attaching a flatbed...
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attaching a flatbed...
i work at a coal mine as the outside mechanic and i am building a flatbed for my f-350, so ive been looking at every delivery truck to appear on the job gathering ideas... ive seen alot with wood between the bed and frame... whats up with that??? some with u-bolts holding the bed to the frame, and still others with tabs welded to the bed that bolt on the side of the frame rails to hold it on. i am leaning toward welding some tabs on that bolt up and using the u-bolts as well, i just dont know where to get u-bolts that large... 
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The wood is used to compensate for the not-flat frame.
Are you building on an F350 Cab and Chassis, the frame is 34" wide.
Or are you building on a pickup chassis? The frame is 37.5" wide.
I have a cab and chassis, i don't know about the pickups.
The cab and chassis frame is flat behind the cab, but right at the spring hanger, the frame bends up, flattens out, then arches up again at the helper spring perch. It stays elevated over the axle, then steps down at the helper spring pad, flattens out, then steps down down at the rear spring hanger area, then flattens out again to the end of the frame.
The wood has the elevations cut out so that your body will set flat on the wood.
A far as the U-Bolts go...check out your local Leaf Spring shop. My local shop will bend a U-Bolt however you want...on the spot.
I had 4 U-Bolts made for an axle and it took about 5 minutes for all four.
All they need is measurements.
Are you building on an F350 Cab and Chassis, the frame is 34" wide.
Or are you building on a pickup chassis? The frame is 37.5" wide.
I have a cab and chassis, i don't know about the pickups.
The cab and chassis frame is flat behind the cab, but right at the spring hanger, the frame bends up, flattens out, then arches up again at the helper spring perch. It stays elevated over the axle, then steps down at the helper spring pad, flattens out, then steps down down at the rear spring hanger area, then flattens out again to the end of the frame.
The wood has the elevations cut out so that your body will set flat on the wood.
A far as the U-Bolts go...check out your local Leaf Spring shop. My local shop will bend a U-Bolt however you want...on the spot.
I had 4 U-Bolts made for an axle and it took about 5 minutes for all four.
All they need is measurements.
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thanks for the replys guys... i agree M.S.L.C. wholeheartedly! mine is a cab and chassis like yours BOB, it has the same raised place in the frame, to overcome this i built my bed frame then, placed it on 4 pieces of 4x4x1/4 square tubing to get it over the bump in the frame...seems to have worked out well. here is a link to some pics...
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3366241
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3366241
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you know how sometimes you "cant see the forest for the trees"? ive been trying to find the correct length u-bolts for my bed, when a friend of mine suggested, "hey, you should just cut some flat stock, drill holes in it, and use one on top and one on bottom with some grade 8 allthread." i kind of had that "duh" look on my face.... problem solved! 
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i had some custom u bolts made at some hole in the wall shop and they made em in any size you could need. Just check around to local shops someone can tell you who makes em. I think mine were 12 a piece for 12" long out of 9/16 grade 8 material
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If you use the threaded rod with plates top and bottom, you'll have a nut and some rod sticking out on top...will that interfere with your bed top?
U-Bolts will not leave anything but the flat thickness of the bolt.
What if you welded threaded rod to the sides of your steel bed where ever your hold down location is?
You would have them anchored directly to the bed on one end, and then use flat stock and nuts on the bottom.
As far as not finding a source for U-Bolts...did you check with a local Leaf Spring shop? I had U-Bolts bent on the spot while I waited. They have different lengths of threaded stock. They insert the dimensions on their machine, insert rod, and bend. I didn't see the process, but that's about as quick as it happened. Are you located near any kind of big rig repair shop? Travel trailer repair shop? Truck equipment center? Leaf Spring shop? I imagine these places would all have something for you...or at least a recommendation where you would be able to get some. Maybe even a hardware store like Tractor Supply, ACE, Home Depot, or Lowe's in the hardware section. Not available in Grade 8, but if you double your amount of hold-downs...it might be "ok..ish" until you locate some heavier material.
U-Bolts will not leave anything but the flat thickness of the bolt.
What if you welded threaded rod to the sides of your steel bed where ever your hold down location is?
You would have them anchored directly to the bed on one end, and then use flat stock and nuts on the bottom.
As far as not finding a source for U-Bolts...did you check with a local Leaf Spring shop? I had U-Bolts bent on the spot while I waited. They have different lengths of threaded stock. They insert the dimensions on their machine, insert rod, and bend. I didn't see the process, but that's about as quick as it happened. Are you located near any kind of big rig repair shop? Travel trailer repair shop? Truck equipment center? Leaf Spring shop? I imagine these places would all have something for you...or at least a recommendation where you would be able to get some. Maybe even a hardware store like Tractor Supply, ACE, Home Depot, or Lowe's in the hardware section. Not available in Grade 8, but if you double your amount of hold-downs...it might be "ok..ish" until you locate some heavier material.
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The last flat bed I built was made so that the deck planks would drop in at the rear and slide up to the front and only the last plank needed to be bolted down into a set of countersunk holes.
I also used some 2X4,s and a couple of 4X4's to level things out.
I pieced them together and if needed, cut them out to match the frame so it was a flat surface to mount the bed to.
Be sure and make the cab protector stronger than you think it needs to be!
Get into an accident and having the load push the back of the cab and seat forward to impale you onto the steering wheel is not a fun thing!
I also used some 2X4,s and a couple of 4X4's to level things out.
I pieced them together and if needed, cut them out to match the frame so it was a flat surface to mount the bed to.
Be sure and make the cab protector stronger than you think it needs to be!
Get into an accident and having the load push the back of the cab and seat forward to impale you onto the steering wheel is not a fun thing!
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