pickup flatbeds – Country Blacksmith Trailers Blog

A Buyer’s Checklist for Pickup Flatbeds

Top Pickup Flatbeds on the Market

At Country Blacksmith Trailers, we know what our customers need when it comes to aftermarket pickup flatbeds. We know they need something heavy-duty and reliable at an affordable price. We also know that you want a bed that looks good after years of use.
Right now, we have over 200 pickup flatbeds for trucks for sale and in stock at our Mount Vernon trailer dealership. We sell and install pickup flatbeds, pickup dump bodies, dump beds, dump flatbeds, and service bodies. We’re a full-service dealership, so we can be a one-stop-shop for your trailer and service body needs. Stop by to browse through our flatbeds and service bodies from favorite brands like Bradford Built, CM, Cadet, Aluma and Zimmerman.
We have many years of experience specifying and installing aftermarket bodies on pickup trucks and will put that experience to work for you! Our team will make sure you get the right flatbed for your truck. We have experienced, professional installers that will take good care of your truck and make sure the bed is installed correctly.

Essential Considerations Before Buying a Pickup Flatbed

Aluminum vs. Steel

While many people assume steel is the best choice due to its strength, it can easily rust, unlike aluminum. Aluminum isn’t as strong as steel and it scratches easily, but it will hold up over time. This is an important feature because your flatbed will see a lot of wear and tear and more than likely will be rained on. This is why it’s often the superior choice over steel. Not to mention it’s much lighter. Some of our customers have voiced concerns about aluminum flatbeds cracking. But we sell the best aluminum truck bodies on the market! Cracking and breaking have not been a problem for us, and we’ve sold hundreds of aluminum beds in many industries.

Extra Lights

This might not be something you consider until you’re in a situation in which you need extra lighting. You may wish to add a few extra lights to make your job safer and easier. We have experience adding work lights, clearance lights, and strobe lights. Ask us for a quote.
One of the best things about choosing Country Blacksmith Trailers? We will install the pickup bed while you wait at the store! We’re here to give you the best customer service around, and we feel this is a unique feature of ours that you don’t see anywhere else.

Tapered vs. Straight-Back Corners

Most flatbeds give you a choice between tapered and straight back corners. Tapered corners are the way to go if you’re driving through mountains, hills, and turns and need a better turn radius. This will also help if you’re driving on narrow roads or pulling a trailer. For some, though, straight-back corners work best if you need as much room as possible. The straight-back corners are often a custom order as we don’t stock many.

Why Do I Need a Flatbed?

You might be wondering if you even need a pickup flatbed. The extra space you get with having one is reason enough for us, but think about the time, space, and even money you’ll save in the long run. If your original factory bed is damaged, generally replacing it with a flatbed is a very similar cost to replacing it with another factory bed.
Hopefully, this has helped steer you in the right direction to find an aftermarket pickup flatbed that’s best for you and your needs. Know that you can trust us at Country Blacksmith Trailers for the highest degree of customer service and attention to detail. We know what it takes to find the best pickup, and we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Best Pickup Trucks for Work in 2022

There’s no doubt about it. Pickup trucks are the top work vehicle choice for most general contractors, new construction companies, and other industry professions. What is it that makes them so desirable? Well, many factors like versatility, power, and storage ability. However, not all trucks are made equal, and we’ll share what we feel are the best pickup trucks for work use in 2022.

Best Pickup Trucks for Trades

According to a study done by “Tools of the Trade,” 56% of General Contractors used a pickup truck as their work vehicle. And it is no surprise that trailers ranked number two as the vehicle used for trade jobs. Trucks are natural work horses, with the greatest capacity to tow a trailer and carry heavy payloads. The advantages of trucks over work vans and cars are the following.

