[Off Topic] GMT800s with Flat Beds

[Alex_M]

Hey all! Curious if any of you have pictures of single rear wheel GMT800 trucks with flat beds? I'm in the process of designing one for my work truck and I'm looking for inspiration. I'm making a CAD design that I'll 3d print and take to a couple local fab shops for quotes to assess if it's worth the time to build it myself or pay someone else to. Here's what I've got so far, but I'd love to see some on trucks. Nothing too wild - just fits a few specific design constraints like open headache rack, provisioned for wood bed, etc.

Just got my manual swap done on the same truck. Couple minor things to sort out, but it's back to drivable!

 

[strutaeng]

I don't have any pictures, but I see flatbeds around here frequently. I think most are the cab and chassis trucks.

Isn't there a difference in the frames between C&C vs regular trucks?

Is this for a 2500HD truck? You do any welding? What welding process?

 

[wjburken]

Bradford Built Pickup Flatbeds for sale - Country Blacksmith

Steel Workbed

Options: Fuel Sump B&W Turnover Ball Underbody Toolboxes Crossbody Toolbox

www.bradfordbuilt.com

Look at the guys who make these everyday and see how they do it.

 

[Alex_M]

I don't have any pictures, but I see flatbeds around here frequently. I think most are the cab and chassis trucks.

Isn't there a difference in the frames between C&C vs regular trucks?

Is this for a 2500HD truck? You do any welding? What welding process?

Lots of flat beds around here as well, mostly cattle farmers. I'm an electrician primarily who does some wrenching as well as fabrication on the side.

Yes, there are frame differences. My design is going off of the dimensions of my frame.

Yep, 6.0/Nv4500 2500HD. I want bed side toolboxes, but a work box is too tall with too little bed space, and I also pull a 5th wheel so boxes on the tops of the bed rails will also be a no-go. I will probably have the headache rack removable so I can have my 5th wheel rails about 5" further forward than I would otherwise - my truck is 6' bed, so I have the rails a bit further back than centered over the rear axle so I can get a full swing.

Primarily Mig and Flux core, some stick welding. I have done some gas welding, but bottle fill up is too high for me to get proficient. I have a tig torch and bottle of gas for my machine, but it's scratch start/DC only and again - just haven't put in the time to get proficient. I'd love to find a deal on a better TIG machine, but mostly unnecessary for my use case.

 

[Alex_M]

Bradford Built Pickup Flatbeds for sale - Country Blacksmith

Steel Workbed

Options: Fuel Sump B&W Turnover Ball Underbody Toolboxes Crossbody Toolbox

www.bradfordbuilt.com

Look at the guys who make these everyday and see how they do it.

Bradford seem to be the most common beds around here on cattle trucks. Nice looking beds. Thank you!

 

[Alex_M]

The 3d printed version of my design so far. Thinking I am going to modify to make the headache rack removable, and I'm going to have a reinforces steel plate on each corner - one for a vice, and the other to be able to add/remove a small bed crane as needed.

 

[S33k3r]

The 2500HD is a shorter wheelbase than the 3500/3500HD. What is your plan, ultimately, once you build your flatbed?

 

[Alex_M]

The 2500HD is a shorter wheelbase than the 3500/3500HD. What is your plan, ultimately, once you build your flatbed?

Not exactly sure what you mean. There were a variety of wheelbase available for each "weight" ranging between single cab/crew cab and 8'/6' bed. My particular truck is a crew cab 6' bed model.

Essentially my plan is just to continue using it as my work truck, and doing double duty as a family hauler.

I've made a couple more iterations of the CAD model since I last posted. Printing the latest one out now including tool boxes which it appears may also end up custom - can't find anything like what I'd like to have pre made.

 

[S33k3r]

I was just looking to see what weight class you were in. But, yes, the 3500 frame is actually longer than the 2500 frame. I have a 2004 Silverado 2500 I was working on converting to a diesel. So I had to learn as much as I could...

 

[Alex_M]

Interesting - where is the extra length at? Assuming both are, say, single cab 8' bed.