Building a flatbed for my F350

[Rustyiron]

:thumbsup:
I meant to add real nice job in my post! FWIW I like a wood bed also, particularly in a non dump all round utility use. Most all wood that has an opportunity to dry out (from both sides) will last a long time.

 

[davedj1]

Nice looking fab work! I've been thinking seriously about taking the box off my 15 Ram reg cab 8' bed and making a flatbed. I'm 6'-2" and I can't reach over the side and to the bottom of the bed. I don't know why they make these trucks today so darn tall.

 

[TSO]

Got a few hours in today... Finished the rear apron, front bulkhead braces (i had some diamond plate sitting around), and got a start on the bulkhead framing.

 

[Jeepnford]

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.

If you have issues with turn signals back feeding to the tail lights you can use diodes to block the voltage. There are write ups and you tube videos on the subject. Just do a search on brake light/ tail light diodes. To the O.P., the truck bed is looking good.

 

[franklin2]

3 wires - ground, running, and brake/turn. On the chevy trucks I have done, the brake and turn are separate bulbs on the OEM setup. For this setup, you would need a 4 wire bulb, if one exists. I used 3 wire leds, and used 2 of them per side to match the oem wiring. So both lights work for running, but only one works for brake, and one works fur blinker.

I am not sure if Ford does their wiring similarly, with a separate bulb for brake/blinker - but the chevy trucks do not operate like a trailer light setup, which is a 3 wire setup.

If you ever run into that situation again and want to run conventional 3 wire lighting on a vehicle that has rear amber turns, they make a converter box at the store, it used to be about $12. It's for vehicles with separate amber turns(used to mostly be European vehicles but now a lot of the newer vehicles here have rear amber turns) and it takes the separate brake and turn wires and combines them onto one wire. You can wire it permanently on the vehicle and run conventional 3 wire bulbs on your flatbeds. I used it on a old Ford pickup where I added turnsignals.

 

[jb1390]

If you ever run into that situation again and want to run conventional 3 wire lighting on a vehicle that has rear amber turns, they make a converter box at the store, it used to be about $12. It's for vehicles with separate amber turns(used to mostly be European vehicles but now a lot of the newer vehicles here have rear amber turns) and it takes the separate brake and turn wires and combines them onto one wire. You can wire it permanently on the vehicle and run conventional 3 wire bulbs on your flatbeds. I used it on a old Ford pickup where I added turnsignals.

Good to know, I'll have to look into those. The other way to do it is tap into the trailer wiring. That is a typical 3 wire setup - but would then run all lights through those fuses instead of truck light fuses.

 

[cmyoung2]

Not doing a dump ... Just flatbed. It's only an F350 SRW. Wouldn't handle more than 2 yards of material safely anyhow.

Mine is a F250, would not want to do without the dump. I use it for 1 1/2 tons gravel, firewood, mulch, firewood, more firewood. It is my only truck, gets used for everything. No 4 wheel tractor, no big equipment, so being able to dump a yard of material is worth it to me.
That is a very nice looking bed. How much heavier than the stock bed?

 

[TSO]

Mine is a F250, would not want to do without the dump. I use it for 1 1/2 tons gravel, firewood, mulch, firewood, more firewood. It is my only truck, gets used for everything. No 4 wheel tractor, no big equipment, so being able to dump a yard of material is worth it to me.
That is a very nice looking bed. How much heavier than the stock bed?

Thanks, and i understand what you're saying. However, I've got multiple trucks and multiple trailers, including the dump trailer, which I've done as much as 6 tons per load on.

In the end, once you add the weight of the stock bed, tailgate, and bumper... The weight will be about equal. I'm guessing that the flatbed will weigh in around 450 lbs when completed (including the fifth wheel rails and Gooseneck adapter).

 

[jenkinsph]

TSO,
Looks great so far:thumbsup: Have you worked out the fuel tank fill with enough slope to run into the tank yet? Where will it go on the bed?

 

[TSO]

TSO,
Looks great so far Have you worked out the fuel tank fill with enough slope to run into the tank yet? Where will it go on the bed?

Not exactly... I'll probably mount it underneath the side rail with a bracket. I've thought about mounting it thru the side rails but it would take a bunch more modifications to make it work.

 

[ovrszd]

I have no pics, sorry. My Brother bought a flatbed for a Generation 2 Dodge few years back. I mounted it for him. I fabricated a "box" just inside the siderail for the fuel fill tube/cap to stick up out of the top. Made fueling very easy. Problem most have if you keep the cap below the bed surface is they fill terribly slow.

 

[coldsteelva]

Would it be possible to repurpose a capless fuel filler/door or a capless adapter that sits flush through the bed?

 

[sixdogs]

This is a very nice looking job. Any thoughts on how much money you'll have in the steel?

 

[TSO]

Thanks. Total was around $750 including the cuts.

 

[sixdogs]

This is a very nice looking job. Any thoughts on how much money you'll have in the steel?

Thanks. Total was around $750 including the cuts.

You are going to wind up with a beautiful job for basically not a lot of money. This is a great thread to watch and learn from.

 

[ovrszd]

You are going to wind up with a beautiful job for basically not a lot of money. This is a great thread to watch and learn from.

Pretty sure my Brother paid $2200 for his flatbed.

 

[jenkinsph]

I prefer to build my own truck beds as I am much more satisfied with the custom results it allows. It seems like most truck bed builders have zero imagination imo. These trucks worked very well for my uses in construction and plumbing/hvac business. Since I am changing my business to more tractor work and less construction I am considering building a new bed for this work.

Here are three trucks I built from scratch on F350 and F550 CC.

 

[TSO]

Pretty sure my Brother paid $2200 for his flatbed.

All the ones i looked at, for SRW ShortBed trucks, were near $2500+ and used inferior steel (thickness, construction) compared to my build. Plus, they were only 84" long whereas mine will be 94" long.

If i could have picked one up for $1500 or less, i would have saved the hassle and time and just bought one.

But i might as well save myself $1500+ dollars, and build a better flatbed that meets my requirements.

 

[ovrszd]

All the ones i looked at, for SRW ShortBed trucks, were near $2500+ and used inferior steel (thickness, construction) compared to my build. Plus, they were only 84" long whereas mine will be 94" long.

If i could have picked one up for $1500 or less, i would have saved the hassle and time and just bought one.

But i might as well save myself $1500+ dollars, and build a better flatbed that meets my requirements.

I totally agree!!!

 

[jenkinsph]

But i might as well save myself $1500+ dollars, and build a better flatbed that meets my requirements.

Meeting your specific requirements is golden and is the reason to build your own. Looks great so far,:thumbsup: I would recommend you take the time to work out the fuel fill into the side rail as high as you can get it before going much farther though. You need the fuel fill cap centered above the ground at about 34 inches. Less than that and you can have issues filling up on sloped filling station pads.