# Anyone have a flatbed on a SRW??



## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

Not really sure where else to post this, but I have a GMC so I'll post it here. I've got a 2006 GMC 3500 single rear wheel truck and I'm tossing around the idea of putting a flat bed on it, and having stake sides that I can put on if I'm hauling debris. Those who have done it, and I've seen a couple that have done it to their SRW's on here, how have you liked it so far?

At this point the only thing thats stopping me is the fact that I drive the truck everyday. I drive it for personal stuff to. I just don't know if I'll enjoy driving around in it as much everyday. I imagine if I left the sides off it wouldn't be that bad. Plus, I'm not sure how the woman is going to like driving around in a flatbed, or sometimes a stake body, everytime we go out.... Nah, who am I kidding. Women love flatbed's 

I know there isn't a real answer with a reason to this, its more of an "opinion question". But I'm just looking for everyones opinions on this.


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## BlueLine Ent (Nov 28, 2005)

The guy I plow for has a Ford F350 with an aluminum flatbed on it with wooden stake sides on it and he loves it. It's his daily driver and it has a municipal plowing route in the winter with the transfer tank on it to come fuel the loaders.

And no, no pics at the moment lol sorry


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

The pick-up bed just doesn't hold up when doing some things and its only 2 years old. Last year I hauled some landscape timbers with the big spike nails in them. They were part of some planters in front of our building I tore out and the spikes put a few good holes through the floor of the bed, the weight of the load dented in the wheel wells as well. I would also really like to be able to haul more volume of material such as removed bushes, side load palletized materials, hauling new bushes and plants, etc..

I'm just looking at the downeaster flatbed.


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## Sydenstricker Landscaping (Dec 17, 2006)

Here is a guy over on lawnsite that did it http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=218609 I have thought about a flat bed too, since my bed is all dented and scratched.


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

Went down to lacy truck equipment today to get a price. $1950 for the bed, $100 for the brake/back up lights and license plate light, $625 for installation, $295? for the 12K draw tite hitch, and $80 for installation of that. Grand total of right around $3,000. The reason its "right around" $3,000 is because a couple of these prices are off, I remember it being no more than $3,200. But I don't have the sheet with me now. What do you think I should do with my old bed and back rack? They said they can give me $400 for the bed. I'll keep the backrack. What do you guys think about the prices?


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## Joe D (Oct 2, 2005)

The bed looks good, downeaster. I would look at an aluminum bed though with a single wheel truck to keep weight down.


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

Ya I did look at an aluminum bed, but the price was pretty much double. The price I got was not for the downeaster. It was for these beds made by some guy in conneticut, I don't think they really have a name, but they look really well built. heres a picture of the stack they have.


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## cubanb343 (Dec 13, 2007)

the guy i plow for just put a flatbed dump on his 06 3500 SRW. Someone backed into a concrete pillar while plowing and destroyed the pickup bed so he opted for the flat sooner than he planned. It looks great and is awesome- Only downside is that its a little light in the back now when plowing.. but still does an awesome job.. I think its a great idea- go for it


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## Mike S (Feb 11, 2007)

Ron Clapper had one and I think still has one! Ask him I think he liked it!


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## heather lawn spray (Mar 11, 2003)

We' ve got two a '96 with a hoist and a '06 2500HD. It wasn't so much set up as a stake truck as it was an equipment hauler. Large mowers (1900 lbs) ramp up onto the back. Our welder built it as a swap deal so it didn't really come with a price tag. It is severely heavy. It's sister truck, our '05 with regular box, comes in at 6500 lbs. The '06 comes in at 7400 lbs, so a solid deck will cut into the load capacity. In winter it can carry a baby Bobcat 463skid steer and its 48" snowblower. The bed was purpose built for that duty. You might be able to get away with a lighter weight deck


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

I'm still not sure what to do since I drive the truck everyday. I was thinking I would build 2 sets of sides out of wood and stain them. One set of low sides, like a pick-up bed. And One set of high sides for doing real work.


