aluminum flat bed

[Road_Phantom]

I'm considering an aluminum flatbed for my Ram 2500 short-bed crewcab truck. The truck is too high to tow a Grand design 1/2 ton towable 5th wheel, so by putting in a flatbed I won't have to worry about the truck rails getting in the way. Has anyone else considered this option?

[mudfuel07]

I just did it, but I went with a steel flatbed. Mine was to mainly haul my golfcart while towing the travel trailer, but it came with a gooseneck hitch in the bed. One of the best decisions that I made. Not worried about scratching it, just throw and go. Toolboxes underneath make nice storage.

[Road_Phantom]

Farmer's needs are different from RV'er'a. My 5th wheel trailer was made to pull with a short bed. It has cutouts on the corners of the front cap to avoid hitting them on tight turns. I would opt to eliminate the rear window guards that come with the flat bed.

[bobsallyh]

Check with your insurance agent. In some states a flatbed is considered commercial. Don't know about the Keystone state.

[ferndaleflyer]

Not a very good idea on a short bed truck....all the farmers around here have the aluminum flat beds with goose neck hitches---don't know if they are 1/2 ton or larger but all say a short bed is to close to the cab and rides rougher also.

[noteven]

Hillsboro decks have a bolt in B&W hitch mount feature.

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

We purchased our new I didn’t even consider a truck with a conventional bed. I went with a custom hauler bed from 2L custom. I also did not go with a 5er hitch. I replaced my 5er pin box with a Reece Goose Box and made use of the goose neck ball in the truck. Very happy with the truck and the Goose Box hitch.

https://www.reese-hitches.com/products/Reese_Goose_Box_trade20K_,94720

“Happy Trails”
Chiefneon

[corvettekent]

A friend of mine put a steel flatbed with a headache rack on his shortbed Dodge. They also installed a B&W turnover ball. A shortbed with a sliding hitch is OK but now he can't use the sliding hitch and the headache rack takes another 5" away for turns. Needless to say but he has already crushed the front of his 5th wheel.

So if you go with a flatbed forget the headache rack.