Cab and Chassis 3+3 F/B to Fleetside help

[Cabnchassis]

The flat bed had to come off my truck. Ugliness of f/b aside I don't enjoy talking to the highway hogs unless I fricken have to. In CA they were making me scale it, and since I have no commercial numbering so they make me come around for visual inspection each time. I used to have a class B and I'm typically more familiar with truck safety/law than the cops I talk to, but damn if that hi po truck cop can't find a handful of violations on every truck he stops I've tried a couple times to blow the scale but that led to a longer conversation and $160 fine and a few fix it tickets. One mud flap had a big hole, one marker light had lost its ground, too large a rock chip in my direct view, I had a 3000 watt inverter screwed into the bed on one side and it turns out even the inverter battery has to be in a box with a lid, we even got to use his fancy portable scales to make sure my C+C was within it boundaries to carry a furniture set to my sister (It was all I could not to laugh that he thought I was overloaded) I think when i pointed out that I was a mile away from the overload springs he got mad that I called him on it and decided to give me the business but I wasn't gonna play that game again. Had I not opened my mouth he might of weighed me and let me go on my way. Instead Scale violation and fix its.

Recently I cut off the flatbed and got it gone. Of course the fleetside I'd planned on fell through, so i'm still in the hunt for a long bed dual fuel door fleetside. Right now I just want to wrap my head around the project a little better to make sure it comes out looking clean.

I got fleetside idea from my BIL and when I searched around I found a few of you guys here had done them. I only really have two questions about the process.

The first one is the bed mounts. I'm assuming I can just go grab the whole mount at the parts store, correct me if that's wrong. I'm also assuming they used 4 mounts on the bed? I saw a couple threads with light detail about it but I'm just curious about what was involved in sticking them to the frame.

My second question is for someone who has done this to a 2wd model. I know have to tub the inner wheel well, and that simple enough, but the real question is about the bed and the outer. It sure looks like if the wheel travels far enough its capable of hitting the top the of the well (actually it looks like it would hit the hemmed sheet metal edge of the bed). So the real question is under payload has anyone had the outer dual hit the bed when you hit a nasty railroad crossing or anything?

It'd also save a lot of searching if someone had a good idea on what to do about a second fuel door that would be cool too. I'd like to not be splicing bed sides on or any of that, but that's my favorite truck and it's taking a lot longer than I'd hoped to find a dual door bed, so now I'm open to options if anyone has an idea that will look clean.

[hyatt]

dual wheel cab and chassis and pickup have different rear ends Pickup is 10 inches wider to clear bedsides

[nekkidhillbilly]

also there slightly longer frames

[Wrecked1982]

yep you might end up with a ''big'' gap beetween the cab and the bed

[nekkidhillbilly]

Originally Posted by Wrecked1982

yep you might end up with a ''big'' gap beetween the cab and the bed

well its not horrible but its bigger than appealing.

[Cabnchassis]

Originally Posted by hyatt

dual wheel cab and chassis and pickup have different rear ends Pickup is 10 inches wider to clear bedsides

Exactly the kind of info I'm looking for guys, thanks.

I run a really tight ship as far as the safety of my trucks go. It's not acceptable to me for the tire to ever be able to strike the wheel well/bed hem. For the most part I haul no more than a ton and half in the bed and the trailers I pull are under 7-8k range. I guess I can fit the bed and then "bench test" it to find out if it's even going to be a problem. The springs don't squat at all during this time, but that doesn't mean that I won't have to go stiffer to ensure against murphy. Passed a guy in a regular cab C+C the other day with a ford rclb on his f/b and his suspension was riding nice and even down the road. I may have to add springs or air but the duals must stay. It's a 2wd and it already rides at the perfect height so that's not changing either. Custom flared fenders are the very last option I'll resort to. And i'd be likely to build it then go back to a f/b if it didnt look just right.