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## RSheaLand (Jan 26, 2006)

I've put flatbeds on 4 different single wheel trucks. Ive used Cadet western beds from W.H. Rose in Willimantic, CT. I've tried posting pictures but didn't have any luck. Send me your email adress in a private message and I will email them to you


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

Buy a small trailer, unless your using it everyday. Flat beds make good work trucks but not much good for pleasure driving. JMO


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## heather lawn spray (Mar 11, 2003)

JD Dave;552274 said:


> Buy a small trailer, unless your using it everyday. Flat beds make good work trucks but not much good for pleasure driving. JMO


Agreed

The flatbeds are the first out for work but the last out for play


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## ticki2 (Jan 10, 2006)

Next time you're at HD take a look at their rental truck . Nice alum body with fold down sides , not sure who makes them.
I've had 3 flatbeds on duallies but I always make them dump , can't live without that.


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## Sharpshooter77 (Jul 19, 2006)

I have built two flatbed/dumps. If your gonna go with a flatbed you might want to think about throwing a hydraulic lift while you got everything off. I built my first one on my 1995 F-350, and my most recent one is my 1993 F-250, They are as handy as a shirt pocket, And I use my as a daily driver. Also I built mine for about 700 bucks with the hydraulic lift and pump and material for the steel, I used 2x2x1/4 square tubing and skinned it with steel diamond plate. I made it 6 '6''x8' 6'' with 3 foot rack sides, I'll take some pics and post them for ya. ussmileyflagussmileyflag

Shane


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## Clapper&Company (Jan 4, 2005)

Yea I do have one and I love it


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## Sno4U (Dec 30, 2003)

Well I recently kinda was at a turning point myself with bed choices. I smacked a dumpster and body shop was about $3K to repair.
I thought about a flatbed for all the reasons U mention but fixed the dented box I have b/c we use my truck for pulling the camper (fifth wheel)and I myself just want it to look nice.
My truck is an '04 and is still too young to consider putting a flatbed on.
Maybe after I have to pay for a few more dents I'll switch over!


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## heather lawn spray (Mar 11, 2003)

Don't let the age be the deciding factor. We converted the '06 with 6 weeks of purchase date


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## ford6.9 (Aug 17, 2006)

I know its an old post, but anyone have some pictures of their srw flatbeds?


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## 06HD BOSS (Nov 28, 2005)

im chiming in a little late too, but merrimacmill do you still know the guy's name or info in CT who made those flatbeds?


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

06HD BOSS;567899 said:


> im chiming in a little late too, but merrimacmill do you still know the guy's name or info in CT who made those flatbeds?


Sorry about the late response, very late aucully. I just happen to check this thread again because since I got my own personal truck, I'm back to putting a flat bed on. And the bed on the thing is really beat up now. Back then I had 1 other employee occasionally driving it. Now I have 3 driving it all the time. Pretty self explanitory on that one.

I have no idea the guys name. They still have the bodies at our local truck outfitter. Looks like they only have 2 now, out of the 3 they had before. Down in price too, they want to get rid of them. Been sitting there for years.

What benefits would a lift have with the thing? I couldn't contain anything in there like I can in the dump truck. (dirt, mulch, etc)


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## 06HD BOSS (Nov 28, 2005)

merrimacmill;587122 said:


> What benefits would a lift have with the thing? I couldn't contain anything in there like I can in the dump truck. (dirt, mulch, etc)


In my mind thats the ideal setup. And one of the main reasons i havent bought a mason dump yet. First of all the weight difference compared to a mason dump, you can put a lot more, about 1500-2000lbs more (legally) on a flatbed with a hoist. The weight of the mason dump on a 3500 series lets you legally carry about 3000lbs....you can legally put about 5000lbs on a 3500 with a flatbed. Theres a few guys around here with a flatbed/dump. Just throw a couple boards in the stake pockets on the sides and back and you can easily put 3 yards of mulch with no spill over. Ive priced up flatbeds with a hoist and would cost about $4200 installed compared to $7500 for a mason dump. I also like the ability to load and unload from the sides of the bed as opposed to the mason. Thats my opinion on the subject


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

That does make sense. I just had the image of the stake sides bulging apart when the weight of the mulch or dirt was on them, piled up against them.


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