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FWC Flatbed Discussion

FWC Flatbed Flat Bed

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#11 Advmoto18

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Posted 06 December 2016 - 05:29 PM

I too, have been contemplating selling my slide-in 2015 Hawk for a flatbed Hawk. 

 

The one problem I'm am having, and probably will not get an definitive answer until Overland Expo in May, is the rear over hang of the Hawk camper aft of the flatbed.  I often carry my motorcycle with me in a Joe Hauler hitch carrier.  Just by looking at the photos of the many flatbed Hawk installs, it seems the motorcycle handlebar would interfere (contact) with the rear, vertical portion of the flatbed camper.

 

As I mentioned, this may be an illusion in the all the pictures I've seen.  I will likely need to get some measurements or install the carrier on a flatbed Hawk/truck at the Expo to get the straight skinny on the perceived issue.

 

Definitely do no need a headache bar on a flatbed dedicated to a camper. 


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#12 elmo_4_vt

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Posted 06 December 2016 - 08:43 PM

Thanks again to the respondents! I am gathering some good information and I am sure someone else down the line will find this info useful. Because of some replies and additional observations on my part, I have edited the original post to include two additional questions about fuel inlet and bumper sensors/ cameras?

In looking at Elmo's box behind the rear window I am wondering if you miss your rear window. I did notice that the rear window of the camper is too high to see through the camper and out of while driving so what the heck.

 

Updated my original post.  For the most part though, I don't miss the rear view mirror much.  I'm used to driving with trailer anyway, so that usually kills the center mirror as well.  The new Ford trucks have factory wireless rear view cameras for the trailer which seems pretty trick and wouldn't be too hard if I wanted to install a 2nd screen.  A possibility in the future I guess.

 

Don

 

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Edited by elmo_4_vt, 06 December 2016 - 08:43 PM.

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#13 rando

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Posted 06 December 2016 - 10:49 PM

To answer the follow on questions:

 

11.  I relocated the fuel filler to the under the bed, but as high as possible.   I definitely thought this would cause issues as it lowered the fuel filler by about 4".   The first iteration did have issues with some fuel dripping out of the filler as I filled up, but I adjusted the angle of the filler to give it a steeper slope and it has worked fine ever since.  It fills just as fast as before and the auto stop on the fuel pump works well. 

 

12.  I installed a backup camera on the rear edge of the flatbed.   I didn't want to hack up my existing tailgate (so I can sell it) so I bought a used OEM camera from a RAV4 on ebay for $30 and mounted that instead.    I didn't get the 'tech package' on the Tacoma as I knew I was removing the bed, so I don't have backup or blind spot sensors.   The backup sensors would be trivial to relocate to the new bed, but it would be hard to do this with the blind spot monitor as these are radar and are very sensitive to mounting position.


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2016 Fleet Flatbed

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#14 Durango1

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Posted 06 December 2016 - 11:30 PM



I too, have been contemplating selling my slide-in 2015 Hawk for a flatbed Hawk. 

 

The one problem I'm am having, and probably will not get an definitive answer until Overland Expo in May, is the rear over hang of the Hawk camper aft of the flatbed.  I often carry my motorcycle with me in a Joe Hauler hitch carrier.  Just by looking at the photos of the many flatbed Hawk installs, it seems the motorcycle handlebar would interfere (contact) with the rear, vertical portion of the flatbed camper.

 

As I mentioned, this may be an illusion in the all the pictures I've seen.  I will likely need to get some measurements or install the carrier on a flatbed Hawk/truck at the Expo to get the straight skinny on the perceived issue.

 

Definitely do no need a headache bar on a flatbed dedicated to a camper. 

Yes, the overhang is about 11" or so. If you go to the FWC site under Hawk Flatbed they have a dimensional drawing. BTW, this is just one more reason to go custom so you can end the bed where the camper starts the 45 degree up-sweep. Mine could have been about 1 1/2" shorter. But what the heck...

