GlennWest Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 I'm at the point I have to decide. Is anyone with a flatbed wished they had dovetailed it. Seen them both ways. 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl&Rita Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 With a full flat bed on an HDT, the hitch will end up in a trough, due to the hitch needing to be lower than the deck surface. Use your welder "eye" to make it the way you want it to look. Personally, I feel it looks better the way we did ours. I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication 2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet 2007 32.5' Fleetwood QuantumPlease e-mail us here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted December 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 Hoe high is your hitch. Is it not on top of rails 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 I am just the opposite of Darryl, I don't want the hitch sitting out there on top of the bed. I like that "trough" that he doesn't. MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~ 2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 2014 smart Fortwo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl&Rita Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 Hitch is set just below the king pin, at ride height. Seriously, the height question has been answered ad nauseum. The build pics start here, and get closer to completion as you scroll to the left. My hitch extension is unlike any other here, but isn't ground-breaking. Edit to add: Phil has a bit of both, I believe. Isn't that called a dovetail at the very tail end? I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication 2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet 2007 32.5' Fleetwood QuantumPlease e-mail us here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 It has a bit of dovetail on the end. The corners slope back and to the sides a bit. That is the great thing about this forum, lots of different ideas to steal....er...uh.. I mean lots of information, just tons of info ...yeah, that's what I meant MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~ 2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 2014 smart Fortwo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broncohauler Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 I prefer the hitch set in a trough with the dovetail. But make sure you put a lot of thought into it as to how you're going to use the bed you may want the complete flatbed as usable space. I have a dovetail to help with loading my bronco from the rear. And I think it helps add some detail to the truck and looks a little bit less commercial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted December 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 That bed will be 14' long. Far as carring space I don't think the dovetail would hurt it. It all about looks 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star Dreamer Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 The dovetail also gives you some space to be able to reach in and get at your hitch releasing arm. In our case it also gives us space to get to the air valve to put air in our hitch (it does not have a leveling device or direct feed from the truck yet). Our dovetail will also be our ramp storage if we ever get the ramps. Don't need them yet. Consider the height of the bed minus the height to the underside of the trailer in that area to see if you can get between there to release the hitch. Having a dove tail can also make it easier to climb up on the back of the bed when the trailer is not hooked up but that depends on the bed design anyway Dave 2005 Freightliner Century S/T, Singled, Air ride ET Jr. hitch 2019 46'+ Dune Sport Man Cave custom 5th wheel toy hauler Owner of the 1978 Custom Van "Star Dreamer" which might be seen at a local car show near you! Check out http://www.hhrvresource.com/ for much more info on HDT's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark and Dale Bruss Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 A big flat surface has proven to be very useful. Please click for Emails instead of PM Mark & DaleJoey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel SupremeSparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019 Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info atwww.dmbruss.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dollytrolley Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 Glenn.... So many beds.......and you only have one.....truck.......decisions, decisions, and more decisions ........and now you have a choice of having the UPS lady drop off a few boxes and bingo.......with the ole impact wrench you now have a new "minimalist-bed-kit" installed........ Drive on........(HDT........bed hopping) 97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted December 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 Thanks Everton . Mark yours look great. After seeing your's flat for me. 