# SRW Flatbed Options



## ballandchain91 (Aug 13, 2014)

I think i might be posting this in the wrong way and probably wrong section sorry, its a sander topic.

Im going through my options for a flatbed for a 2.5yd sander. Truck is srw f350 i have LoadLifter 5000 air bags on truck and new heavy duty shocks what do y'all think?

steel options would be c channel, angle iron, wood top opposed to all steel. Curious if anyone has learned from there own designs
Thanks


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

ballandchain91;1827166 said:


> I think i might be posting this in the wrong way and probably wrong section sorry, its a sander topic.
> 
> Im going through my options for a flatbed for a 2.5yd sander. Truck is srw f350 i have LoadLifter 5000 air bags on truck and new heavy duty shocks what do y'all think?
> 
> ...


I've built 2 steel beds, and am partway through a 3rd. My personal truck has red oak decking, and it shrunk fairly significantly even though I dried the wood. The 2nd bed had diamond plate, and the 3rd one will have diamond plate as well. Depending on how much gaps may bother you, I like the idea of a wood floor and am not completely giving up on it. Tongue and groove white oak would be the way to go, so even if it shrinks you won't get true gaps.

Are you building your own bed? Dump?


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## ballandchain91 (Aug 13, 2014)

I am building it myself I've built one before for a dually not a SRW therefore I invested in the bags. And I have all necessary tools plasma cutters welders etc. would like to dump it but season is getting closer and closer, time seems to always be an issue.... Was wondering if weight would be an issue? Regarding all the steel I might end up using. Say I framed it and ribbed it with all c channel ? 3 inch prob 3/16 thick,
Thanks for replying! 

gaps def are not worried about it's solely a sanding truck for my business. I'm thinking wood top would cut the weight issue down a bit?


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

ballandchain91;1827198 said:


> I am building it myself I've built one before for a dually not a SRW therefore I invested in the bags. And I have all necessary tools plasma cutters welders etc. would like to dump it but season is getting closer and closer, time seems to always be an issue.... Was wondering if weight would be an issue? Regarding all the steel I might end up using. Say I framed it and ribbed it with all c channel ? 3 inch prob 3/16 thick,
> Thanks for replying!
> 
> gaps def are not worried about it's solely a sanding truck for my business. I'm thinking wood top would cut the weight issue down a bit?


As far as weight, it may or may not help depending on the wood that you use. The bed that I just finished weighed around 854 no decking, no hydraulics (but including subframe and scissor material). 3/16" diamond plate added 430 pounds, so around 1300 plus hydro motor and cylinder.

2" oak decking would be 330 pounds, you could save some weight going thinner and a lighter wood. Pine at 1.5" should be around 150 to deck an 8'6" by 80" bed. For comparison, 1/8" diamond plate would be around 285 pounds.

I included a snapshot of the design I came up with, that I used to construct all the beds I built. If you want some dimensions or anything I can give you what I have and a materials list. It is very overbuilt, I haul a lot of log length wood that I load with a machine, so I wanted sides that would not bend, and for my buddies truck with 3/16" decking, a floor that would not dent. His went on a 2012 chevy so I wanted it to look nice for a long time and I know he loads it with a machine.


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

jb1390;1827211 said:


> As far as weight, it may or may not help depending on the wood that you use. The bed that I just finished weighed around 854 no decking, no hydraulics (but including subframe and scissor material). 3/16" diamond plate added 430 pounds, so around 1300 plus hydro motor and cylinder.
> 
> 2" oak decking would be 330 pounds, you could save some weight going thinner and a lighter wood. Pine at 1.5" should be around 150 to deck an 8'6" by 80" bed. For comparison, 1/8" diamond plate would be around 285 pounds.
> 
> I included a snapshot of the design I came up with, that I used to construct all the beds I built. If you want some dimensions or anything I can give you what I have and a materials list. It is very overbuilt, I haul a lot of log length wood that I load with a machine, so I wanted sides that would not bend, and for my buddies truck with 3/16" decking, a floor that would not dent. His went on a 2012 chevy so I wanted it to look nice for a long time and I know he loads it with a machine.


Hey I just noticed you're in exeter, I'm down the road in North Stonington Ct, if you want to see what I've put together. I have an example of a wood deck and one completed steel deck, and another partially built that'll be steel. Send me a PM if you want to come by.


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## ballandchain91 (Aug 13, 2014)

I live in RI not sure if you thought i was in exeter, CT…..Anyways thanks for the feedback 

jb you were helpful with the weight comparison, nice design too not overbuilt just indestructible haha. looks good tho 

I'm getting some metal delivered monday and gonna take it day to day ill let you know if i need dimensions and whatnot , ill try and be on the site keeping up I'm new to it and everybody is pretty helpful i must say.


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

ballandchain91;1827262 said:


> I live in RI not sure if you thought i was in exeter, CT…..Anyways thanks for the feedback
> 
> jb you were helpful with the weight comparison, nice design too not overbuilt just indestructible haha. looks good tho
> 
> I'm getting some metal delivered monday and gonna take it day to day ill let you know if i need dimensions and whatnot , ill try and be on the site keeping up I'm new to it and everybody is pretty helpful i must say.


Yup exeter ri, i live a mile from the state line, you're half hour away. I can show you bed I'm building now and give you bed/scissor design and drawings if you want.


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

Go with steel for the decking. I did a complete flatbed dumper build on this site. The link is in my signature but when posting from stupid phones it does not show up.


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## cl733 (Jul 12, 2013)

you can get steel bent up as a structural metal also rather than using channel iron, eg rip some 11 gauge or even 10 ga into 6 inch strips and bend a 1 inch flange on each side to make a 4 inch channel, structural metal is pricey and fabbing your own up can be way cheaper and lighter and end up as strong or stronger with professional looking results, every pound you unneccesarily add to deck weight means extra weight weight you are packing around all the time also, and cuts into pay load.


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## adksnowo (Dec 14, 2005)

http://www.alumaklm.com/truck-beds/item/75-8100-truck-beds.html


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