I did the unthinkable...

[oldschoolcraig]

I've been in business for 5 years and finally got tired of pulling the enclosed trailer. After a loader incident with the side of the truck I decided to do this. What do you think?

:hammerhead:

[oldschoolcraig]

I've changed a lot of things around this year so I can get by with one primary mower, which will be my walk-behind Encore. I'll post more pics when it's all painted. Been hard working between snow storms on this project.

[dgZtrak737]

I really like it. I would like to find me an old 1 ton truck and do the same thing. What about reverse lights, and a ramp. How do you get your mower on there

[Lawnworks]

What about a gate? I like the idea, but I would build some nicer sides.

[oldschoolcraig]

It's still a work-in-progress. I have another month to finish the gate. It will be fold down off the back. I'm still debating on the sides, whether I want them removable or sides like on a trailer. The rest of the lights are coming. This is not done by a long shot, just got impatient tonight and wanted to see what you all thought.

[Lawnworks]

Awesome. I think a fold down side would be nice. I have one on my isuzu landscape bed and they come in real handy when loading plants, pallets, or scouping off debris. Let me know if you need any pics of my landscape body.

[oldschoolcraig]

Lawnworks - YES, I would love to have pics of the fold down side. The design for this project keeps evolving. It will eventually be a lot like the dovetail Dodge that is on this site.

What would others add or change? I need to wrap this up in the next month. I only handle 35 yards a week (doing this part-time for now). Most of them can be done with the 48" walk-behind. The push mower is for about 3 that have small gates.

[LindblomRJ]

I would add tool boxes under the bed. The other thing would be the ability to pull a trailer if you so desired.

It looks good.

[fool32696]

Looks good, but if I went through the effort I'd get a pickup with an 8 foot bed so that there is some space.

[Classified]

i think that you did a great job. its the only flat bed on a SRW trucki like that ive seen.

Since you asked, there are a few things id change.

One, id tuck in the rar a little bit so its not so wide in the back. it will also help with the pivot when you turn the truck so your backend wont swing out so much and hit things. good example would be the gas pumps.

The other big thin i would do is make that dovetail section somwhat removable. you have no way to tow a trailer which could bit you in the but later on. also if you ever wanted to put a Vbed salter in there the dovetail wouldnt work. so i would make that removable

The swing down side would be real nice

Reverse lights

Tool boxes under the bed. it will look really nice anf youll get some added storage too.

Other than that, it think it looks awesome, even as is

[MarcSmith]

get rid of the 21" and you have much more space....

I'd weld in some D rings to the floor for Tie downs for the mower

fold down/removable expanded metal sides would be great for when you need to haul stuff to the dump. On the passenger side you could incorporate the trimmer rack with the sides.

You could make some small tool boxes in front of and behind the wheels and hang them under the bed. this could be for fuel cans, trimmer line, extra blades, ect...

under the dove tail you have enough room for some long handled tools.

I agree that a longer bed would be nice, and also some way to access the trailer hitch...juts in case you ever need to tow something.

[Lawnworks]

Here are some pics...................................

[ExclusiveLawnCare]

dude, very nice work, smart thinking.

Yeah just give it some time everything will come together just how you want it.

[merrimacmill]

May be a dumb question, but how do you weld near the gas tank? I've been planning on doing the same thing to an s-10 and I was planning on building it off the truck and then mounting it on just because of the gas tank issue.

[MarcSmith]

as long as you keep the gas tank cap closed you should not have any problems. If you are really scared, you could alway siphon the gas out of the tank or cover it....another option would be to have a fan blowing such that there are no gas fume build ups...and it keeps the sparks moving away from the tank.

[shepoutside]

Under tool boxes like this, would be nice, and try to keep a hitch too.... Looks Awesum BTW, and you will love working from this set up!!!

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b11/shepoutside/22234.jpg

[merrimacmill]

as long as you keep the gas tank cap closed you should not have any problems. If you are really scared, you could alway siphon the gas out of the tank or cover it....another option would be to have a fan blowing such that there are no gas fume build ups...and it keeps the sparks moving away from the tank.



I've herd guys say to fill the tank all the way since the fuel doesn't blow up, its just the fumes that do. But that idea seems a bit crazy to me. I always wonder how these muffler guys just jump under there and mig weld mufflers on with out a worry. I would atleast be Tig welding so the sparks would be kept to a minimum.

[Lawn Enforcer]

It looks very good! Add the hitch like the others said.

[oldschoolcraig]

Thanks all. And yes there will be hitch on it. As for the gas tank,i did 90% of the welding on the truck. I was more afraid of sparks on the paint than the gas tank after all the gas or diesel in my case is in the tank. I was a bodyman for 17 years welding inside and outside of cars never caught one on fire but seen a lot of pitted glass from the sparks. (not from me)

[RWS]

really nice job!

