Driving with out a bed?

[TheRedRooster]

So is it Illegal to drive around with out a Bed on my truck? (Im in California)
Couldnt I just screw down an inch thick piece of plywood and call it a flatbed?
-The Red Rooster

[Mudder]

Good way and almost certain way to destory your back glass.

[john]

All you will need are lights and mudflaps. Big rigs can run this way. John

[krue]

I haven't had a problem with mine. I c-clamped the taillight to the bumper (had to clean it with a wire wheel for a good ground). Even got an inspection sticker that way.

[phlegm]

Originally Posted by krue

Even got an inspection sticker that way.

Sweet, you know thats just cool.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Same here in SC. All ya need is some tail-lights. I wouldn't recommend driving in the rain though

[krue]

Or on gravel roads. You would be amazed how far a tire can sling a rock over the hood.

[Tanker350]

I'm in So Cal. and thats what I did, when I was in the process of doing my bed and had the rear axle rebuilt. My neighbor is a Sgt. w/ the Sherriffs Dept. and so there isnt a law to require mud flaps. All you need is the normal lights:brake, turn, reverse, and night time lights....

[67ChevyC10Stepside]

there aint a chance that would go over here....you breath the wrong way and the piggies are all over you...

[68w/sbc406]

up here you have to have mud flaps or a fender of some sort. also the back of your truck WILL be REAL squirly

[john]

Here you go. Right from the horses mouth. Seems like there is a law for everything. Good luck with it. John
My CA This Site






Vehicle Code



Fenders and Mudguards


27600. No person shall operate any motor vehicle having three or more wheels, any trailer, or semitrailer unless equipped with fenders, covers, or devices, including flaps or splash aprons, or unless the body of the vehicle or attachments thereto afford adequate protection to effectively minimize the spray or splash of water or mud to the rear of the vehicle and all such equipment or such body or attachments thereto shall be at least as wide as the tire tread. This section does not apply to those vehicles exempt from registration, trailers and semitrailers having an unladen weight of under 1,500 pounds, or any vehicles manufactured and first registered prior to January 1, 1971, having an unladen weight of under 1,500 pounds.

Amended Ch. 215, Stats. 1970. Effective November 23, 1970.

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Vehicle Code Table of Contents

[67chevemall]

ya It's legal here like that in Canada. I built a flat bed out of 4X4's and 2 pieces of 4X8 plywood to save the rocks going through the back window and my skull.
The 4X4's bring it up enough to clear the wheels. 2 across and two long ones down the outside paraell to the wheel just missing it. 4 --6" bolts will hold her down in factory holes. Afew nails in the plywood and your off.

[greenhorn male]

Hmmm never thought of rocks coming back at my back windshield. When I bought a bed I drove about 10 miles without a bed, on the freeway, highway and country road, including dirt and gravel. I taped on tailights with electrical tape. They were not wired, so I gues I should say tail light lenses.
I had just installed doors wtih just a mirror arm, so I taped a 3" covex lens to the arm. . My truck was a longbed 4x4 with 4" of lift and 33" tires. Coming back, the bed had working tail and brake lights

[Russell]

This is what my daily driver looked like for about 6 months





I never got pulled over for it once, though I did get a lot of funny looks, along with a lot of thumbs up!

Be careful if you run your rig bedless though -- Your truck will hydroplane real bad in the rear end when the road is wet. Also allows you to do some seriously sick burnouts without the brakes,

Also, your truck will ride like it has no suspension in the back, gives you a sore back in a real hurry! As a result to this rough ride, you also go through a lot of bulbs in the tail lights.

I took my box off in the spring to work on the frame, and wound up not putting my box back on until I was having a lot of issues in the winter. Then put it back on without touching the frame once, lol

During the spring, shortly after taking my box off, I took her for a run in a mug bogging pit that we made at the school, my truck did absolutely awesome. The guys said I had rooster tails 40 feet high off the rear wheels, lol

And in response to the guy who posted about the rocks flying over your cab while driving down gravel roads -- Lemme tell ya, its actually quite funny! You just constantly see these rocks flying way ahead of ya, lol However, I lucked out and didn't break my back window. Never occured to me that it could get broken...

[67chevemall]

^ what he said That is all ya need.