Getting a flatbed installed next week
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- Rancher
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Getting a flatbed installed next week
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
Thanks
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- GURU
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Re: Getting a flatbed installed next week
saltbranch wrote: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.

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Re: Getting a flatbed installed next week
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 .
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 .
It ain't bragging if you can do it.
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Re: Getting a flatbed installed next week
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.
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Re: Getting a flatbed installed next week
Lucky wrote: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.
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Re: Getting a flatbed installed next week

Farm Fence Solutions wrote:Lucky wrote: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.
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- Trail Boss
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Re: Getting a flatbed installed next week
Farm Fence Solutions wrote:Lucky wrote: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.
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Re: Getting a flatbed installed next week
fence_it wrote:Farm Fence Solutions wrote:Lucky wrote: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.

It ain't bragging if you can do it.
Red Bull Breeder.
You can all go to he// . I'll go to Texas.
David Crockett
Red Bull Breeder.
You can all go to he// . I'll go to Texas.
David Crockett
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Re: Getting a flatbed installed next week
callmefence wrote:fence_it wrote:Farm Fence Solutions wrote:
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.
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.

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Re: Getting a flatbed installed next week
callmefence wrote:fence_it wrote:Farm Fence Solutions wrote:
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.
We set ours on 1" spacers. Did they set your bed on the truck frame?
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- farmboy80
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Re: Getting a flatbed installed next week
Anyone got their new beds on? Any pictures of them?
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Re: Getting a flatbed installed next week
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Re: Getting a flatbed installed next week
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas Edison
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