Going from a box to a flat bed - TIPS?

[DieselDetroit]

Hey guys,

I am wanting to replace my longbox with a flat bed. Does anyone have any tips? I have a friend who is well experienced welder and has done several.

But, I am wondering, Are there any premade or DIY kits that you just bolt together and add 4x8s for example? If there is anything other than "build from scratch", I'd like to know

Thanks all

1993 K2500 6.5 TD longbox regular cab

 

[Blue95]

No kits that I know of, I work for a manufacturer here in the states that does custom truck beds. You can have it built however you want, but you don't want to put more than an 8-9" bed on it due the cab to axle distance, to long of a bed and you will have safety issues when loaded.

We use tongue and groove pine for the floors, channel long sills and cross members.

 

[badazzbulldog]

check local junkyards the yard my friend runs saves every flatbed rackbody or dump and resells them.pricewise depending on condition of the floors or anything else on them they run from 200 to 600 dollars

 

[Blue95]

That would be a good route to go and re-do it. A plain Jane bed with a wood floor brand new painted with a bulkhead would be like 3500 from us.

 

[DieselDetroit]

Does every longbox bed line up? Or does it need to be from a regular cab.

I see 3500HD trucks in yards every now and then. COuld I use one of those?

 

[Blue95]

The for sure way is to measure the CA (cab to axle) measurement of your truck and the truck the bed is coming off of.