Why not more cab chassis?

[om21braz]

I've looked at the cc w/ flatbed also. Haven't measured one, but from what I understand, the cc has a slightly narrower track than dually. Main con seems to be rougher ride than reg. dually without a load. The newer GM cc models can have factory dual tanks too.

 

[QRTRHRS]

As I come to use my truck more and more it dawned on me that a cab chassis with an aluminum flat bed would really serve me better. The standard pick up bed is fairly limited and fragile compared to the flat bed offerings. I'm starting to wonder why more of us don't end up going the cab chassis route? I'm thinking real hard on trading in the current pick up and going with the flat bed.

Matt

I would say that especially for a dually that an other than stock bed is the norm in south central KY where I live. If you need to worry about items sliding off the sides, just get a bed with stake pockets and make some sideboards for it. If you pull a gooseneck trailer, you will love the ease of hooking up with a flat as opposed to crawling over a tailgate and under a trailer as with a stock bed.

I had a 97' Dodge with an Eby flatbed for some 250k miles. The only issue I had was when I looked into modifying it to dump. The frame rails were different so for me it was not realistic.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I've looked at the cc w/ flatbed also. Haven't measured one, but from what I understand, the cc has a slightly narrower track than dually. Main con seems to be rougher ride than reg. dually without a load. The newer GM cc models can have factory dual tanks too.

I may be wrong but some C&C track so that the front tires align with the center of the duals. With the stock bed, the front tires align perfectly with the inside rears and the outside sticks out.

 

[civilian]

If your talking 3/4 - 1 ton srw, I'd suggest just getting the factory bed and save or sell it. My experience has been the dealer credit for bed delete is squat. (price out just a replacement tailgate). Now if you order a c/c, you should be able to get a 60" c/a (cab to axle) and have a 9' bed. Pickups are 56" c/a. Just a little info. for your decision making.

In years past, my brother bought 2 different GMC cab and chassis with a much long ca than 60". Don't remember the length, but he set his up with flat surface and tool boxes under and fuel tanks above. He is logging in northern Michigan, and they were the woods crew/service trucks. Jon

 

[Rustyiron]

I was speaking in terms of a 3/4 or 1 ton single rear wheel. When your into the cab/chassis (only) range, the next step is 84" c/a for a 10'-12' bed. I'm out of touch with the newer 450's 550's, they go well beyond that old 84" version, but I took the op as meaning a 8' length flat bed instead of a factory 8' box.

 

[cmyoung2]

I put a 8' dump on my 99 F250, old bed rusted. Love it. Have sides on it most of the time, but they lift off easily. If you have to get a loan, check with your bank first. Some will consider a flat bed or C&C a work truck, not a personal vehicle and so no loan or different loan.

 

[Renze]

Here in Europe the flatbed with sides is the most widely used form of open truck. Only a handfull of carbody type pickups get sold here, to people that arent using the cargo space at all...

 

[civilian]

I was speaking in terms of a 3/4 or 1 ton single rear wheel. When your into the cab/chassis (only) range, the next step is 84" c/a for a 10'-12' bed. I'm out of touch with the newer 450's 550's, they go well beyond that old 84" version, but I took the op as meaning a 8' length flat bed instead of a factory 8' box.

Now that you memtion that his first I think was a 3500 GMC, and the second was a 4500. Jon

 

[HHR]

Cab and chassis will come with 34 inch frame width which is a commercial standard that most beds are made for. Buying a pickup and then deleting the bed will get you a 38+ inch frame rail spacing. Due to the narrower frame, many cab and chassis trucks have to locate the fuel tank behind the rear axle where the spare used to reside.

 

[lostcause]

One other previous poster touched on insurance issues, so I'll elaborate on my experiences:

I had an 01 GMC 3500 cab & chassis with a dump body. A family friend in the insurance business clued me in to the fact that some (many/most?) insurers require a commercial policy for non-standard body trucks. I checked my insurer and one other, and after specifically asking they verified that I needed a commercial policy for anything other than a pickup body. Dump bodies, homemade flatbeds, etc. required a commercial policy even though I did not use the truck in a commercial capacity. The cost premium was minimal - something like $100-$200 a year different, partly because it was a separate policy and therefore did not get any multi-vehicle discount.

The other thing to note with the commercial policy to note is that my carrier did not extend liability coverage to what you were towing. I had to carry a separate policy for coverage on any trailer I towed - again, cost was minimal - $15 per trailer per year or something like that. My 3/4 ton pickup (with commercial registration and 14k cgvw weight bump) was allowed to carry a conventional policy and therefore extended the vehicle liability to any trailer I towed - even if not mine - for no cost.

This was a decade ago and with only a couple companies polled, so YMMV, but if you harbor any insurance paranoia it would be worth checking these out if you have not previously. if you use your vehicle as a business it should be a moot point because I would assume you already carry commercial policies.