Flat beds anyone?

Anybody put flatbed/ute beds on their squares? My bed is a bit rusted out and thinking about it. Wood, metal, a combo of both? Throw up some pics!

Building one to put on my 84 is on my list, where ever my list is??

I've got one I am putting together for my 80 K30. Its metal fame with wood bed, but since wood rotted, going to make it diamond plate bed. Since it is opened up already, welding all the braces in for goose neck hitch. Also, making a headache rack that will have stacks up through it...still trying to figure out the best way to do that. Back will be a wedge with led's and heavy rated 2" receiver. Making side boxes to go under the bed sides and side rails 6" tall out of metal plate that hinge down and adding a crane hoist off the back that can be removed with electric winch I am rigging to it.

I don't have any pics right now, but this is a general idea of the basics of what I am shooting for.

Where did that one guy go that had that bad ass orange k20 I think it was flat bed? It I think was late 70s or 1980? Amazing clean truck , think it was on like 35s. He use to post all the time, I haven't seen him in a few months. Can't remember his username?

I'm planning to once the mechanicals are all worked out.

I did a bunch of research on them lately. If you buy one, it needs to be for a cab chassis application since our frames are 34” out to out. I spoke to a lady at a CM dealer about a CM AL RS and she had just finished putting one on her square. She seemed to know exactly what to ask CM to do to make it fit our trucks well.

The reason I didn’t follow through is that it limits upward wheel travel if it’s traditionally mounted to the frame rails. Since I wanted to put a camper on the bed and take it through some more difficult off-road stuff, I’d be using a three or four point mounting system that pivots. At that point you have to build a complete subframe, so it’d make more sense just to mount the camper to the subframe.

Long story short, CM can build one to a square’s spec. However, it won’t clear big tires with lots of suspension travel if mounted directly to the frame.

80BrownK10 said:

Where did that one guy go that had that bad ass orange k20 I think it was flat bed? It I think was late 70s or 1980? Amazing clean truck , think it was on like 35s. He use to post all the time, I haven't seen him in a few months. Can't remember his username?

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I think you are thinking of @MisterB

75Monza said:

I don't have any pics right now, but this is a general idea of the basics of what I am shooting for.

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thats not bad

It is better use spacers to give clearance for spring travel when hauling heavy loads instead of mounting directly to the frame.
I had a one ton with the flat bed and even with the springs maxed out the bottom of the bed was about 6 inches away from the tire.

Shorty81 said:

I think you are thinking of @MisterB

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Darren is right.

@80BrownK10 This truck?





@MisterB Has a beautiful flat bed!

Turbo4whl said:

Darren is right.

@80BrownK10 This truck?

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You must be registered for see images attach

@MisterB Has a beautiful flat bed!

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Yep that's the one

Shorty81 said:

I think you are thinking of @MisterB

Click to expand...

Yep! That's him

jake wells said:

It is better use spacers to give clearance for spring travel when hauling heavy loads instead of mounting directly to the frame.
I had a one ton with the flat bed and even with the springs maxed out the bottom of the bed was about 6 inches away from the tire.

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Yep, with one ton springs, or in my case 1-1/4 ton springs there isn’t much of a risk of the tire contacting the bed. I swapped my springs for long travel springs that are softer than a half ton. The top of the tire can go well above the top of the frame, so it’s definitely an issue.

I do like the look of the wood decked flat beds. Being how my trucks still work for a living, I will go with a steel deck.