Cab&Chassis flat bed mounting
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2012
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From: Back in the sticks of VA
Cab&Chassis flat bed mounting
A couple weeks ago, I scored a used flat bed for $275 bucks. It's 9' long. I believe it to be a Knapheide westerner. I and my dad are trying to figure out how to attach it. We're going to use oak boards for spacing, but how to attach it to the frame has got us stumped. How did y'all do yours?
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X2 on what dirty said, was it rotted?
How did the middle bed look:
88x10ft steel flatbed 34 in sub frame
I need one for my cab and chassis IDI
How did the middle bed look:
88x10ft steel flatbed 34 in sub frame
I need one for my cab and chassis IDI
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From: Co
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Senior User
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From: Back in the sticks of VA
LOL! How did ya figure out that was the guy I bought my bed from? The middle one was very nice. It lacked lights, but was in much better shape than mine. I think he was asking $500. As for my pickup bed, It was so banged up, it just didn't work for what I needed. One of the bed sides had a busted weld, there is several cracks in the floor, there's a big hole in the middle that isn't in the center of the bed, and it didn't fit my truck well. Thanks for the article.
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Hah, photographic memory I guess, I remember seeing the ad. I won't be back in VA for another month, hopefully I'll get there in time to go check that middle bed out, sounds exactly like what I'm looking for.
To answer your original question, the standard way to mount a flatbed seems to be with big U Bolts (a larger version of what our springs bolt on the axle with) - usually there will also be a spot where the bed is bolted to the frame, of course since that was off a C&C truck you might need to make special brackets. A lot of times you will see wood as a spacer between with bed and frame.
To answer your original question, the standard way to mount a flatbed seems to be with big U Bolts (a larger version of what our springs bolt on the axle with) - usually there will also be a spot where the bed is bolted to the frame, of course since that was off a C&C truck you might need to make special brackets. A lot of times you will see wood as a spacer between with bed and frame.
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Joined: Dec 2010
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From: Arkansas
All of the flatbeds Ive looked at were either welded on of had square ubolts holding the frames together. If/when I pull the dump bed off my '85, Im more than likely going to mount it like the military mounts the M109 box to the frame. Piece of angle on the truck frame & a matching piece on the box. Bolt through them that has a spring between the nut/washer & one of the angles.
I looked real quick & I dont have a picture of it nor found one online. This is a truck like my friend has that I found out about the sprung mounts.
I looked real quick & I dont have a picture of it nor found one online. This is a truck like my friend has that I found out about the sprung mounts.
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All of the flatbeds Ive looked at were either welded on of had square ubolts holding the frames together. If/when I pull the dump bed off my '85, Im more than likely going to mount it like the military mounts the M109 box to the frame. Piece of angle on the truck frame & a matching piece on the box. Bolt through them that has a spring between the nut/washer & one of the angles.
I looked real quick & I dont have a picture of it nor found one online. This is a truck like my friend has that I found out about the sprung mounts.
I looked real quick & I dont have a picture of it nor found one online. This is a truck like my friend has that I found out about the sprung mounts.
If the flatbed is built hell for stout, and it solid to the frame, especially if welded, it can crack the frame at the spring hangers or right in front of the bed. Honestly idk about the spring hangers, i was told, but ive seen them crack in front of the bed. Welding compounds the problem even further as it makes the frame brittle.
FWIW i liked the way the dually bed looked too
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From: Back in the sticks of VA
OK thanks. I'll probably go with the U bolt idea, if I can find them. Hate to disappoint ya guys, but the flatbed is going to stay I think. 
Got to get more use out of the truck for the farm, like hauling animals, hay, and other stuff. The versatility of the flatbed and custom sides, will be nice. The pickup box just didn't work.
Got to get more use out of the truck for the farm, like hauling animals, hay, and other stuff. The versatility of the flatbed and custom sides, will be nice. The pickup box just didn't work.
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OK thanks. I'll probably go with the U bolt idea, if I can find them. Hate to disappoint ya guys, but the flatbed is going to stay I think. Got to get more use out of the truck for the farm, like hauling animals, hay, and other stuff. The versatility of the flatbed and custom sides, will be nice. The pickup box just didn't work.
Got to get more use out of the truck for the farm, like hauling animals, hay, and other stuff. The versatility of the flatbed and custom sides, will be nice. The pickup box just didn't work.
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Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Western Mass
Any spring shop should be able to bend up whatever sized U-bolts you're looking for. Just look for a local spring shop, or heavy duty truck shop. Bring in your dimensions and they can bend it while you wait. (at least thats what I did when I was replacing my rear springs).
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From: Peterborough, Ontario
Don't get too worried about welding on these and stiffening the frames. My dually with flatbed dump has welds all over the original frame because it was rotting out in a couple places, and I then built a 2x3 rectangular tube subframe for the dump bed to sit on, that is also welded solid to the frame. No signs of cracks yet, and that truck has likely dumped thousands of tons of material since I did it. The job I just finished up it hauled about 600 tons of material alone. (It was shuttling it 1/8 to 1/2 mile from where the dump trucks could get to.)
I even did the 'no-no' of vertical welds on the upright section of the frame in 3 places. The only issue I have with it is now the cross member for the rear cab mounts is rotting out, and the cab is twisting due to it, lol!!
I even did the 'no-no' of vertical welds on the upright section of the frame in 3 places. The only issue I have with it is now the cross member for the rear cab mounts is rotting out, and the cab is twisting due to it, lol!!
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