Aluminum bed for new F-150?

[BSVLY]

Going to purchase a new truck in the next year or so. It will be a tug for a small 5th wheel. I mean real small with no slide-outs & it only has a GVW of 5K or less. Could just buy another Ranger 4.0 but it would not pull the mountains in the west with ease and the milage of a ranger under stress is not pretty. So thinking Eco Boost F-150 for overkill power, creature comforts and fair mileage economy.

You can't get the F-150 with the factory "5th wheel ready" frame conversion; Only available on an F-250 or bigger. The Eco-Boost engine is not an option for the F-250.

Now besides the engine and hitch issues, the 5th wheel we want has a maximum height of 54 inches from ground to top of Pick Up Bed sides in order to clear the 5'er structure. so...

Thinking of getting a lightweight aluminum flatbed conversion with a hitch pocket and a few tool boxes on it. Maybe a short bed. Don't want a fancy "RV hauler" body-just a plain flatbed style. Thinking inexpensive as these things go, and light.

Ford doesn't offer the Cab Chassis option on the F-150, so I'd have to essentially remove a brand new bed from the truck. Anyone know if there is a market for new beds? Maybe a body shop would remove it and buy it? Then I could send the truck for the flatbed installation.

Can anyone recommend an aluminum flat bed company on the west coast?

Any input appreciated.

Thanks

 

[slowzuki]

Those aluminum beds are anything but cheap. The aftermarket 5th wheel hitches are fine for the truck. The bedside height is likely a problem if you want a 4wd. The F150's and Dodges are tall in 4wd versions. If the trailer is used, many people perform lifts on their trailer to gain a few inches, especially with goosenecks used off road to keep the trailer off the tailgate.

 

[Diamondpilot]

WTH mess with a 5th wheel on a little 5K trailer? I personally hate any trailer that connects in the bed of my trucks. I like to use my trucks bed but thats me. But for a 5K trailer that seems ridiculous. I have been in the trailer business for 20 years and never seen anyone mess with a GN or 5th wheel on anything less than a 10K unit. Bumper pull upto that is fine with a WD hitch.

You are making this way too complicated. If you are going to keep the truck forever do what you want but a F-150 with a 5' flat bed will be worthless to anyone but you.

Just my $.02

Chris

 

[RobertN]

My Ram is a '01, but is tall even though stock(2500 4x4 diesel). My 5th wheel was already lifted(simple axle flip) when I got it. It sits perfect behind the truck.

that may be the answer for the OP if they get a 4x4.

The F150's and Dodges are tall in 4wd versions. If the trailer is used, many people perform lifts on their trailer to gain a few inches, especially with goosenecks used off road to keep the trailer off the tailgate.

 

[BSVLY]

Great input all: Thanks

Here is the 5'er I'm considering.

It is compact-4 season and no slide-outs. Perfect for our needs. It is rated very high in quality. I've looked at some other 5'ers and most are built lightly, have leaky slideouts, are 29-35 feet long, weigh a ton and cost a fortune.

So just looking to get an F-150 to pull this rig. Yes I do want 4x4. I spoke with the trailer manufacturer and he told me that you can only vraise it to 54-56" without it getting unsafe and it looks fugly lifted too. Hopeful that he designs a new model soon to accommodate a full-sized PU.

An aluminum bed adds around $5K to a $35K F-150? Beats paying $60 K for an RV Hauler that I won't make use of..

Anyways keep the comments coming. Good food for thought. Yes-considering a long bed ..

 

[davkir]

Small gooseneck trailers are pretty common in the horse business. The extra area in the front is good for storage or an air matress. They pull well, park and balance easy.
Lots of people pull them with half ton trucks.
I probably don't understand your height issue, but B&W hitches are available with a 5th wheel adaptor.
Are the trailers available with a gooseneck?

 

[BSVLY]

Small gooseneck trailers are pretty common in the horse business. The extra area in the front is good for storage or an air matress. They pull well, park and balance easy.
Lots of people pull them with half ton trucks.
I probably don't understand your height issue, but B&W hitches are available with a 5th wheel adaptor.
Are the trailers available with a gooseneck?

In order to get the trailer to tow level, you can't have the bed sidewall height more than 54". Yes the hitches are height adjustrable-but it is the clearance of the RV to the tail gate top-etc that is the issue. These trailers fit a Frontier PU perfectly, but don't want to drive one around the country for the next 10 years. I have a bought-new 98 ranger 4.0 and it tows just OK in the mountains. I have 4 other assorted trailers. Like the ranger - just need the F-150 going forward..

BTW-The trailer manufacturer can not provide a gooseneck by ;law. Has to be 5th wheel hitch configured. I know they make adapters too, but sort of a kluge..

 

[davkir]

Not trying to be argumentative, but I'm curious about the height issue. I pull a small gooseneck with a 1/2 ton 4wd shortbed Dodge and a bigger one with living quarters with a 3/4 ton GMC.
The Dodge is 53.5" tall and usually squats about 2" or 3" with a loaded trailer.
Are Fords that much taller?

 

[RobertN]

Same reason my 5th wheel has flipped axles for 4-5" of "lift". My stock Dodge 2500 4x4 sits too high in the back. If I were to remove that "lift", the trailer would be at too much of an angle; the trailer would hit on the top of the bed rails and tailgate. The portion of the trailer from the hitch/pin-box, to the main body. That's just sitting on level ground. going in and out of parking lots ect, as the truck moved in comparison to the trailer, it would hit.

My 5th wheel sits level behind my truck. But, the axles are under the springs for about 4" lift. If I did not have that "lift", the back of the trailer would sit too low. That would cause it to hit where the red circle is.

That is the clearance issue the OP would have.

In the opposite case, of a truck that sits too low, you could drop the pin-box.

I probably don't understand your height issue, but B&W hitches are available with a 5th wheel adaptor.

 

[RoyJackson]

You can't get the F-150 with the factory "5th wheel ready" frame conversion; Only available on an F-250 or bigger. The Eco-Boost engine is not an option for the F-250.

Ford doesn't offer the Cab Chassis option on the F-150, so I'd have to essentially remove a brand new bed from the truck. Anyone know if there is a market for new beds? Maybe a body shop would remove it and buy it? Then I could send the truck for the flatbed installation.

Any input appreciated.

Thanks

I'm sure I'd find alternative to pulling the bed off a brand new pickup (especially considering the cost of a brand new pickup).

Since a couple members mentioned the Nissan Frontier...that would be a viable alternative, especially if you don't need a rear seat (even though there is a crew cab available, I wouldn't want to ride in the rear seat for an extended period of time). The 2005 and newer Frontiers have a very powerful V-6 (about 279 HP) and good low to midrange torque.
I had one of these...nice trucks. Mine was a 6 speed and provided good fuel economy if you kept your foot out of it.
And, the bed rails are at least 6" lower then a crew cab F-150 4x4 (which is what I have now).