Getting a flatbed installed next week

[saltbranch]

I am finally getting a flatbed installed on my 13' F250 next week. Its one made for the single wheel trucks. I am adding load lights to the rear and side on the headache rack. The head ache rack is not the rounded corner style, I am going with the post style I guess its called. So you can headache longer material and haul it. I am adding atleast 1 each-30 to 36" box. I am hoping to add more but that will be determined once the bed is on and see what kind of room is available. All lights on the bed are going to be LED. The rear hitch will either stay stock or be built into the bed, again bed fitment will determine. I am going with the Cadet Western style bed. So any options you add? Any must haves?
Thanks

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

I am finally getting a flatbed installed on my 13' F250 next week. Its one made for the single wheel trucks. I am adding load lights to the rear and side on the headache rack. The head ache rack is not the rounded corner style, I am going with the post style I guess its called. So you can headache longer material and haul it. I am adding atleast 1 each-30 to 36" box. I am hoping to add more but that will be determined once the bed is on and see what kind of room is available. All lights on the bed are going to be LED. The rear hitch will either stay stock or be built into the bed, again bed fitment will determine. I am going with the Cadet Western style bed. So any options you add? Any must haves?
Thanks

My recommendation would be to have it wired by a professional, not the bed installer. There are "plug and play" harness' available, but they all require a little bit of hard wiring. If the installer isn't soldering and shrink wrapping, you will have problems in a year or two. Everyone around here charges $700-$1000, so we put our own on. We've got it down to just a few hours to install one. I'm sure it's not OSHA approved, but set the brake and put the truck in reverse for load lights. LED backup lights are plenty bright! Congrats on your purchase.....You'll never go back to a pickup bed. :nod:

 

[callmefence]

Farm nailed the biggest problem.
Out of 11 flatbeds I've had installed EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. Eventually had wiring problems. Have the harness put in conduit. And all connections soldered .

 

[Lucky]

Flatbeds should be a factory option. I agree on the install the wiring can be a pain. Make sure the shop has done one before. Some of the newer trucks with all the sensors and cameras can really complicated.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

Flatbeds should be a factory option. I agree on the install the wiring can be a pain. Make sure the shop has done one before. Some of the newer trucks with all the sensors and cameras can really complicated.

I've got a bed coming next week for the Chevy we picked up last fall. It has a backup camera in the tailgate, and I haven't researched anything about moving it yet. I'm hoping it's not too difficult to get sorted out.

 

[hillbilly beef man]

:?

Flatbeds should be a factory option. I agree on the install the wiring can be a pain. Make sure the shop has done one before. Some of the newer trucks with all the sensors and cameras can really complicated.

I've got a bed coming next week for the Chevy we picked up last fall. It has a backup camera in the tailgate, and I haven't researched anything about moving it yet. I'm hoping it's not too difficult to get sorted out.

Ford has what is called "customer placed camera" that is for this. You might check to see if Chevy offers the same thing.

 

[fence_it]

Flatbeds should be a factory option. I agree on the install the wiring can be a pain. Make sure the shop has done one before. Some of the newer trucks with all the sensors and cameras can really complicated.

I've got a bed coming next week for the Chevy we picked up last fall. It has a backup camera in the tailgate, and I haven't researched anything about moving it yet. I'm hoping it's not too difficult to get sorted out.

We moved the backup camera on our Ram from the regular bed to the flatbed when we installed it. Not too complicated, hardest part was getting all the wiring for it out of the tailgate. After that just plug the wiring back into the truck, and drill a hole in the flatbed to mount the camera to. Really nice for backing up to trailers.

 

[callmefence]

Flatbeds should be a factory option. I agree on the install the wiring can be a pain. Make sure the shop has done one before. Some of the newer trucks with all the sensors and cameras can really complicated.

I've got a bed coming next week for the Chevy we picked up last fall. It has a backup camera in the tailgate, and I haven't researched anything about moving it yet. I'm hoping it's not too difficult to get sorted out.

We moved the backup camera on our Ram from the regular bed to the flatbed when we installed it. Not too complicated, hardest part was getting all the wiring for it out of the tailgate. After that just plug the wiring back into the truck, and drill a hole in the flatbed to mount the camera to. Really nice for backing up to trailers.

I bought a rolling chassis. I got the camera and harness in a bag. We put the truck straight to work. One rainy day we backed it up in the shop to install the camera. When they put the bed on they got the truck side of the harness mashed between the frame and the bed. :bang:

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

I've got a bed coming next week for the Chevy we picked up last fall. It has a backup camera in the tailgate, and I haven't researched anything about moving it yet. I'm hoping it's not too difficult to get sorted out.

We moved the backup camera on our Ram from the regular bed to the flatbed when we installed it. Not too complicated, hardest part was getting all the wiring for it out of the tailgate. After that just plug the wiring back into the truck, and drill a hole in the flatbed to mount the camera to. Really nice for backing up to trailers.

I bought a rolling chassis. I got the camera and harness in a bag. We put the truck straight to work. One rainy day we backed it up in the shop to install the camera. When they put the bed on they got the truck side of the harness mashed between the frame and the bed. :bang:

That's exactly why I put them on myself. The bag that came with my Ram cab and chassis was a little scary to look in......That was a lot of wires. :lol:

 

[fence_it]

I've got a bed coming next week for the Chevy we picked up last fall. It has a backup camera in the tailgate, and I haven't researched anything about moving it yet. I'm hoping it's not too difficult to get sorted out.

We moved the backup camera on our Ram from the regular bed to the flatbed when we installed it. Not too complicated, hardest part was getting all the wiring for it out of the tailgate. After that just plug the wiring back into the truck, and drill a hole in the flatbed to mount the camera to. Really nice for backing up to trailers.

I bought a rolling chassis. I got the camera and harness in a bag. We put the truck straight to work. One rainy day we backed it up in the shop to install the camera. When they put the bed on they got the truck side of the harness mashed between the frame and the bed. :bang:

We set ours on 1" spacers. Did they set your bed on the truck frame?

 

[farmboy80]

Anyone got their new beds on? Any pictures of them?

 

[dieselbeef]

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

 

[wbvs58]

Looks real mean.

Ken

 

[AdamsCreek]

 

[saltbranch]

Nice looking rigs. Thanks for the tips on wiring too. The dealer/shop I use install many FB's, have a good crew and have always done good jobs on other trucks I had in the past. Mine should be ready Monday, I just kept adding "must haves" to it. My only potential complaint is the narrow tool box's I am having to use vs the box's I had on dually's in the past. We will see how that works out. They were wiring up the load lights I had added in the headache rack and mounted in the bed on the rear and prepping for paint. Looks like they were doing it right with solder and heat shrink.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

 

[callmefence]

 

[ohiosteve]

I built this bed before my daughter was born and she's almost 17 now. I should have kept that truck, but a buddy of mine still has it.

 

[RanchMan90]

multipurpose and waterproof