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Jul 21st, 2025 | | | | Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 603 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 603 | I hope this is a bed question. When I am ready to put a bed on my truck, how many inches should I allow above the rear tires?
Its a GMC 370 LCF, heavy duty 2 ton. Rear has 12 leaves with 8 aux. leaves. Hauling weight would be like a full size car or farm tractor around 5000 lbs.
Serial tag says 19,500 Max gross wt.
Thanks.
57 GMC LCF 370 55 John Deere 40-W 59 John Deere 430-W 2000 GMC 4x4 56 John Deere 420-W Pix on Photobucket | | | | | Joined: Sep 2011 Posts: 10 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Sep 2011 Posts: 10 | An opinion:
I put a hand built oak flatbed on a '78 Ford 1/2 ton.
Since the rear tires were over-sized, I measured the distance
between the top of the axle at the spring mount and the bottom bump-stop under the frame. I built the platform so that
the distance from the top of the tire and the under side of the
bed boards was an inch greater.
I would have been better off if I'd added another inch I discovered when I accidentally was overloaded to the extent that
the tire rubbed against the bed boards. Seems that the load was riding on the compressed bump stop!
I was lucky in that I was on smooth level paved road from when left the quarry to where I off loaded.
Restoring an old Chevy truck is a mission for people who just need a few more problems in their life.
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 603 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 603 | That sounds like a good rule of thumb to go by. But this is a BIG truck with 8 "helper or aux." leaves, not counting the 12 upper ones. I have no idea how much weight it takes to compress the bed to the tires. I have not looked good to see if there is actually a "stop" on the rear axel or not.
I do know the front has some kind of material on bottom of the frame for the front to bottom out on.
Thanks, Wayne.
57 GMC LCF 370 55 John Deere 40-W 59 John Deere 430-W 2000 GMC 4x4 56 John Deere 420-W Pix on Photobucket | | |
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