Teuck bed to flatbed, would you convert?

[Whitnel]

Here's the deal. Truck got damaged at a job site yesterday. The bed took most of the damage when a load of trusses slid into the truck. Bed is just about shot. Cost to repair close to a new bed. Would you take the insurance money and put on a flat bed. Always sorda wanted one but really have had no reason for one. Truck is a SRW F250, there are very few flatbeds that look good on SRW trucks but when the fit right they look good. Opinions?

 

[mfreund]

I would put a regular bed back on if only for resale value. Flat bed will kill the resale value. IMHO

 

[Whitnel]

Had not thought of resale value. It's a 2000 with 380,000 on it. KBB said it was worth $10,500. I have put 300,000 of those on it over the last 10 years and intend to keep it. If I were to get a 1/2 ton at some point I would probably keep this truck it's paid for pulls the jeep and tractor really good. But you never know how things will play out.

 

[mfreund]

Ok, with those miles and age I would put the cheapest bed I could find. It could be a flat bed or a different color from a auto recycler.

 

[/pine]

Go for the flat bed...add some stake pockets and chain loops on the sides as well as some buck boards...you'll love it...even more so if you make if a dumper...!
FWIW...Some states require mud flaps...

 

[dieselcrawler]

With thoes kinda miles I bet its got a 7.3 psd under da hood!

Flat beds are handy.

Its hard to make one look right... and real easy to make one look bad.

 

[JJZ 109]

Depends on what you use it for. Do you use it for stuff that could be loaded on by forklift often? If so a flat be could be considered. There are some decent looking commercially made ones out there, but from what I've seen they're kinda pricey.
If insurance is paying up and you're hanging onto the truck for a considerable time, I think I'd get a nice used bed from an auto dismantling place and have it painted to match the rest of the truck. Or maybe even have the whole truck painted so there's no mismatch.
Like dieselcrawler says, I've seen a lot of real unattractive home made flat beds out there.

 

[HHR]

You are going to have a hard time finding a good used bed these days. I have been looking for one for a friend and they all seem to be either trashed, rusted or the seller wants over $2000 for them. I would find or build a nice flatbed and be done.

 

[schmism]

Sounds like a contractor rig to me.

how about a service bed.

I always like that drop side bed you see on the home depot rent-a-trucks

 

[motownbrowne]

I'm not sure, but I think having a flatbed, and maybe a service body too, raises your insurance rates. Just something to consider. With 2 foot bed rails on my regular bed, I can haul a lot more wood than my buddy's flatbed, but like was mentioned above, if you're loading and unloading with forks, they can be slick.

 

[JJZ 109]

I always like that drop side bed you see on the home depot rent-a-trucks

No idea on price but here's a link:
TAFCO Equipment
I'd have one on my flat bed bucket truck in a minute if I thought it wouldn't break the bank to buy and get shipped to me..

 

[burnieman]

Go for the flat bed...add some stake pockets and chain loops on the sides as well as some buck boards...you'll love it...even more so if you make if a dumper...!
FWIW...Some states require mud flaps...

Here in California if you install a flatbed on your pickup you have to stop at the scales. You have to have a DOT sticker. What a hassle.

 

[284 International]

Here in California if you install a flatbed on your pickup you have to stop at the scales. You have to have a DOT sticker. What a hassle.

I have never heard of that being the case. Do you have a reference for that information from the vehicle code book?

 

[mikehaugen]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...19153-lets-see-your-flatbeds.html#post3859034

Here is a thread i started a while ago, had some good info in it.

 

[bcp]

Any truck with other than a conventional pickup bed has to stop at the scales.

Article about who needs to stop at scales in California:

Stopping at Scales

Discussion: According to CVC Section 471, pickups are a motor truck by definition, which is required to stop at the scales per CVC Section 2813. However, all California weigh stations have signs stating: "No Pickups." So, if a vehicle meet the definition of pickup in CVC Section 471, it is not required to stop at the scales because of the signs stating: "No Pickups." If the pickup has a GVWR of 11,500 pounds or more, an unladen weight 8,001 pounds, not equipped with an open-box type bed not exceeding 9 feet in length, or the pickup bed has been removed and a utility body or flat bed has been mounted, then it no longer meets the definition of pickup in CVC Section 471; it is then a "motor truck" under CVC Section 410 and required to stop at the weigh stations.

Bruce

 

[Whitnel]

You are going to have a hard time finding a good used bed these days. I have been looking for one for a friend and they all seem to be either trashed, rusted or the seller wants over $2000 for them. I would find or build a nice flatbed and be done.

That's what I have run into. The body shop looked in their computer and only found beds that were in bad shape that would take lots if work to fix pretty much in the shape mines in. They don't make new ones anymore only pieces.

One side can be fixed using the existing panel. The other needs new outer and probably inner panel. Once their insurance looks at it I can pull the tool box out and look at the back panel against the cab. It is twisted an ripped a little. Then have to fix the liner, top rails. Etc. lots if money. The cab can be fixed pretty easy, around $1,500 for the back corner and the door damage.

 

[Whitnel]

With thoes kinda miles I bet its got a 7.3 psd under da hood!

Yep, 7.3. Still on the original injectors and transmission.

 

[mfreund]

I would drive it as is and put the money as seed in a new truck account.

 

[boggen]

if you have a trailer... do you really need a flat bed? if it was a dumping bed... that might be a bigger advantage. (rock, dirt, tree limbs, etc... ) use tractor to load truck up, and then go dump were ever, and hop back onto tractor and go back at it. then load up tractor on trailer and hook up to truck and off you go.

 

[cmyoung2]

Replaced my rusted bed with a flat dump bed, found one used that fit the SRW F250. Shortened it to the same length as the original, 18" stake rails. Love it. firewood, gravel, mulch, shingles, rock, more wood, more wood Love unloading with just a push of a button. Can still use the frame mounted GN and have the receiver hitch. If I was buying a new dump for a short bed, I would get power up and down. My gravity down is slow because of lack of weight. For me resale with over 200K is a non issue, our credit union will not loan on a flat bed. I would still do it again, maybe even get a cab/chassis next time to start with