Need help on building a flatbed stake bed

[sixdogs]

I have an old F600 Ford "hobby truck" that I want to have a short--8'--metal stake body built for it. I could weld it myself but don't have the capability to cut the metal and assure straightness. Plus, I don't want to make any dumb errors. It's not a complex project, and I understand the basics, but I never thought about it much.

One of the questions I have is how thick the metal pieces should be, especially the side rails? How thick are the metal cross pieces? It will have a steel floor. A big question is do I put a strip of oak or something on top of the truck rail before I set the body on? How much tire clearance do I allow for suspension travel? What is typical?

I Think I should "U" bold the body onto the frame. The welding shop is Amish so they have done this before and know what they are doing but I would like to go in with some idea of what I want. Where do you get the "U" bolts? I likely will add a hitch to the back if it looks right. Oh, no metal headache rake; just a removable wood one since this won't be hauling very much--5,000 lbs. The plan is just normal size stake pockets.

There doesn't seem to be much in the way of plans on the net. Only simple sketches.

Any advice or direction appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

[LD1]

Im not gonna be much help on a stake bed, but I'd make sure the stake pockets are sized to fit a 2x4. Too many trailers and beds I see wont fit a 2x4 without some trimming.

U-bolts.....now here there is a frame shop that I go to for stuff like this. Just give them the dimensions and they bend them in house.

AS to oak boards between bed and frame....I have seen some with, and some without. Personally I dont think I would want wood. I think painted steel will last longer in the long run. Always hear about people having to put a new deck on a trailer, because it rotted out. But hardly ever hear about having to weld on new metal due to rot.

And is this a straight frame truck? or is there a hump over the rear axle like a pickup?

If its a straight frame....I'd use whatever size channel directly on the frame rails to get the bed height / tire clearance you desire.

As to tire clearance, do you have rubber bump stops or hard stops to limit axle movement? If so, I'd measure the height from the axle to bump stops, then add a few inches. Thats how much tire clearance you want. That way when fully loaded, you will still have a few inches.

 

[sixdogs]

LD1--Good advice on spring clearance and thank you. I do plan on a steel bed so pallets are easier to load and unload. The truck will be more of a grocery getter than a work truck but you know how things have a way of evolving.

Anyone know if I need a strip of wood on the truck rails before the body goes on?

 

[sandman2234]

I have a Ford F350 with a 12 foot bed on it. It was a glider kit, so the frame rails are flat. It has a 3 inch wide piece of wood under the bed frame, between it and the truck frame. One near the front and one near the rear. There should be some sort of cushion between the metal rails where they touch. If you don't want to use wood, then get a piece of rubber bearing material (really dense rubber) so that it has a cushion.
As far as the U-bolts, any truck spring shop should be able to fabricate them, or truck utility body shops can help.
David from jax

 

[LD1]

My comment about the wood rotting and decks needing replaced....was directly to address the strip of wood under the bed.

I've seen some that have it,some that don't. So I don't think it's "needed". My thoughts are the wood is going to hold moisture longer (bad for the steel frame), and it will also be the first thing to fail. Long before the structural steel rots out.

 

[sandman2234]

I am thinking that metal to metal will continuously scrape on each other, rubbing the paint off, and leaving bare metal, which will rust, and be rubbed some more, then rust, then rubbed some more, till you have a frame problem. Something has to isolate the two parts because they are going to move during the flex going down the road.
David from jax

 

[Stimw]

Oak slats 1" thick help cushion the metal to metal area. The body and frame will flex.
For bolts most don't use U bolts they use fine All-thread and heavy plates.
U bolts are hard to get into place and on some impossible!
For cross members Junior "I" Beam is strongest and "C" channel will do.
There are many ways to go with this project. The builder will have their preferences.

 

[sixdogs]

How about a one inch strip of pressure treated wood? Likely southern yellow pine?
What do commercial truck shops use? Maybe a strip of rubber?
It's worth noting that this truck will never or rarely see water.


Good advice on the threaded bolts and I will go with the "I" beams. How thick are those plates for the threaded rod--maybe 1/2"?

 

[Big Barn]

For an F600 I would go minimum 1/2" plates with 1/2" all thread with an eight foot long deck.

You COULD go 5/8" plate and bolts if you wished.

Too bad you're so far away. These have been in the shop for 30 years and you'd be welcome to them.


i

Terry

 

[sixdogs]

For a F600 I would go minimum 1/2" plates with 1/2" all thread with an eight foot long deck.

You COULD go 5/8" plate and bolts if you wished.

Terry

How many plates each side?