You can tow a bumper pull or gooseneck trailer. Yes, a car, SUV, or van can be hitched to a bumper pull trailer, but they are not adaptable for gooseneck or “fifth wheel” style trailers. Why is that important? For the most part, gooseneck trailers offer better maneuvering and can hold more weight than their bumper pull counterparts. This enables you to haul anything your truck can tow behind you without limitation.
You can convert the standard truck bed into a service body, dump body, or pickup flatbed design. Although utility vans can be customized with shelves and outside compartments, it comes with the cost of space. Service body truck beds can offer the same kind of enclosed storage combined with an open floor and racks to lay down large equipment, pipes, carpet, or other odd-shaped items. And if you just need more space to drop bulk building items like lumber, bricks, hay bales, or bags of soil, then a regular pickup flatbed may do just fine. In addition, having the option to add a dump body for construction or landscaping is a big plus that you won’t get with a car or work van.
Trucks are now being made with bigger cabs to accommodate more passengers or storage, in sizes and seating comparable to small to mid-size cars. Small crews can arrive together at a job instead of having to spend more on fuel for taking separate vehicles.
Trucks separate the cargo area from the cab, which can keep the smell of the dirty tools, materials, or chemicals from affecting drivers as they travel. Also, it is easier to load and unload cargo in the back of a pickup truck than a van or car.

Best Pickup Trucks – Heavy Duty

2022 Ram 3500
$38,565 MSRP
Payload Limit: 4,644 lbs.
Max Towing Capacity: 37,090 lbs.

With some models offering six seats, you get plenty of seating and power with this truck. Winning a J.D. Power award in “Quality Among Large Heavy-Duty Pickups,” the Ram 3500 has enhanced features like a digital rearview mirror to show the road behind you if your view is obstructed by cargo or a trailer. If you are looking for a truck with plenty of tow power for the price with great safety features, the Ram 3500 is a good choice.

2022 GMC Sierra 3500 HD
$40,095 MSRP
Payload Limit: 4,572 lbs.
Max Towing Capacity: 36,000 lbs.

Having almost semi-truck like strength, the GMC Sierra is a five-seater that comes in many models. The more popular model is the Denali Crew Cab with a 6.6L V8 engine which will run you close to $70,000. If you are looking for a similar option with slightly lesser price tag, you can check out the Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD. The Silverado offers the same towing abilities and brings an additional seat to the cabin, but lacks some of the Sierra’s visual thrills in its design.

2022 Ford Super Duty F-350
$39,705 MSRP
Payload Limit: 7,850 lbs.
Max Towing Capacity: 35,750 lbs.

This five-seater is as impressive inside as it is on the outside, with tech to impress any passenger. If you want a F-series truck that pulls out all the stops, then this is the pickup truck for you. With a comfortable ride, luxurious interior, and incredible power, the F-350 will get you between jobs in style.

2022 Nissan Titan XD
$48,000 MSRP
Payload Limit: 2,240 lbs.
Max Towing Capacity: 11,040 lbs.

The Titan XD offers a smoother ride than most competition and bridges the gap between regular full size and heavy-duty pickup trucks. This Nissan model has definitely carved out a niche for those who want a balance of power and drivability. However, with recent advances in full size pickup technology, the Titan XD is failing to show its worth. Yet, it remains a respected name that can get the job done.

Best Pickup Trucks – Full Size

If you are looking for something a little less overpowering and more affordable, here are some great full size pickup options for getting the job done.

2022 Ford F-150
$31,685 MSRP
Payload Limit: 3,250 lbs.
Max Towing Capacity: 14,000 lbs.

No list of best pickup trucks can exclude Ford’s flagship F-150. Whether you are a contractor, ranch owner, or just a truck enthusiast, the F-150 has the looks and features to appeal to all. In addition to versatility, it’s one of the most affordable trucks in its class. And for those who desire to go green, there is the full electric Lightning model which boasts 10,000 pounds of towing and 300 miles of driving between charges.

2022 GMC Sierra 1500
$32,495 MSRP
Payload Limit: 2,240 lbs.
Max Towing Capacity: 13,000 lbs.

With high tech features like Hands-Free Towing, Automatic Lane Change, and enhanced voice activated navigational systems, driving a truck has never been easier. The Sierra also incorporates the world’s first Six-Function MultiPro Tailgate which allows you to have several configurations of the tailgate to load or secure cargo in the truck bed. The Sierra combines superb luxury, absolute comfort, power, and drivability together into one masterpiece.

2022 Ram 1500
$34,400 MSRP
Payload Limit: 2,300 lbs.
Max Towing Capacity: 12,750 lbs.

When outfitted with a 5.7L HEMI® V8 engine with eTorque, the Ram 1500 easily wins as one of the best pickup trucks in its class. And when towing a trailer, you can rely on the Trailer 360 Surround View camera, Trailer Reverse Steering Control, and Trailer Hitch Light for maximum awareness around your vehicle. The entry level Tradesman model starts at $34,400 and the price tag goes up from there.