[THEGOLDPRO]

looks pretty good man. should work out nicely when its all done.

[mowing grass 1111]

Under tool boxes like this, would be nice, and try to keep a hitch too.... Looks Awesum BTW, and you will love working from this set up!!!

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b11/shepoutside/22234.jpg

you have more pics of this setup:waving:

[LindblomRJ]

you have more pics of this setup:waving:

Accucut Lawn care has some threads on this.

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=174319

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=166690

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=178574

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=171384

[lifetree]

Congratulations, it's nice, however, I don't think I would have been willing to do that to my truck !!

[South Florida Lawns]

Hell yeah now thats one commercial GMC!

[mowing grass 1111]

Accucut Lawn care has some threads on this.

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=174319

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=166690

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=178574

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=171384

thanks for the pics... i would like to do the same setup but with an 8 foot bed with frenched tail lights and ramps that side in under the bed like on a car trailer

[LindblomRJ]

thanks for the pics... i would like to do the same setup but with an 8 foot bed with frenched tail lights and ramps that side in under the bed like on a car trailer
I have a regular flatbed on my 79 Ford. I would like to do something like this on my Chevrolet someday.

I am supposed to build a flatbed for a 92 Ford F250.

[ruffs]

Good job mate. you got it right on . but a few things your going to need to do. Take that off slip some oak strips on the rails, clamp it on with grade 8 u bolts damn tight then drill your frame rails. only after that do you put in your through bolts. Iv instaled truck bodies and that wont hold up for long. oak wont rot and will take the vibrations out that are going to tare that setup apart.you got the tabs right but they should be chanele. not to bust your balls but id hate to see your whole rig flung off around a turn should be an easy fix. pleas heed my advise

[MJS]

Wow, that is one of the coolest ideas I've ever seen. Gets rid of the trailer problem. Really sharp looking - I'll bet it saves on the gas, too.

[GraZZmaZter]

Hmmmm .... not sure if i like it, but its definately different.

[S man]

Looks good. Make sure you put something behind that scag so it doesn't fall off!

[YoungGun]

This is awesome.. thanks for the good ideas!

[IA_James]

I'd put some diamond plate tool boxes underneath if for some eye candy. Looks great so far though.

[jaybow]

It's still a work-in-progress. I have another month to finish the gate. It will be fold down off the back. I'm still debating on the sides, whether I want them removable or sides like on a trailer. The rest of the lights are coming. This is not done by a long shot, just got impatient tonight and wanted to see what you all thought.

Hey have you added a lift gate or anything to the flatbed? What do you think it would cost to have something like that made?I have an old chevy with an 8foot bed I would like to have something like that on.

[GriffinLawnService]

i think that it looks great man keep up the good work

[Lawn Freak]

Well how does this thing look these days? I want to see the finished result :waving:

[The Elements Group]

I would extend the angle iron and have a cab over.. you just never know when you are going to need more room for certian things........and yes higher sides and removable or 1 side fold down.... looks good keep it up

[Lawn Freak]

Also I would put mesh or something to protect your back window also. That would be a nice place to mount a lightbar too for plowing. :)

[IntegrityGuy]

I would add tool boxes under the bed. The other thing would be the ability to pull a trailer if you so desired.

It looks good.

yep i agree boxes under the bed would give you storage space for gas cans tools and trimmer string and it would also hide the underbody.

[davis45]

Wow, old post lol. Anyone know what to expect to spend start to finish on a project like this? I'm still trying to figure out ways not to add another truck this season but I may have to.

[georgiagrass]

Why does this make more sense than buying an NPR with a landscape bed, or another truck with a landscape bed, or a box truck with a dove tail?????

[Classified]

because he already has the truck and didnt want to or couldnt afford to buy another truck?

[EagleGrounds]

Lets see some pics of it finished!!!


P.S. sorry to bring up and old post but i wanna see this set up!

[dirtfan1981]

hey old school, my name is chris and also live in kcmo. Any way i was thing for a while of building a flat bed similiar to yours for a while. My truck already has a flat bed but was going to add beaver tail and gate. as to i had sold my trailer. I was wandering if u had any finished pictures or your bed u could send me by chance.

thanks Chris

[WeCare-LawnCare]

Thanks for bringing this thread back, as I'm getting a bed made for my truck, and the pic's helped the welder a lot !!!!

[vinny69]

by removing the bumper you lost the strengh and your going to bend the frame

[Lux Lawn]

I actually have always liked this kind of truck & trailer combo. It is very easy to get around in.

[ambersLawnmowing]

by removing the bumper you lost the strengh and your going to bend the frame

Really? 4 bolts on each side make the frame not bend? I have a roll pan on one of my trucks with a dump bed. Is the frame going to bend on it also? LOL where do people come up with this stuff.