Originally Posted by nekkidhillbilly

also there slightly longer frames

I've measured everything up and if I use a longbed fleetside it's exactly the right length cab to axle. This will only work on a crew cab like mine, but I will be lopping off about 16" on the back. Plus winging it on the bed mounts since this frame surely isn't drilled for them and I actually haven't checked to see if the frame width is the same between the standard trucks and C+C

[Cabnchassis]

Sorry guys it might help to know exactly what I'm working with. Its a 91 R3500 Crew Cab C+C diesel. Cab to axle it measures 56" same as any RCLB in this range.

In the past people have suggested I swap my axle for a dana and run a standard dually bed, but I don't like the look and I prefer the corporate 14 anyway. Plus if I can pull this off on a 2wd I think it'll look pretty sweet to have a standard long bed with my duals pretty much tucked all the way in.

[andrewmp6]

Being its 2wd if you put enough load in the bed the inter wheels will rub hard on the bed floor/inter fenders in the bed.

[Cabnchassis]

Originally Posted by andrewmp6

Being its 2wd if you put enough load in the bed the inter wheels will rub hard on the bed floor/inter fenders in the bed.

Those'll get tubbed I'm not worried about that. My main concern is the outer striking the bed.

[hyatt]

on a regular bed (no dually fenders ) I think your outer wheels will be at least 3 inches past fender with dually fenders they will be at least 5 inches recessed

[Cabnchassis]

Originally Posted by hyatt

on a regular bed (no dually fenders ) I think your outer wheels will be at least 3 inches past fender with dually fenders they will be at least 5 inches recessed

On the other trucks i've seen this way the outer wheel seems to line up with the widest part of the body, but yeah the wheels will stick out just a hair. I was thinking if I can solve that suspension wise then I'd probably trim it out with a 4x4 wheel well molding kinda like this guy did http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=579056

[nekkidhillbilly]

Originally Posted by Cabnchassis

Sorry guys it might help to know exactly what I'm working with. Its a 91 R3500 Crew Cab C+C diesel. Cab to axle it measures 56" same as any RCLB in this range.

In the past people have suggested I swap my axle for a dana and run a standard dually bed, but I don't like the look and I prefer the corporate 14 anyway. Plus if I can pull this off on a 2wd I think it'll look pretty sweet to have a standard long bed with my duals pretty much tucked all the way in.

it may have been marriage of two trucks then a real c&c is 2-3 inches longer.

[Cabnchassis]

I haven't measured the wheelbase on my truck but it has to be the same as the 56" CA Crew cab/Bonus cab models because the front of it sure aint any longer and it's 56" CA without a doubt. I'm a shade tree mechanic but I'm a professional carpenter, I'm handy with a tape.

I'm the second owner the PO was a small bio diesel company that used it as a drum hauler. If you look at a C+C frame rails there is no way you could mistake it for a standard 1 ton frame its 8" deep. It works lengthwise.

The only problems I've left to solve are

>How to fab mounts because I'm not sure the frame width is same on the C+C and 1 ton.
>How wide are the rails one a standard one ton?

>What to do about the potential for the outer wheel to contact the bed hem at the wheel well.

[nekkidhillbilly]

http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/sm...?topic=17604.0

not trying to argue but look at this it will explain

[80SPORT]

Regular cab units built as a cab and chassis are 60 inch or 84 inch cab-axle
In the 73-91 GM crewcabs they were all built as a 56 inch cab axle
It was a real hassle as most truck bodies are built to fit 60 inch cab axle
We did a 80 Chevy wrecker with a Holmes 440 and stretched the frame 4 inches...a lot of work just to make it fit properly

[Cabnchassis]

I need to run to the wrecking yard and take some measurements of a bed in the next couple days to see if I can cut and alter the bed to fit vs altering the frame.

I can't think of any reason I couldn't shorten or lengthen the bed off the top of my head but there may be something I'm not thinking of.