All these pickup trucks are great choices to assist you in getting the job done. However, sometimes the standard pickup truck beds limit your payload carrying capacity or the way you can arrange your tools and cargo. If you are looking to convert your pickup truck bed to a service body, dump body, or pickup flatbed, contact Country Blacksmith Trailers. We carry hundreds of new and used truck beds from trusted brands like Bradford Built, Zimmerman, and CM Flatbeds for sale. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have about compatibility with your truck and ensure you get the best pickup truck bed for your job!

5 Top Service Bodies and Utility Beds Brands

Service Bodies, also known as utility beds, truck beds or pickup flatbeds, are essentially mobile storage for equipment and tools that attaches to trucks. They not only provide massive amounts of storage, but make keeping things organized and accessible. This makes you as a business more efficient, not to mention, more professional looking. However, what makes features make a good service body and which brands are the best? This is what we’ll discuss.

Service Bodies and Trusted Brands

When choosing a brand for a service body, you may want to consider these things:

Steel Or Aluminum Pickup Bed?

Steel is stronger than aluminum, however, aluminum is lighter and doesn’t rust. In addition, think of what kinds of equipment and tools you’ll be storing in your utility beds. Do you need a stronger frame for heavy duty work, or is the cargo be lighter?

Open Or Enclosed Utility Truck Beds?

Are you carrying things in your truck flatbed that need to be covered from the outdoor elements? Then you want to go enclosed. If you have large or awkward shaped equipment, you may decide going with a open design is better.

Size & Weight of Service Bed

If you are buying the service body, and important thing to consider the most is the size and weight. All pickup trucks have “payload” capacity and GWVR that can’t be exceeded. With this in mind, you may need to opt for a lighter aluminum frame to get the storage you need rather than a steel flatbed with less cabinet space.

Accessories for Service Bodies

Things like storage space, locking cabinets, lights, hitches, equipment racks, side rails, and more maybe important based on the work you do with your service body pickup truck. Make sure you keep these desired upgrades in mind with your budget.

Aluma Truck Beds

Made from aluminum, Aluma Truck Beds are simple, effective and lightweight options for a pickup flatbed.

Standard Features:

Extrude aluminum floor with drop rear skirt
½”x2” Rub rail with stake pockets
Headache rack with sealed beam lights
3” channel main stringers adjustable to fit different models of trucks
Recessed sealed beam lights 4 taillights; 11 clearance lights/2backup lights
License plate light
Re-wired and lights installed.

Some additional upgrades available for these are the Gooseneck Hitch Opening with removable door, Sides Racks and Tailgate, Mudflap Bracket set.

Bradford Built Work Beds

If you want the option of either steel or aluminum for your service body truck, that’s is simple and made for endurance then Bradford Built is your brand! Base models come with an extensive list of features like LED lights all around, mudflaps, and wiring harness.

Standard Features:

4” Flip Down Rails Extended Skirt
Gooseneck and Receiver Hitches
Formed Headache Rack
Stake Pockets

In addition, you can add crossbody toolboxes and underbody toolboxes. Internal storage comes standard on the 4-Box and Regulator models.

CM Truck Beds

From plain flatbeds to fully decked out service bodies, CM Truck Beds has made a name for itself as both a diverse and established brand. To keep the comparisons fair, we’ll only list features found on the flatbed models.

Standard Features:

Headache Rack
4” Frame Rails
Gooseneck & Bumper Pull Hitches
7 Pin Trailer Wiring for GN and BP
Lockable Toolboxes (Optional on Aluminum Models)
Tiedowns / Attachment Rings (Steel Models Only)

There are unlimited customizations beyond these and if you are interested, we encourage you to check out CM’s website.

Cadet Truck Bodies

Just like CM, Cadet Truck Bodies has a wide variety of service bodies and flatbeds for any job. One unique thing about this brand is that they use a Polyurethane Wet Paint instead of a powder coat that most competitors use. This coating on their products touted to keep the metal protected longer from rust and corrosion.

Standard Features:

Stake Bodies
Skirted Bodies
Gooseneck Hitches
E.D. Lighting (Cadet Models Only)
Toolboxes (Aztec & Laredo Models)

Zimmerman Trailers & Truck Bodies

The Zimmerman Trailers brand shines when it comes to well-rounded aluminum service bodies with storage. Different models come standard with many features depending on the task at hand. However, we listed what all models have in common below.

