Flatbed

[Regneufeld]

well for what you say your going to use it for, if it was me I would build the deck with the hinge points using a small 12v winch to lift it. Then I would look at either incorporating some type of rubber bump stops so if it was to much load it would bottom out on the rubbers. Then your suspension becomes your tires more or less.
Vehicle Suspension Kits - Timbren Suspension Enhancement Systems these would be a good solution but did not look if they had ones ranger specific. I would be pretty confident I could build a deck as light as a stock box that would handle the weight issues you would be safe to use on a small truck like that.
I built a similar box on a old tent trailer, chucked all the old sheet metal on the outside and built a light frame and used 1/2 plywood screwed to the sides. It was not heavy but would hold much more then the axle would dream of holding. In hindsight on that one I should have narrowed the trailer deck way down, but it makes a great garbage trailer at my brothers cabin. It is just when people think you can fill it full of firewood it becomes a problem

 

[deldirt]

I would look into one of the lifts that use an air bag. You can buid the flat bed or use the stock bed. The bag lift kit comes with cross stablelizers for the frame. It could probably be modidied to fit another truck should you decide to change.

 

[Gils]

I have made 2 flatbeds in the past (85 F150 and 04 F350) but they do not dump. The are made with steel and the decking is pressure treated 2x6 lumber. I made some removable sides, the second one I built i can make a full or 3 feet long box if i want to. They are simple to make and lighter than a regular box, you might look like a hillbilly but so much more usefull. I can post pictures if anybody wants to see it.

 

[HiTechTed]

I have made 2 flatbeds in the past (85 F150 and 04 F350) but they do not dump. The are made with steel and the decking is pressure treated 2x6 lumber. I made some removable sides, the second one I built i can make a full or 3 feet long box if i want to. They are simple to make and lighter than a regular box, you might look like a hillbilly but so much more usefull. I can post pictures if anybody wants to see it.

Sure, pics are always good!

 

[rdbrumfield]

I too have built several flatbeds, some with hoists, others without. As you are building for a Ranger, it doesn't have to be built with heavy material.

I would take some 2x2 square tube for the two long runs on the frame. Use about 6, 3 on either side of 2x2x3/8 flatbar from the 2x2 down and bolt to the frame on the sides, not the flanges. Use 2inch angle iron for cross pieces. I/8in should be heavy enough. on the outside I like to use 2x4x1/8th tubing for stake pockets. They let you use a 2x4 for stakes. By tying the 2x4 into the crosspieces and to the outside piece that runs the length of the bed like a 1/4x3in flatbar, it ties up the sides and crossmembers really well. Making a headboard is just a matter of tying it into the front of the bed.

If you want to put a hoist in, I would get the one you want before starting this project as you will need to know clearances in your frame and height between frames.

This bed is of course a lot more than you need, but if you look close it will give you an idea of how the stakes tie in the crossmembers and the outside rail.
When putting the pockets in, take care to think of the thickness of the material of the deck so you can adjust the height of the pockets on the crossmembers so they will be flush with the finished deck.

Have fun

 

[o2batsea]

Carbon fiber pre preg wrapped around blue foam. Vacuum bagged and autoclaved will be stronger than steel. You could do it cold too with CF cloth and epoxy resin. If you set it up the right way, and use a slow hardener, you should be able to do the whole tray/substructure in one shot. If you use regular glass, then make it a little thicker. the vacuum bagging is key though.

 

[handirifle]

I'd build a flatbed, and forget the dump. Can't have it all. Not on a lite truck like that.

 

[Renze]

Ive built some too, in a previous occupation.
I'd say, 4" cold rolled C channel as longitudinal members, as well as edge profiles. 2 1/2" crossmembers. Both should not exceed 3mm wall thickness (sorry dont know what that is in inch, or gauge)
Then cover it with a sheet of 3/4" (18mm) plastified plywood. We built a bunch of those beds.

If you want to be able to dump, you need 4 or 5mm thickness of the longitudinal members, and a subframe on the truck frame to distribute the forces. Then you'll end up with a payload of two wheelbarrows of dirt: It would be easier and cheaper to just strap the two filled wheelbarrows to the bed and dump them off by hand..

 

[lostcause]

i've seen a bunch of homemade flatbeds, even on smaller trucks, though most of them are not the best designed or built. the one thing you are going to be fighting is weight. you certainly don't want to overbuild it, or your truck's carrying capacity will be limited to a 50lb bag of potatoes.

i prefer channels to tubes, but only because of the salt and corrosion here. otherwise tubes are nicer to work with. for something like this, i would use nothing larger than a c3x4.1 for the rails, and probably c2x1x/18 or c2x1x3/16 for the crossmembers if you use a subframe over the truck frame. if you don't have a subframe you might want a couple of c3x4.1 crossmembers for strength and rigidity.

i've seen some hydraulic dumps for standard beds, and they just had a 1/4" plate that went under the bed to spread out the load, so you should be able to easily make a mount off the subframe or crossmembers that will be plenty strong. there should be some standard kits you could buy to adapt to your needs, or if you have the time and dedication, you could assemble your own. search ebay and the likes for "12v hydraulic" and you will see what you need to power a bed lift. you will also need a remote switch and a cylinder, so i would suggest searching for complete kits and then look at what is needed and see if there is a way to scavenge pieces cheaper.

one last thing to consider - check with your insurance company. a couple years ago i bought a ton dump that is for maintenance on my own property (not for hire). i found out that i couldn't group it with the rest of my vehicles - it needed a commercial policy because of the body. if it had been a standard ton dually with a regular body i could have insured it with the rest of my personal vehicles. i asked a few questions to make sure i understood the requirements, and it was because of the body and not the size/weight of the truck. any truck with a non-standard body was required to have a commercial policy. i checked with another insurance company, and they mirrored the claims of the first company. for what it's worth, the commercial policy was not really much more money than the regular one.

i know there are tons of older trucks with homemade bodies due to sheet metal rot, and i would bet that very few people have commercial policies. if you go to your insurance company and just tell them the year and make, i'm sure 99% of the agents wouldn't even ask about any modifications, so most people are probably flying blind. it may vary by company or by state, but i got the same story from two separate agents. i can't say whether an insurance company would deny a claim based on this, but the only way you would find out is after an accident happened.

 

[HiTechTed]

Thanks guys for the input and ideas. I think some of you are right, in that the truck is just too small to use for a dumper. I keep it because I bought it new in 95 and paid cash for it, and it's been ultra-reliable ever since...it's like a "friend" now! I could find a beat-up used larger truck for a good price and make a dumper out of it, with an available kit. I just can't have 2 trucks here so I'm kind of stuck. The Ranger is worth a little more to me than the book value simply because I can rely on it, but maybe it's time for it to find a new home....