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Building a flat bed

1994ch

1994ch

Well-Known Member
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Location
South Carolina
I have been thinking about building a flat bed...trying to come up with the steel right now. A friend of mine built a couple by building the frame and welding the sheet to it. He said that the hardest part was keeping it from warping as he welded it. It still ended up with a good bit of warp in it. Any tips on keeping everything flat? Thanks.
 
What welding experience do you have? Any particular type welding you planned to use......tig, mig...arc?
I have some recommendations for you as far as how to keep it from warping no matter what "science" you use, but I need to know a little more. And what gauge/thickness steel are you planning to use for sheeting and what are you using for framing material?
 
I have done some welding...(all arc welding)...mostly welding up cattle pens and tacking old trailers back together. But I am pretty much self-taught so I am no expert. Basically I am here for advise. What gauge do you recommend? Do you know what most flat beds use. I don't want it to weigh like a tank but I don't want it to be weak either. Have not gotten exact measurements but I was thinking 3" rectangular tubing for the frame. For design something like the one in your sig....if it is not to challenging...if it is I'll stop when I get a good simple flat bed and add on later.
Thanks
 
Mostly I see 4" rectangular tubing for flat bed frames.
I would use 1/8 floor (diamond) plate for the deck, you'd be amazed at how much grip it really has.
Mine is still a long way from finished.
 
I am trying to carve out some time to do this...probably a summer project. So if I make a 4 in tubing rectangle, how many cross pieces do I need for central support? Or maybe a better way to ask it is how often should I put a cross piece. Thanks a lot for the help! And any tips on keeping it flat would be great.
 
What will the length and width be? Is it going on a dually? Will you need heavy capacity on the rear bumper for towing? Will you have a 5'er hitch or g/k hitch in it?
 
It has a 8 ft. bed, not a dually, seems like it is 6ft wide maybe, (have not measured it recently). It will need a g/k hitch and a rear bumper ball.
 
The hitch will be sunken. I am assuming that it will be somewhat taller than stock because I do not want a hump for the wheels.
 
Just realized that my reply about the g/n hitch made it sound as though it does not have one now...it does. I posted some pics of it to see if yall think it will work the way it is, or if I need to take it out and redo it.
 
You should not have to raise the bed at ll to clear your tires, the only reason yuo want to do an arch for the wheels is if you want to skirt the bed. Makein your existing G/N work will make it harder than just building a new unit attached to the bed, just runa n 8" channel accross the bed at the point directly over your axle, and weld in a ball. You can use a standar ball just make sure it is raw steel not chrome, your welds will be pathetic and penetration will not be as good as a raw steel ball, get a very strong one overkill IS needed here drill a hole throught the channel and weld both sides of the ball.
 
I concur, welding in the ball is feasible though it's not something I would leave up to someone who was not experienced. Most of the flatbeds I've seen or been around have something like this:

BW_flatbed_web.jpg


Note, the bracket welds in providing much more surface for your weld and it is not one of those folding hide-a-ball setups. It is a 2-5/16" ball rated for 30k lbs with a 7.5k lbs tongue weight.
 
Yes, that is what I was kinda getting at........ I have welded some in, but I ALWAYS recomend that the perosn replace the ball if there is a problem rather than "weld it out" for them. I have no doubt my welds would hold and I am sure the ball would break before one of my weld would, but I still prefer things to be removable, like putting a flat bed on or installing a g/n ball chanel accross the frame rails.........bolt everything in, never know when you may need to take it off.......... or in the case of a welder......when you may want to change something and make it better :D
 
What I was thinking was leaving the ball like it is now....and cutting a hole in the deck over it. Or is the way it is now not good and I need to improve? Correct me if I am wrong but it looks to me like the deck will need to be slightly higher than where the top of the ball is now. That way when I load it down and the springs get squashed the tires won't be up against the bed.
 
If you use something like 4" light c-channel with a 2" web for your main rails then 3" c with a 1-1/2" web for cross bracing that should put you high enough for your ball wo be sunk below deck height and give you plenty clearance so you won't need "bed humps" for tire clearance..
Use 2 pcs. length of bed in 4" c and 4 pcs of 3" c for crossmbers, spce crossmembers will depend on exactly how long you want the deck.
The 4" will be set @ the frame rail width the length and be against the frame rails, then your cross. 3" will be stacked on top of that. you'll weld your deck plate to the 3" in stich welds and use something like 3/4 x 3/4 or 1 x 1 angle between the crossmembers with the v turned to the deck between crossmembers to stiffen the decking and hold down on warp.
 
no offense, but that channel currently holding your ball doen't look like "much" to me...........i'd build a pocket out of channel and plate to put it in that ties it to the beds frame whcih in turn will tie it to the frame.
 
On another note.......... I was always taught and have always since, made the ball placement directly over the yoke of the rearend. All factory installed hitches I have seen matched this "theory" also.
 
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