The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Flat bed

If I want a flat bed, do I just take off the box and put a couple of beams across the rails and bolt on some 2x4s? Any ideas or plans available?

You did not say what kind of truck you are putting flat bed on? I have one for 51 4400 series truck, its about 10 foot long, it was held on with long u-bolts over two 4 bys running down the frame. You could have it cheap if you would like. I'm a couple of hours from Seattle.

Most of the flatbeds i've seen were like ScottG described.. 4xs running down the frame, and attached with monster U bolts.

Refer to the following image..
[img]http://www.oldtruckstuff.com/woodbed.GIF[/img]

The red shapes are your 4x4's bolted to the frame

The green shapes are "stringers" (4x4's would make it rock solid) and run down the length of your bed

The yellow shapes are your actual floorboards for the bed, like 1x4 or 1x6's.. or plywood.. whatever you wanna use. (plywood warps and turns to crap when it gets wet, so I wouldn't use plywood)

You could then "box" it in all nice and pretty with some 2x6's attached to the ends of the "stringers".

Jim Bow,

My brother built a flat bed for his 66 GMC...it has been 25 years since he did this....but as I recall, he took 4X6 instead of 4X4 and cut the contour of the frame into the 4X6. That way, he did not need any spacing lumber etc to make the bed mate to the frame. Then, he used bolts down through the 4x6 to the frame and the cross member 4x4's too. Covered it with 1X6s and then made side rails out of 1x6s, three high, long on the bottom, shorter on the top for a streamlined look. The flat bed sat up a little higher off the wheels and I always liked the way it looked.

Do ya want it for haulin...or lookin purty..??? Ive built several beds..but Ive always used metal.. Channel Iron typically. wood rots out to quick and wont hold up to uhhhhhhh sharp haulin, (rock Steel).. A good way to hold it down is with at least half inch all threads with a top and bottom piece of metal for the all thread.. around the frame and stringer.. Just two metal straps (one on top of bed frame, and one on bottom of truck frame) with a hole on each end for the all thread,,and tighten them up.. 5/8 works better... that way if it tries to shift it just gets tighter.. id also use a piece of 1 inche hardwood on top of the frame between the bed and frame to keep it from wearing thru the frame,,, dont weld to the frame especially on newer trucks unless you know what your doing.....Dont drill through frames either especially the top or bottom frame rails.....