Hitch location help - 14' flatbed
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2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2024
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Hitch location help - 14' flatbed
I've got a '99 for F550, single cab, dually. It currently doesn't have a bed, but I've got an 8' x 14' flatbed I'd like to put on it. Problem is, I'd like to use the truck to pull my horse trailer. Currently have a gooseneck trailer, but willing to switch to a 5th wheel trailer if I need to. Heck, if I have to buy a semi trailer to make it work, I will. The dilemma here is, as I have it measured, the gooseneck hitch would be sitting three feet behind the rear axle for the corners of the flatbed to have turning clearance.. which obviously isn't going to work with 6 horses behind me. Ideas? Suggestions? Is there a way I can make this flatbed work? Or is this a lost cause? Thanks
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 111
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Measuring on top of a frame rail, what is the distance from the cab to a point directly above the rear axle?
My cab and chassis trucks are 60" (5ft) and that allows for a bed that is 9.5 or maybe 10ft. A 14ft bed would have 9ft behind the axle and not be a good fit for a 60" cab to axle truck.
Hopefully your F550 measures 84" cab to axle.
My cab and chassis trucks are 60" (5ft) and that allows for a bed that is 9.5 or maybe 10ft. A 14ft bed would have 9ft behind the axle and not be a good fit for a 60" cab to axle truck.
Hopefully your F550 measures 84" cab to axle.
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 293
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Ford made the F-450/550 in three different lengths for 1999 if my information is correct- 60" cab-to-axle centerline (CA), 84" CA, and 120" CA. All of them have 4' of frame rails aft of the axle centerline (AF.) Usually a flatbed is the same length as the distance from the back of the cab to the end of the frame rails (CA + AF) but you can overhang a little bit. The longer the CA, the longer the overhang can be. The general recommendation from Ford as well as many body builders is to put a 9' flatbed on a 60" CA truck, an 11-12' flatbed on an 84" CA truck, and a 14-18' flatbed on a 120" CA truck. I would keep the flatbed to the same length as the frame rails in a truck that was going to pull a gooseneck or fifth wheel trailer as then you shouldn't have issues with clearance with turning if the flatbed only goes to the end of the frame rails.
So, I would either sell the 14' flatbed and get a shorter one that fits your truck, or cut down the 14' flatbed so it does fit your truck since it doesn't look like you have the 120" CA F-550.
So, I would either sell the 14' flatbed and get a shorter one that fits your truck, or cut down the 14' flatbed so it does fit your truck since it doesn't look like you have the 120" CA F-550.
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