When I was a young man, I built trucks with platforms and buckets lifts for a living. Most had a flat deck with the other rigged parts integrated into it.
the chassis were long, and the design we used saved weight and metal. when you're building a truck, weight is a factor, as any you add takes away from the gross.
it was a rectangle with an" X " in the center sitting on top of the frame then, all the cross members were different sizes and welded to the " X " section notched into the rectangle 50/50 then welded.
this was a very ridged design and super strong. I remember, we built a mack all wheel drive truck with a 70ft bucket lift and piled 15 shop guys on the fully extended bucket & boom trying to flex the frame without the out riggers down.. just ever so slightly feeding hydraulic, just getting to tip and release pressure slowly.
truck would have flipped if the kept feeding it hydraulic pressure..
you don't want flex, flex will work the bed to death...and some of that diamond plate is funny material as it is and cracks easily when work hardened.
Also, use a thin strip of 1/4 Teflon liner or hardwood block between the truck frame and your body frame. the frame flexes like you cant imagine, with the flex and nothing in between, depending on the load and what's working at that time, the bolts can and will shear right off the frame, U - bolts are proven better choice
one can tell Lots of love went into your build... nice job!
Thanks for the post mate.
I appreciate it.
~John
Just a couple welders and a couple of big hammers and torches.
Men in dirty jeans built this country, while men in clean suits have destroyed it.
Trump/Carson 2016-2024
Well my plan to build a bed with my brother in law went out the window this week thanks to a deer. After hitting a deer on the interstate and destroying his rig he had one week to get his new rig on the road so he bought a pre made bed for it. On a brighter note he hit it 3 miles from his house and he was fine.
It's always best to build your own, especially when it comes to hitches!!!
Matt
mcoe wrote:Well my plan to build a bed with my brother in law went out the window this week thanks to a deer. After hitting a deer on the interstate and destroying his rig he had one week to get his new rig on the road so he bought a pre made bed for it. On a brighter note he hit it 3 miles from his house and he was fine.
Well,
That sure is a bummer.
I hope my guy don't wreck his truck, I'd cry for days....
Just a couple welders and a couple of big hammers and torches.
Men in dirty jeans built this country, while men in clean suits have destroyed it.
Trump/Carson 2016-2024
Braehill wrote:John,
I see your three weeks of summer is already over, back to ice road trucking.
Len
LMFAO....I was thinking the same damn thing. We've been lucky not much of the white stuff up here YET.
I weld stainless, stainless and more stainless...Food Industry, sanitary process piping, vessels, whatever is needed, I like to make stuff.
ASME IX, AWS 17.1, D1.1
Instagram #RNHFAB
I don't know how you guys do it, every year I swear it's my last here as I can't stand the snow. Then we get a mild one like we've had this year, only snowed and stuck twice so far. When you grow up you don't get snow days like when you were a kid, so I'm over it lol.
I weld stainless, stainless and more stainless...Food Industry, sanitary process piping, vessels, whatever is needed, I like to make stuff.
ASME IX, AWS 17.1, D1.1
Instagram #RNHFAB
In AUS, you can have A mountain view, not as spectacular, but nice, with out freezing yo ass off. But we are a fair bit lower than that pic. And closer to the equator.
Glad to be around people who can see welding as a passion.
