What size steel stock for flatbed

Hello everyone this is my first thread so bear with me, I have been looking around for a bit but I can't seem to find the answer I'm looking for. I would like to think of myself as pretty mechanical, but never sourced my own raw materials. I am looking to build a flat bed out of 2x2 and 2x4 steel tubing but I can not find what wall thickness will meet the requirements. I know could over build but I would rather not be carrying around a few hundred pounds that I do not need. I do not use the bed to carry a ton of bricks of anything heavy like that. The max would most likely be a full load of firewood and camping gear back some narrow wooded trails. Here are some drawings to give a basic idea what I'm after, also any advice on design is greatly appreciated.

Greg

 

what do you plan on putting in that bed?

 

Most of the time nothing, but I like to load to load you firewood, camping, and fishing gear and go for long weekends back in the woods.

Also, Paranoid do you happen to own an STI? Just happened to notice the picture of you avatar.

 

I think 1/8 would be more than enough for a flatbed in a 2x2 especially with how many cross braces you are doing.

 

I am doing the exact same thing right now. I am using .120 wall rectangular stock for most of it, the bed I am using pressure treated wood to keep weight down.

 

i agree^..
when i was building my tire rack thing (now removed..) i looked at the wall thickness of both 1/8" and 3/16". The 3/16" is a lot thicker than one would think.

It will still be heavier than a normal bed though even with 1/8". I would probably not go much under 1/8" though.

This is also a good idea as it will cut down on a bit of weight if you use wood for the deck part of it. I think your design looks decent. Its pretty standard though and if i were you i would just do a few google searches for flatbeded tacoma or something then you can see how other people made theirs and get a few ideas

 

Had the Amish build mine. They used 1/4" aluminum on all the frame work. The side panels are 1/8" and tailgate is 1/8 inch. Tailgate should be able to hold between 400-500 pounds. All led lights including back-up/reverse. Factory shortbed weighs 426 pounds. Aluminum bed weighs 178 pounds..











After some polishing.












Only had it now for less than a month, so still "under construction" so to speak. If the rain will stop for a few weekends I might could get it done..

 

i would say 120 wall and you should be fine. its still going to weigh a ton

and yea, thats my old sti. just recently sold it (never drove it and seemed odd to have 4 cars lol)

 

How hard were those LED strips to wire up? I am thinking about yanking out the stock brake lights and using something like that since i keep breaking them.

 

Well, there is a lot of the wires in the factory bundle back there that you don't use. (6 or 7). The red led lights were suppose to be brake, tail and turn. But... What I paid for and what I got turned out to be 2 different items. These are brake and tail only. Think there were 4 wires out of each one. 2 grounds and the hot for brake and the hot for tail. Not hard to wire, just have to find the right wires coming from the factory plug. Lucky for me, the plug wasn't an issue as the Amish guys cut if off.. LOL So, my trusty $6 circuit tester and about an hour an a half..

 

that is a sweeeeeet aluminum bed, i love it

 

I love your aluminum bed. The side rails and tailgate are a great idea. I came across a used aluminum body and was able to make some minor modifications to make it fit nicely. Now I can carry 17 dogs in comfort and three dog sleds.

What I'm looking for now are underbody boxes to fill the voids. Anyone have any ideas?

 

Thanks. I believe I will like it too once I get it the way I want it.. As for under body boxes. If you call the guys (on mudflap) that built my bed. I'm sure with measurements pictures etc. They can build just about anything.