Building a flatbed for my F350

TSO · Mar 6, 2017

Ongoing project... I'll post updates as it goes. I'm hoping to complete the project within the next couple weeks. This is going on my 05 F350 ShortBed. The flatbed will measure 94"x80". The deck material will be wood.

Took the bed, bumper, tailgate, lights... off the truck and sold them on Craigslist.

Picked up my steel order from my local steel shop. I have about $750 in steel (which includes the custom cuts). I'm using heavy gauge structural C-channel for the framing. 1/4 " plate for the side rails. 3/16 " plate for the rear "apron". I'll be building the bulkhead/headache rack out of 3/16" walled 2"x3" box tubing.

I'll be retaining the factory rear trailer hitch, but building in recessed 5th wheel rails with a gooseneck adapter plate (for towing flexibility).

Spacer blocks for the frame rails:

Each frame rail will be mounted to the truck frame with (5) 5/8" grade 8 bolts, bolted thru the original mounting holes on the top side of the truck frame. There will be an additional (not pictured) 5/8" bolt on the outer side of each frame rail, bolted thru a C-channel bracket.

So in total, this flat bed frame will be mounted to the truck with (12) 5/8" grade 8 bolts.

...........

Now that the mounting points are drilled and completed, today i can start welding the cross-channel pieces.

More to come...

George2615 · Mar 6, 2017

Nice project. Keep us updated. Do you already have lights for the rear drop plate.

EddieWalker · Mar 6, 2017

Sounds like an interesting project. I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

TSO · Mar 6, 2017

George2615 said:
Nice project. Keep us updated. Do you already have lights for the rear drop plate.

Haven't ordered them yet... These are what I'm looking at for the 4" lights.

4" Inch Piranha 1 LED Round Stop/Turn/Tail Truck Light 2 Red 2 Amber 2 White | eBay

Plus I'll be ordering 7 more 2.5" marker lights for the sides and rear.

coldsteelva · Mar 6, 2017

A couple points: If your 2005 only came with red tail lights (tail/stop/turn/hazard), how are you going to make it so your taillight reds don't flash with the turn signal? Can't cut the wire to the high filament because then you would have no brake lights. Making the amber signals work is easy if you run them off the front turn signal circuit, but you will still have the issue of the reds being brake lights, but not a turn signal.