Reader Emails: Dodge, Toyota, Ram, and Ford Flatbed and Custom Bed 4x4 Pickups!

Flatbed Dodge

I ended up putting a flatbed on my 1992 Dodge W250 diesel after I found that most of the spot welds on the bed were broken because of metal fatigue from four-wheeling. I installed the bed an extra 4 inches high to clear the 35s. I've wheeled it all over Arizona and used it as a tow truck for my RV trailer when camping. I love the utility of the bed, even with the twin boxes on each side. I sold it in 2016 and bought a 1991.5 Dodge W250 Diesel automatic with a flatbed already installed. My pickups will always be flatbeds.

Steve

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Versatile Flatbed

Attached are some pics of my 2005 Ram 3500 SRW truck. This truck is equipped with a 5.9L Cummins with a six-speed Allison transmission, 5-inch-diameter, one-piece aluminum driveshaft, air bag suspension, and a Titan 60-gallon fuel tank.

The bed is unique in that with the sides on and up, it becomes an 8.5-foot-long, 6.5-foot-wide, almost 13-inch-deep box. The sides and tailgate are completely detachable for a true flatbed. The aluminum structure shown actually mounts onto the flatbed (with headache rack and sides removed) and has retractable stairs for a bed-mounted camper. I don't know if you could ask for a more versatile unit especially with all the storage. Use your imagination!

Dave

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Custom Bed for Welding and Wheeling

Here is my custom bed I designed and built to meet a variety of needs. Camping, mall runs, and mostly for mobile welding.

Otwell Welding

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Titan Needs Flatbed

I just got done reading your feature about the flatbeds. I don't have a picture to send you, but I will say that I'd like to see a setup for a Nissan Titan. I have a 2016 Titan XD with a diesel, and nobody seems to be doing much with these trucks.

Ryan

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Toasted Bed to Flatbed

When I first started wheeling my rig was a 1985 F-250 with a regular bed. I went through two beds due to trashing them on the trail. After that truck died I eventually ended up with this 1991 Ford F-250. It's nothing impressive. A small-block 351 V-8 with a ZF five-speed. It was a retired farm truck sitting in a field (what was I thinking?). The bed was toast. Holes were cut for fuel pump replacement, and it was so warped from hauling round bales the tailgate would not shut. After I got it back to life, I had to find a bed. Lucky for me, my uncle gave me this flatbed ("It's in my way—take it. "). I was not liking it at first, but let me tell you, I haul scrap metal at my shop, and it's a game between the guys on how many rotors you can throw at the bed—no one has made a dent. I installed a toolbox under the passenger side so I don't have to climb up in the bed (6-inch lift and 35s makes it tall). I even put on a stack to push the smoke up from the tired small-block. But what's best is I can bounce this thing off trees while I trail ride and not bat an eye. I should have gotten a flatbed years ago. Soon it's getting a Harbor Freight hoist, then who knows what. I say borrow a buddy's flatbed for a week—you will find yourself wanting one.

William

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