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#15 tlilienfield

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Posted 02 February 2017 - 12:16 AM

Thanks so much for this info.  I am considering buying a hawk or fleet flatbed and would like to modify my garage height  to fit it in.  I live in a very snowy area.  I called a flatbed dealer that Four Wheel camper gave me the name of and they said I should add about 6 - 6 1/2 inches of height to the overall truck and camper.  Any suggestions on how to keep the flatbed as low in height as possible?  It seems like I"m getting very close to the max i can raise my garage   Thanks!


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#16 MrCrash

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Posted 29 November 2017 - 03:33 PM

A question for you flatbed owners. 

 

How exactly is your flatbed integrated to the mounting of the FWC? I am in the process of having a custom flatbed made. The flatbed fabricator is working off of drawings provided by FWC. I am assuming that I want the bed drilled and tapped to accept a bolt down from the FWC. From talking to my FWC dealer he seems to think that a bolt and separate nut under the flatbed is needed. To me that seems ridiculous as you will need two people to tighten each bolt and nut. It seems so much simpler to just put threads in the flatbed. The mounting points are being specifically reinforced for the application, so there will be plenty of aluminum there.

 

How are your flatbeds designed? Would you do it the same way given the opportunity to do it over again?

Thanks in advance for your input.


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#17 shellback

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Posted 29 November 2017 - 03:44 PM

A question for you flatbed owners. 

 

How exactly is your flatbed integrated to the mounting of the FWC? I am in the process of having a custom flatbed made. The flatbed fabricator is working off of drawings provided by FWC. I am assuming that I want the bed drilled and tapped to accept a bolt down from the FWC. From talking to my FWC dealer he seems to think that a bolt and separate nut under the flatbed is needed. To me that seems ridiculous as you will need two people to tighten each bolt and nut. It seems so much simpler to just put threads in the flatbed. The mounting points are being specifically reinforced for the application, so there will be plenty of aluminum there.

 

How are your flatbeds designed? Would you do it the same way given the opportunity to do it over again?

Thanks in advance for your input.

Couldn't the flatbed manufacturer provide a tapped hole to bolt the camper down?  Once the camper was aligned properly on the flatbed, a small pilot hole could be drilled up through the threaded hole, then enlarged to the proper size up top. Then bolt it down with some blue loctite.


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#18 rando

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Posted 29 November 2017 - 04:20 PM

I don't think a taped hole in the flatbed would be a very good idea - threads in relatively thin aluminium are not going to be particularly strong.   You can essentially bolt the camper down where ever you want, but  you should probably try to go through the skids on the bottom of the camper.   Mine is bolted down in each of the 4 corners, a bolt in each rear storage bin, a bolt next to the hot water heater and a bolt through the floor of the propane compartment.  These are 12mm bolts with fender washers and ny-loc nuts.   If you plan on removing the camper and therefore want it to be easier to bolt down, then a mondo rivet nut may be a better option than a tapped hole as the threads would be steel. Or it may be even easier to tap and glue the bolts into the camper floor, then tighten the nuts from underneath the flatbed - much easier to line up the protruding bolts with the holes in the bed, than to try and line up holes with holes. 


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2016 Fleet Flatbed

2016 Toyota Tacoma


#19 shellback

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Posted 29 November 2017 - 04:47 PM

He did state this, " The mounting points are being specifically reinforced for the application, so there will be plenty of aluminum there." So I would assume a tapped hole would be fine.


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#20 rando

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Posted 29 November 2017 - 05:08 PM

True, I glossed over that.   But still, predetermining where the bolts will go, before you have the camper would be hard.   You have some freedom in where you want the holes, but they should go through the skids, avoid plumbing and wires, and make sure you have clearance for a tool.  Figuring this out took some time with the camper installed on the flatbed sitting right in front of us.   Matching drilling the holes from inside the camper, then installing a rivet nut seems much easier to me. 


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2016 Fleet Flatbed

2016 Toyota Tacoma






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