pickup flatbed questions

[rancher2]

I have a aluminum flat bed. I bought it used for $800.00 ten years ago it was like new condition. It was 12 ft long and had been on a 450 ford and had only pulled a trailer. The truck had rearended a car. I shorted it to 8 feet and it has been on two pickups and still looks great.

 

[1project2many]

FWIW a typical domestic power steering pump will not generate 1,000 psi. In stock form they develop around 300-350 psi before the relief valve opens. Most pumps are vane type pumps which will max out around 700 psi. You can locate a gear type pump which has the potential to develop higher pressure then make adapters and pulleys to use it but it's probably not worth the effort.

30 degrees tilt may seem like a big improvement but if you're building the system yourself I would recommend you aim higher. The added height of the body plus the length of the bed will put anything that sticks at the headboard out of reach of most hand tools. You might be amazed at how much can stay in a dump bed even with 45 degrees of tilt.

A scissor hoist does not concentrate the entire load on one point on the frame. The dump bed hinges always support the bed and must also support a portion of the force applied to raise it. Scissor hoists will direct much of the initial force parallel to the frame rails rather than directing all of the force vertically. The total amount of force applied to any particular point is a combination of mechanical advantage and the number of attaching points. A single piston or double vertical pistons lifting 8000 lbs will apply the same vertical force to the frame attaching points as a scissor lift raising 8000 lbs.
650-UB-12.avi - YouTube
Scissor lift with three attachment points. A design worth considering if you're afraid of only two attaching points.

 

[elmwood__farmer]

Couple things that make life easier with a flatbed, A dump and one that actually dumps to a decent angle. You will regret not being able to lift higher, stuff sticks all the time. Go to a farm auction or just look in farm newspapers for a wagon hoist. I have bought several just for the siccors hoist for about $350 then sold the wagon after removing hoist for $300 or so. People use them for hay of display whatever. Very strong usually about 5 tons and easy to mount. get a 12volt pump from Surplus center in Lincoln NE, they ship. After you get a solid bed with lots of cross members, undercoat the shi&&&&t out of it, best thing I have done to a new box, better than washing weekly. I love having A FLATBED DUMP.

I am looking to do just this. What kind of pump did you buy?