Miss flatbed

[RobertN]

I helped a friend today; he is a concrete guy. I worked for him for a year, a couple years back. He used to have a F450 flatbed, 7.3 with a stick. Before that, a Chevy 3500 flatbed. Both had dump...

Well, now he has a 2000 or 2001 F350 SRW regular bed. It was a pain getting to stuff in the bed, stacking/removing tools ect. Those flatbeds were so much nicer of a work truck.

I wish someone made a nicely finished flatbed for a SRW truck. All the ones I have seen leave exposed frame, real industrial. It would be nice if someone built one, with something like the sides of a regular bed from the flatbed down.

 

[flusher]

I helped a friend today; he is a concrete guy. I worked for him for a year, a couple years back. He used to have a F450 flatbed, 7.3 with a stick. Before that, a Chevy 3500 flatbed. Both had dump...

Well, now he has a 2000 or 2001 F350 SRW regular bed. It was a pain getting to stuff in the bed, stacking/removing tools ect. Those flatbeds were so much nicer of a work truck.

I wish someone made a nicely finished flatbed for a SRW truck. All the ones I have seen leave exposed frame, real industrial. It would be nice if someone built one, with something like the sides of a regular bed from the flatbed down.

Yah, that would be a nice rig.
I'm in the market for a 1-ton flatbed, something like this.





I like the 6 storage compartments under the bed. If I need more, I could always add a box behind the cab. And with removable fences that fit in the stake pockets, you have a lot of the benefits of a regular pickup.
I think I'd prefer an extended cab and a shorter bed rather than what you see in the photos.

If I can't find this configuration, I'm toying with the idea of getting a mid-1990s tow truck, removing the towing gear on the bed and installing a gooseneck hitch like the one in the photos. Tow trucks generally have quite a bit of locked storage space. However, they usually are short-cab configurations. So some tradeoffs will have to be made on my wish list. And finding a decent tow truck with less that 300K miles will be a challenge.

 

[RobertN]

That is a nice rig. Is it a dump too?

For something like my 3/4 Dodge, I would like to see the body cut so a flatbed sat right above the wheelwell, and left the lower part of the body as "trim" I guess you could say.

Yah, that would be a nice rig.
I'm in the market for a 1-ton flatbed, something like this.

 

[wkpoor]

I totally agree. Glad somebody else thinks like I do. My next PU will be flat bed for sure. Regular beds are for yuppies hehehehehehehe.

 

[DJ54]

If I remember correctly WK, your "last" pick-up was made to haul sumpthin' else... Like haulin' butt....!!

0 to 60 in a few seconds, if you could get it to the ground, without lighting up the tires..!!

 

[flusher]

That is a nice rig. Is it a dump too?

For something like my 3/4 Dodge, I would like to see the body cut so a flatbed sat right above the wheelwell, and left the lower part of the body as "trim" I guess you could say.

I don't think it's a dump.

What you describe sounds a lot like what you have in some tow trucks - low bed height. Of course, tows usually have the ramped rear end which you probably wouldn't want. Actually, I kinda like the bob-tail style of this type of tow truck for hauling a GN trailer. But you sacrifice the PU-type capability of a pure flatbed.



Or maybe something like this-minus the lower body trim you prefer



And some old farm flatbeds sat pretty low after a few decades use

 

[Groo]

going to get a SWR dump body for the upcomming F350 SWR. It's going to have to be a custom job.

 

[jayste]

Hey guys if I'm not mistaken these folks at J & I make skirted flat beds for short wheel base trucks. http://http://jitruckbeds.com/detail_ranch.asp?ID=3

Unfortunately they're in Oklahoma which is a pretty good distance for some to travel.

Jay

 

[jayste]

I have to agree. Here's mine and it's great to work off of.

 

[flusher]

I have to agree. Here's mine and it's great to work off of.

Yep. That's one nice rig you have there. I'm looking for it's twin now.