Steel/Wood Flatbed for my 2012 F-250 - Too heavy?

[IHDiesel73L]

Over the years I've accumulated a bunch of freebie steel stock from various places and stashed it behind my barn. I finally have accumulated enough to build a flatbed, but the stuff I have is on the heavy side. To start, I have two pieces of 6 x 2 x 1/4" box channel that I'll use for side rails. Then I have a bunch of 3 x 3 x 1/4" that I would use for frame mounts/joist supports underneath the wood decking. Then obviously some finish work for the ends and I 'm going to integrate a headache rack that is on the truck now:

The decking will be black locust as I have a ton on my property and a buddy with a mill. Locust is extremely hard, extremely rot resistant and has a nice color to it, but it's also extremely heavy. I calculated the weight of the planks to be about 220lbs. Altogether the weight of the flatbed should end up being about 700lbs based on the weight per foot of the various steel components, plus I'd like to throw two undermount boxes forward of each wheel on either side, etc... I haven't been able to find the weight of a stock shortbed anywhere but I have seen videos where three average people lift one off without any trouble which leads me to believe that it can't be more than 350lbs or so. Maybe closer to 400 with the tailgate? I'm just wondering about putting a bed on that is potentially twice the weight or almost twice the weight of the stock bed. Should I look into upgrading the rear springs at the same time? Also, I'm not counting the weight of the headache rack because it's already on the truck, but it has to weigh at least 100lbs by itself. Here's a rendering of the bed:

It will have taillights, an integrated hitch/step, stake pockets on the sides, tie down rings, etc...I was just too lazy to draw all of that. The bed will be 6' - 8" wide by 7' - 6" long.

 

[Roadworthy]

The short answer - it shouldn't be a problem. If you want the real answer do an internet search for the weight of your truck and its gross carrying capacity. Subtract the weight of your existing bed from the weight of the truck. If you don't overload the new bed you should be fine.

 

[Rustyiron]

I wouldn't worry a bit about doing this. The metal doesn't sound like "overkill" and I like a wood deck. Being locust is icing on the cake and won't be nearly as heavy once it drys.

 

[ning]

I'd say the biggest concern is it being an F-250, as you're cutting into the available weight carrying capacity... you're going to be tempted to put some really heavy stuff on it under the mantra of "if it fits, it sits"

and since said big heavy thing is no longer going to destroy the pristine bed that's currently on it just by being carried, you may forget to consider if it's still in GVWR. Get the truck weighed and write down somewhere what the truck's reasonable capacity is with it on it.

Regardless, you should definitely do it.

(nb this response was mostly an excuse to post a picture of a fat cat)

 

[IHDiesel73L]

"Too heavy" was probably the wrong term. I'm really wondering how much payload it will cost me. I know that my GVWR is 9900lbs-the last time I went to the landfill and weighed out the truck was about 7200lbs with me, a half tank of fuel and two kids. So that gives me a payload of 2700lbs. I still haven't been able to find a solid weight on the stock bed, but let's say its 400lbs with the tailgate, so if my flatbed ends up weighing 800lbs my payload drops to 2300lbs. Even if I really load it up with tools and other stuff I could still put a ton on the deck and not be over GVWR.

 

[jwmorris]

I'm really wondering how much payload it will cost me.

For every pound added by the bed, one would be subtracted from the total.

Found this

“ www.fleet.ford.com
Pickup box delete available with Regular Cab 137" WB, SuperCab 158" WB and Crew Cab 172.4" WB models with 5.4L or 6.4L engines only. Base Curb
Weights shown above are for completed pickup truck models with standard equipment and the engine/transmission combination indicated. To adjust the
“Base Curb Weight” to reflect Pickup Box Delete add 54 lbs. to the “Front” weight and subtract 550 lbs. from the “Total” weight (adjust the “Rear” weight by
subtracting “Front” from “Total”). This provides the weight effect of deleting the pickup box, rear step bumper and standard spare tire, wheel and carrier.”

 

[HarryVanderpool]

O.K., here's another opinion:
WAY, WAY too heavy for an F-250.
My attitude is, the lighter, the better.
I have a 17' aluminum, Intercontental Truck Body bed on our F-550 that weighs less than your design.
Save your steel for another project and buy an aluminum bed.
As stated above; every ounce of bed weight is an ounce of payload you cannot legally haul.

 

[Rustyiron]

"Too heavy" was probably the wrong term. I'm really wondering how much payload it will cost me.

Do you have an aggressive local portable scales police department and commercial signs on your truck? Do they target personal pickups at the dump doing homeowner things? I think that they have bigger fish to fry and don't really understand your worry about half a ton or less of gvw compliance.
It certainly won't bother your truck.

 

[jyoutz]

The locust wood is awesome, but will really eat into your payload. Why not just cover your flat bed with a sheet of ridged steel?

 

[IHDiesel73L]

O.K., here's another opinion:
WAY, WAY too heavy for an F-250.
My attitude is, the lighter, the better.
I have a 17' aluminum, Intercontental Truck Body bed on our F-550 that weighs less than your design.
Save your steel for another project and buy an aluminum bed.
As stated above; every ounce of bed weight is an ounce of payload you cannot legally haul.

I mean, I'd love to, but I had the $$$ to drop on an aluminum bed I wouldn't even consider building one myself.

Do you have an aggressive local portable scales police department and commercial signs on your truck? Do they target personal pickups at the dump doing homeowner things? I think that they have bigger fish to fry and don't really understand your worry about half a ton or less of gvw compliance.
It certainly won't bother your truck.

It's a personal vehicle and there is no way I'd ever get weighed, etc... I'm not worried about "compliance" but rather what the truck is designed to do or not to do. Obviously there is a safety factor built in, but GVWRs exist for a reason. The suspension, brakes and tires are all designed around it.

The locust wood is awesome, but will really eat into your payload. Why not just cover your flat bed with a sheet of ridged steel?

Love the look of a wood bed and the wood is free. I have a ton of locust on my property and I use it to build all kinds of stuff. It's incredibly hard, incredibly rot resistant and looks really nice as well. Finally, around here, a sheet of steel that large is stupid expensive. All in all I think I got what I needed from jwmorris' post about bed weight. The amount that an 800lb flatbed will cut into my payload is negligible.