I'm pretty motivated to make this project work since the only other option is going back f/b and that puts me back in a tangle with the hi po

Thanks guys

[joe231]

Originally Posted by nekkidhillbilly

http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/sm...?topic=17604.0

not trying to argue but look at this it will explain

That's a regular cab, the OP has a crew cab

Originally Posted by 80SPORT

Regular cab units built as a cab and chassis are 60 inch or 84 inch cab-axle
In the 73-91 GM crewcabs they were all built as a 56 inch cab axle
It was a real hassle as most truck bodies are built to fit 60 inch cab axle
We did a 80 Chevy wrecker with a Holmes 440 and stretched the frame 4 inches...a lot of work just to make it fit properly

Good info!

Originally Posted by Cabnchassis

I need to run to the wrecking yard and take some measurements of a bed in the next couple days to see if I can cut and alter the bed to fit vs altering the frame.

I can't think of any reason I couldn't shorten or lengthen the bed off the top of my head but there may be something I'm not thinking of.

I'm pretty motivated to make this project work since the only other option is going back f/b and that puts me back in a tangle with the hi po

Thanks guys

The frames are the same width on all of the square body trucks.

[nekkidhillbilly]

Originally Posted by 80SPORT

Regular cab units built as a cab and chassis are 60 inch or 84 inch cab-axle
In the 73-91 GM crewcabs they were all built as a 56 inch cab axle
It was a real hassle as most truck bodies are built to fit 60 inch cab axle
We did a 80 Chevy wrecker with a Holmes 440 and stretched the frame 4 inches...a lot of work just to make it fit properly

wasnt aware of that. ive seen some that are really long used as rollback where those conversions?

[nekkidhillbilly]

wouldnt the easiest option then just convert to a regular dually or srw?

[Cabnchassis]

Probably, but I don't want to SRW and I don't want the dana axle. I'll make it work and safely, time isn't a consideration. I'm not getting rid of this truck and I should live at least 30-40 more years barring an accident...plenty of time to finish.. I don't quit when I make up my mind. If I have to put a utility body or something on until I finish I will, or just go back f/b until then.

[79Betty]

I seen somewhere on C/L a 1 ton C/C with a normal bed, from the outside. It had no bed floor, only the sides to look normal. BEd mounting was the same.

[nekkidhillbilly]

Originally Posted by Cabnchassis

Probably, but I don't want to SRW and I don't want the dana axle. I'll make it work and safely, time isn't a consideration. I'm not getting rid of this truck and I should live at least 30-40 more years barring an accident...plenty of time to finish.. I don't quit when I make up my mind. If I have to put a utility body or something on until I finish I will, or just go back f/b until then.

what about the new dually bed and say a aam axle of a new truck. that would be nice.

[Cabnchassis]

Ok I'm back. Computer crashed, turkey season started, bass were in pre-spawn, lifes pressures add up on a man.

I stopped by a buddys house who has a big 10 and measured up the bed. A fleetside longbed is a perfect fit. The wheel well begins at 38" from the cab and ends at just over 75" from the cab with the axle centers being located in exactly the same place. Front to back the bed will be a perfect fit, and the wheels will be evenly spaced in the wheel wells. Maybe you guys measured on a different truck idk, I'm thorough as hell and I'm sure it fits cab to axle correctly without me having to modify the bed.

So now all I have left is to find a clean dual fuel door bed and actually mount the thing so I can test load it to see if my wheels can hit.

[nekkidhillbilly]

that was my fault thought the crews where longer like the rc.

[Cabnchassis]

Originally Posted by nekkidhillbilly

that was my fault thought the crews where longer like the rc.

No worries I still have to work out the issue of the wheel wells and you suggesting the frame was wrong actually led me around to another idea to use as a back up. If i can't make a fleetside work I can surely make a step side work since they are simple straight sheet metal with wood bottoms I can even use a shortbed stepside and extend it or just buy a set of wheel wells and make a custom bed to fit them. With a step side I could sort of "shim" the wheel wells out about 1-1.5" and have my duals fit completely inside them. I'm still dead set on a fleetside but at least I dreamed up an alternative that works for me, in case I fail.