not have a very high bed.  I got the old bed off and realized that I will not be able to use any of the old framework from that bed.  My new bed came with some frame rails so I will use those.  I'll need to get a couple pieces of C channel to use to span the truck frame and have those welded on.  The bed was held on with 4 bolts that were all loose, like you could wiggle them in their holes.  The tractor worked well for lifting off the bed.  I have to work the next 2 days, so I won't get the new bed on til tuesday at the soonest.

 

 
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

beenthere

Hope to see a pic or two of what the frame looks like post "old bed" removal. 
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

firefighter ontheside

Do you mean truck frame?  Thats easy, I'll be right back.

 

Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

firefighter ontheside

A very light amount of surface rust, but not bad at all for a 24 year old truck.
When I first talked about buying a truck I asked my wife to make some stickers.  She did that today and we put on one side.  I really like it.

 
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

Sedgehammer

Quote from: firefighter ontheside on April 30, 2022, 02:33:23 PM
A very light amount of surface rust, but not bad at all for a 24 year old truck.
When I first talked about buying a truck I asked my wife to make some stickers.  She did that today and we put on one side.  I really like it.


That's cool . I like what she used to make the wording ......  smiley_clapping 
Necessity is the engine of drive

dgdrls

Quote from: firefighter ontheside on April 27, 2022, 08:54:25 AM
Thanks Crusarius, but a trip to NY is not likely.  
Now I found a used solid aluminum Hillsboro brand bed for $1000 I'm considering.  Won't look neat like I want, but also a lot less work.


IMHO this is the way to go,
D

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