Have a little flatbed dump, F550, 12' Knapheide rack body dump they advertise lots of rust prevention measures but wow this body is crumbly. the cab is not bad but the dump body is rusted in a lot of places. The rack sides are in great shape so imagine I can re use those. With the price of steel, even some replacement diamond tread cost $200 but imagine the body mfg's pay a lot less for steel. Anyone ever gone and replaced a whole body? cost effective? I'm not sure I can patch all the rust holes in this one. -J
I would hit Craig's List and call some local body companies to see if they have anything used that may work for you.
Thanks, its a Reading body and damn, they use a strange support under the bed, its a 90 degree bend on the top to make a 1.5 inch flat along the piece, 5 inches of flat then they roll in a 180 degree U into the support to make a perfect 1/2 inch deep dirt trap. A new body well bathed in Cosmoline will likely last a long time.
Formed out of flat sheet sheared and broke, very strong and inexpensive, especially if you're making miles of it. Rectangular tubing is a good replacement, though not cheap. Unless you know a good low cost sheet metal shop.
Might even be getting it roll formed.... Cosmolene bath....I mix it 50/50 with fluid film, you get the creeping ability of f.f. and the cosmolene skins over dry to touch, so it doesn't attract dirt.
Does FF and Cosmo mix together well? heated or just normal temperatures? FF seems to be too fragile and soft but the Cosmo is nice, smooth and waxy. I have a couple gallons of FF and 5 gal pail of Cosmo. I'd be thrilled to make my own body even rectangular tube that's cut in half would work better, I'd not mind being able to put my little dozer on the back.
Yup, mix 'em both right up, add 1 quart naptha (using a 5 qt oil jug 2 qts FF, 2 qts Cosmo). The thinner is not real strong (to not melt any wiring and such) and it allows it to fog and creep better, flashes off quickly. Splitting box tube.....try a little piece, but it might banana on you (no matter how you cut it, plasma, saw, or whatever) it ussually has a lots-o stresses locked in it.
Yeah, splitting tube is a waste of time, if you're going to something like that either have it made out of sheet steel or just buy light channel.
Thanks, won't try that then I've contacted the company that assembled and sold the truck to see if they can sell a bare bones flatbed that's set up for the dump, might have a heavier c channel frame under it? not sure. If I had a lot of time to play with, I'd be tempted to make my own. I like cosmoline and FF, perhaps they're two great tastes that go great together.
Not going to help you now, but I just sold a nice 12 footer on CL after a year of running the ad - Asked 500, took 4 just to be rid of it -
I suppose I should have posted something in January Seems the company wants about 2500 for a brandy new one, its worth pondering. I know I can get a few hundred for mine if I adjust it to be an 8' bed. I'd also like to be able to drag the gooseneck so that'd require the hitch and front bed locks, easy enough to do though.