The current bed setup isn't going to work after all, lift gate/tailgate won't open all the way when hooked to a trailer. I need a flatbed which was my original intent for the truck. The lift gate is handy but the current bed just poses too many compromises. I've got two options 1) Cut the sides off the current bed, remove the lift gate and sell the lift gate, or 2)Remove and sell the bed complete, buy another used flat bed and rework it to fit my needs.
With option 1, the tool boxes are already mounted, the bed is on the truck already, would just take a good bit of torch/grinder time. I'd then have to add stake pockets but otherwise it'd be ready to go. The big problem I see with this is the way the bedsides are made. Best case it will be a dirty, hot and miserable job, worst case it ends in a huge conflagration since the bottom of the bed sides are packed will all sorts of debris, much of it appears to be soaked in oil:
Judging from the outside it looks like there is a solid weld bead between the floor sheeting and the side sheeting, If I were to cut just above this I wouldn't have to re-weld that seam:
I also had the idea to buy one of those fancy new metal cutting circular saws, I think it would run along the bedside and make a clean cut. Would then have to go with a cutoff wheel on the 7" grinder to cut the posts off from the inside.
Option 2 is buy another flat bed. Best option I've found thus far is an older 19' flatbed for sale locally for $800, looks to probably be from the 70's. Its in good shape, no rust, but would have to be cut down to length. The other issue is it originally had a wood floor and someone put a diamond plate floor on it, maybe 3/16 at most, and the cross members are on 24" centers. This wouldn't hold up to my uses, I'd either have to add more cross members or remove the metal and go back to a wood deck (which would be ok, aside from the work involved.)
Looks like any way I go about it there is going to be a fair amount of cutting, grinding and welding. Probably would be a wash money wise between the two options, just trying to figure out what would be the least amount of time and labor and what would be the best end result. I did price new flat beds and holy mackerel, they are in the $7K range for a 14'. Why on earth are they so much? That's as much as a new good quality 20' 15K equipment trailer.
