What does HL think regular bed or flat

Bronco Mike · Jul 3, 2020

Got this 79 f150 gona be a trail truck . Got tons and 40s for it. If I sold the bed and made a flatbed I could shorten the overhang about a foot. What do y'all think?

MoparMan · Jul 3, 2020

I would keep the factory bed, but still cut off the excess and put it back together. Or cut off the excess and dove tail it.

RustyC · Jul 4, 2020

Agreed. Keeping some of the bed if it is solid enough to work with. If it doesn't work out a flatbed is always an option.
Maybe cut on the red line? could look funny on the cab side.

Bronco Mike · Jul 4, 2020

The bed is in better shape than what pix show . I don't know what a short bed goes for. I hate to cut it up.

TMac · Jul 4, 2020

I can't imagine it would got for more than what it would cost you in steel to rebuild it as a flat bed

GSI · Jul 4, 2020

I vote flat bed. Having had a full sized trail truck with a regular bed, it sucks trying to tie stuff down in the bed. Adding tie down points in a sheet metal bed kinda sucks. Its hard to get it not to pull the sheet metal at the tie down points. Less overhang is always better.

felipecj · Jul 5, 2020

Definitely flat bed

Bronco Mike · Jul 5, 2020

I'm pretty sure I can't sell the bed for what it would cost me to build a flatbed but somebody might need a short bed for a project they got and I've got some leftover diamond plate from when I did my trailer a few months ago

Lil ugly · Jul 6, 2020

Hate to beat up a good short bed on the trail. It would look cool dovetailed and bobbed though.

rugger99 · Jul 6, 2020

Lil ugly said:
Hate to beat up a good short bed on the trail. It would look cool dovetailed and bobbed though.

This ^^^^

crashhawk · Jul 6, 2020

Another vote for flatbed here. The flexibility of adding tie down points and not having to watch caving in bedsides. Also a well built flat will stiffen your chassis a bit to help with frame flex.
As far as cost effectiveness, who knows.

Bronco Mike · Jul 6, 2020

crashhawk said:
Another vote for flatbed here. The flexibility of adding tie down points and not having to watch caving in bedsides. Also a well built flat will stiffen your chassis a bit to help with frame flex.
As far as cost effectiveness, who knows.

What does cost-effective have to do with this hobby .

TBItoy · Jul 7, 2020

At least let the bed get a little mashed up before ditching it

xjmarc · Jul 7, 2020

A nicely done bobbed bed would look sweet.

Jody Treadway · Jul 7, 2020

I vote to dove it. Build your own tubular structure and then skin the sides for appearance. This is an old pic of my trail rig, but you get the idea. I recently added a much bigger cell and placed it behind the axle. In front of it is purpose build tie downs, cooler mount, etc.