Standard Features:

Aluminum Build
Beds with Front/Rear Box Storage
Sides and Tail Boards
Mud Flaps

For a list of more features and specific service body models, check out Zimmerman Trailers website!

What to find out more on quality brands that make service bodies? Country Blacksmith Trailers can answer your questions! We sell new and used flatbeds from brands like Aluma, Bradford Built, Cadet, Stellar, CM, Zimmerman, and more! We can also make custom utility truck beds, built to your specifications. Contact us today for an inventory check or quote.

How Service Body Truck Beds Make Your Job Easier

A service body truck bed, also known as a pickup service body or utility truck bed, is any kind of modification to the bed of a truck (usually pickup trucks) that accommodates the compartmentalization of tools, equipment and storage needed to carry out a particular job. This kind of body style is common among contractors, plumbers, locksmiths, electricians, and more. However, is it worth the extra weight and cost to have these installed on your fleet of service vehicles? Here we’ll discuss why any job that requires various tasks and tools to complete needs a service body style truck bed and what to consider when picking one out.

The Benefits of Service Body Truck Beds

The easiest way to explain why to have a service body on your work truck is to avoid looking like the image above. Unless you are running a dump pick up service, you want your service trucks to appear clean and organized when they arrive to their location. Often customers are in messy and disorganized situations when making service calls, so having a professional, neat image on arrival, brings some assurance with your first impressions. Otherwise, the customer may be questioning why they didn’t choose your competition.

Clean and Organized Mobile Workspace

Being clean and organized is not only good for the customer, but helpful for the technicians themselves. With a service body, technicians know on arrival exactly where all their tools are located and they have the ability to simply open a panel door and grab them. This saves time on the service call and spares frustration from having to dig through the truck or trailer. The majority of the work can now be focused on fixing the issue at hand instead of searching through a pile of wires and tools to find that screwdriver. And when the job is done, it’s easier to pack up and notice if anything important is missing.

Protection of Tools and Equipment

In addition to better organization, having a service body on your truck will provide extra padding to prevent tools and equipment clanking against each other. Having work materials in covered containers also provides protection from the outdoor elements like the rain, snow, and sun. If properly locked, service bodies provide protection from theft as well. Being made from steel or tough aluminum, your tools and equipment won’t be visible and accessible to any curious person walking past your truck.

Efficient Space Usage

With a service body installed on your truck, you utilize every inch of the trucks body for storage. Adding customizations like frames or overhead racks adds a third dimension that you didn’t have with just the pickup truck bed before. Now you can hang materials, pipes, ladders, and more without sacrificing storage space in the main bed or compartments. Even without the frames and racks, the shelves and compartments make better use of space then just throwing everything in one big heap in a toolbox or in the pickup bed itself.

Truck Bed Customizations to Consider

The benefits of having a service body on your pickup truck can be clearly understood when you’re doing more than just transporting items or performing simple tasks. In a garage or service station, technicians have space for neatly laid out tools and equipment. They must be able to find what they need to do their job with speed and efficiency. However, when the technician needs to perform similar services on the go, truck service bodies are a crucial part of creating a mobile workshop.

Open vs Closed Design

Every job has different storage needs. You may want an open service body truck bed if you haul equipment or materials that are oddly shaped or heavier. An enclosed body style might be better for creating a dry workspace or additional rain protection for certain equipment.

Steel vs Aluminum Material

Steel service body truck beds are stronger and more cost effective overall. The downside of steel is that it is also much heavier by a few hundred pounds and corrodes faster than aluminum. Aluminum service bodies, along with their alloy variants, provide a lighter weight and are more resistant to corrosion. However, aluminum itself is not as strong as steel and tends to be pricier.

Overall Storage Space

Remember, the service body truck bed is used to bring critical items from the shop to the location of service. That means you will need to know your inventory and how much of it you’ll need to carry on board. Picking the correct size compartments is important so that you have enough space to place not just tools, but equipment and parts. Pick designs that work well with what you use on a daily basis.

At Country Blacksmith, we sell many different styles of service bodies to turn your pickup truck into the ultimate mobile workshop. We also modify existing truck beds and offer many useful accessories to keep you both organized and efficient. Call us today to check our stock, parts, and accessories for your service vehicle today!