Powder coat steel or aluminum flatbed

[SDstroker]

I did a little search and seems to be some mixed reviews. Just seeing what your guys opinions are. My pickup got rear ended so I need a box, tail lights and bumper. I was throwing around the idea of just putting a flat bed on since it's used on the farm and for pulling a goose neck. It's going on the truck in my signature. I read the aluminum beds cracking at the welds, but wasn't sure how a steel pwlowdercoat bed would hold up in the winter salt conditions.
Thanks

 

[ChattyCathy]

I tend to lean aluminum if cost is ok. You could also coat a steel bed with liner or something..

 

[Morgan@Midwest Diesel & Auto]

If going aluminum don't buy a cheap bed, they will fall apart with moderate to heavy use. A good quality aluminum bed is the only way to go imo.

The steels are nice but in Illinois even the expensive high end power coated beds look bad after a year and one good winter. The coatings never hold up once scratched and scatter the rust will get in there and it will start peeling.

Just my experiences fwiw.


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[Buck1]

Agree with Morgan. Have had both. I fly aluminum for life in the Midwest.

 

[SDstroker]

What brands are you guys using?

 

[JD3020]

I was going to go aluminum, till i saw the price for a nice one. We ended up building my bed, its all 2x4x1/8"(maybe 1/4" thick) with 1/8" thick plate for the deck. Added roughly 800lbs to the truck over the stock bed and a large aluminum toolbox. LOL I could never go back to a pick-up bed for a truck i work with, sooo much handier now. Still not pleased with how it looks though, needs skirts and more boxes.

 

[RedRice589]

I did a little search and seems to be some mixed reviews. Just seeing what your guys opinions are. My pickup got rear ended so I need a box, tail lights and bumper. I was throwing around the idea of just putting a flat bed on since it's used on the farm and for pulling a goose neck. It's going on the truck in my signature. I read the aluminum beds cracking at the welds, but wasn't sure how a steel pwlowdercoat bed would hold up in the winter salt conditions.
Thanks

I'm curios to hear what you find I saw one the other day and I hate my pickup box. I'm always climbing over the side to hook and unhook. I don't need a dually but wasn't sure if the steel would be a heavy bich. But I live in Florida so rust ain't a problem and I would line-x the whole top to avoid scuffing it. Or rhino lining.

If going aluminum don't buy a cheap bed, they will fall apart with moderate to heavy use. A good quality aluminum bed is the only way to go imo.

The steels are nice but in Illinois even the expensive high end power coated beds look bad after a year and one good winter. The coatings never hold up once scratched and scatter the rust will get in there and it will start peeling.

Just my experiences fwiw.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Give me some good brands of both please sir.

 

[psduser1]

I did a little search and seems to be some mixed reviews. Just seeing what your guys opinions are. My pickup got rear ended so I need a box, tail lights and bumper. I was throwing around the idea of just putting a flat bed on since it's used on the farm and for pulling a goose neck. It's going on the truck in my signature. I read the aluminum beds cracking at the welds, but wasn't sure how a steel pwlowdercoat bed would hold up in the winter salt conditions.
Thanks

I've got a used aluminum one in good shape for sale. Srw, 7'3"wide, 8'4" long, with a trapdoor for the ball. Listed in the engine/drivetrain forum. I'll have to text pics, can't seem to load them on my phone, lol.
Been using aluminum beds for a few yrs with no problems, as well as steel beds.

 

[Buck1]

My latest is Alum-line. Aluma, Hillsboro, C&M and others make aluminum ones as well.

Steel Cadet, C&M, Gooseneck, make flat to utility type beds on different configs. Used Cadet and C&M in the past. Liked both, C&M powder coat does not seem to last.

 

[SDstroker]

I did a little calling today. CM truck bed aluminum is $4300 and a Brandford built aluminum is $3800. I am still up in the air I guess but i can't seem to find a good rust, dent free short box around here either.

 

[psduser1]

Lol





Sorry, couldn't resist! Sh!ts $$$!

 

[brsutton86]

Researched aluminum beds thoroughly. Most beds are on 16" centers, mines on 10 or 12 cant remember for sure. Their stock bed is sharp but you can add whatever you feel like if you add the money. Its a TG Mountaineer bed, they are out of West Virginia. It is much heavier built than my dads Hillsboro bed.

 

[Redpower]

Have two trucks with steel flatbeds on them. I replaced the original flatbed on my 97 dually with a new Bradford and love the bed. Heavy built, ball built in, rear hitch already there- everything I wanted. I picked up the bed for my 95 used. Personally wouldn't have an Aluminum bed for a farm truck. We had one where I use to work and it shook apart and the bed had tons of large dents in it from hauling heavy loads.
97 dually

95 F-250