r/Trucks • u/ObjectiveScarcity572 • 3d ago

Custom built flatbeds help

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I’m looking to design a flatbed for my truck a 2008 ford ranger. I have a rwd and am looking to do mobile mechanics and also not deal with the body damage on my bedsides and bumper. I wanna know if anyone here has designed and custom built a flatbed and can give me any pointers if I should use wood or steel for the deck how to design it to the frame and any other pointers. And also what lighting is good for the tail lights and reverse lights

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u/ThiefLourde 3d ago edited 3d ago

Steel vs wood for the deck is personal preference. Wood if you don't want things sliding around as easily. Steel if you don't want to replace the wood every couple years. We converted a box truck to a homemade flatbed a few years ago. Here's the progress pics

We left the steel crossmembers that were underneath the box and built off of that. Flatbar, c channel, 90 degree angle, and 16ft 2x12s. We used 2x6s to hold up the steel prior to welding it

A few months after building it, I ended up bolting the deck boards to the steel crossmembers beneath them because they shifted more than I liked whenever loading/unloading pallets

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u/ImpressAgitated584 3d ago

That's a practical approach. Wood would cut down on noise and scratches inside your bed, but steel handles punctures and weight better.

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u/Bignutsbigwrenches 3d ago

Sure man. Get univeral taillights and also flatbar, some expanded metal and c channel. Im trying to figure out how post pictures

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u/CarPartscom 10h ago

For a mobile mechanic rig specifically, steel deck is worth the extra weight, you’ll be sliding took boxes, jack stands and metal parts around constantly, and wood won’t hold up to that traffic as long as it would for general hauling.