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broncohauler Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 Thanks Everton . Mark yours look great. After seeing your's flat for me.That is a beautiful bed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remoandiris Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 With a full flat bed on an HDT, the hitch will end up in a trough, due to the hitch needing to be lower than the deck surface. Use your welder "eye" to make it the way you want it to look. Personally, I feel it looks better the way we did ours. Wow!! That looks SWEET!!! Way too stylish for me, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix2013 Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 Glen, it all depends on your fifth or the prospective fifth you might purchase in the future. Here's a "faithful" picture on the day I leveled the fifth and drove under my newly purchase HDT to contemplate what I needed to do, my skeptical wife is looking on after I said what I was planning but she went along. You are looking at the instance the ET was born (in my mind) after realization that no other crap on the market was going to do. The bigger the fifth the more likely that the pin box will be shorter and more straight or even vertical. That puts the corners of the fifth in turns closer to the critical areas of the bed where it can come in contact with the bed, hence the need for a slope or beaver tail. My fifth with the flat floor represents perhaps the most extreme arrangement. Here you can see what the corner is doing trying to get around the corner, the picture was taken at about 45 degree turn. Here's a picture of another "mishap" (we won't talk about it right now) where you can see how low the fifth is in relation to the ET and on the sides you see the temporary fenders I had with no slope. That was not enough distance to go around the corners with any kind of camber. You can also see in this picture newly minted ET prototype. Wife and I smacked both corners of the fifth taking off camber turns with this arrangement.. My bed probably represents the most extreme solution to dealing with cornering and my fifth. It's like a triple dovetail. Incidentally, the owner of this gorgeous Forks RV reported that he also smacked both corners of the fifth in off camber turns. There was some confusion during the build of his puller and the deck ended 2 inches higher than "usual" and that was enough to cause grief. Put a beaver tail in there. Contrary to suggestions I heard that area is relatively useless for anything else and since you are getting an ET, with a beaver tail it will be easier to get to the handle to unlatch the ET. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dollytrolley Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 Henry....... Your....."tail-vision" is so "keen" and so "visually-communicated"........... U - R - Da - Man Henry...... Drive on...........(Stay.......hitched) 97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronbo Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 You could also do a rollback deck Ron C. 2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3 2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted December 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 Well bit late. If problem will have to correct it. Sent him picture of Marks truck and said go with it. While I slept today bed getting built. My pin box is not short. Also builder puts 2X4 on tire, dumps air and determines height. So it won't be a tall bed. 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star Dreamer Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 The Freightliner's also don't have as much air bag drop as the Volvo's do, so that should help in keeping it lower. I think it was around 2.5" on our Century vs 5" on the Volvo. 2005 Freightliner Century S/T, Singled, Air ride ET Jr. hitch 2019 46'+ Dune Sport Man Cave custom 5th wheel toy hauler Owner of the 1978 Custom Van "Star Dreamer" which might be seen at a local car show near you! Check out http://www.hhrvresource.com/ for much more info on HDT's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted December 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 You are correct. I dumped the rear air at dealer and was expecting 5". Little surprised. As long as it clears hitch I'll be happy. Also please ignore my misspelling and such. lots of my posts were at work on cell. 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 By "dovetail" do you mean a downward sloped portion of deck or floor? (what the truck world calls a "beavertail") "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted December 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 Well I don't know truck terminology but on the east coast trailer slopping at back were dovetailed. I personally had never heard beaver tailed before this. Learn something new 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radar274 Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 Glen Congratulations on the truck, I think all of us HDTer's are glad you pulled the trigger..... you work so hard and deserve some FUN! I will try to attach our work in progress, it has storage in the tail just in front of the taillights. I am a laymen when it comes to welding, so it's not a work of ART but gets the job done Have Fun bob Bob&Kay 2012 VNL730 I Shift D13 2.47 ratio 2018 Mobile Suites 40 kssb4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted December 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 looks good. I wanted to build my own but this job stopped that. Good news is shop said they be finished this year. 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix2013 Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Glen, the ET slides between the rail from the rear. In this truck, as I mentioned before, we re-utilized the existing holes in the rails and drilled matching holes in the angles. Ended up using four 5/8 bolts instead of three 3/4 bolts. Make sure that the bed building shop is aware that they cannot enclose that area and prevent the ET from being slid into that area. Here's another example of a "beaver tail" (bed that slopes down and then flattens out again). On this one we fabricated a custom rear ET plate that is oversize, covers the ends of the frame rails and has provisions for the RV plug, a 110VAC output outlet from the APU unit and mounted the license plate and its lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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