Flatbeds and sled pulling, what are the rules?

C

CatDieselPower

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Nov 2, 2008
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Guys, my truck is a cab and chassis with a flatbed. My current flatbed is steel and rusting away. Before I go out and buy a new aluminum bed, I was wondering what the rules are on pulling with a flatbed. I know most "brush pulls" have no problem with it, but I have seen some of the national organizations have rules that state that full body trucks only are allowed. I understand the concern that most steel flatbeds have the hitch integrated into the bed which may be an advantage, but aluminum beds use a standalone hitch. Will that make any difference during tech inspection? I will mostly be pulling in the IL and IN area if that helps.

Thanks

Tyler
 
If your alum. flat bed weighs less then a complete seel factory bed...then you could put more weight up front...Advantage...

I know of a few guys that made ultra light weight flat beds to gain that advantage in classes that mandated full bodies....i think thats why organizations don't like flat beds!
 
brushpuller said:
If your alum. flat bed weighs less then a complete seel factory bed...then you could put more weight up front...Advantage...

I know of a few guys that made ultra light weight flat beds to gain that advantage in classes that mandated full bodies....i think thats why organizations don't like flat beds!
Click to expand...

Yea, I thought about the weight thing too, but this bed if anything will weight a bit more than a standard bed. Of course, how do you prove that to the tech guy? This will be an "off the shelf" bed, not a homemade unit made to get around the rules. Ideally, the official would take it on a case by case basis. If anything with the bed would be an advantage (less weight like you mentioned or integral hitch), then don't let it pass inspection. I was kind of hoping that some of the rules makers in some of the pulling organizations would read this and think about relaxing their rules a bit instead of not letting guys with flatbeds pull, period.:confused:
 
Smokin Flatbed on here runs a reg cab with a steel factory built bed and has never had any issues.
 
i run a steel flat bed and never had a problem, i also heard that some places wont let you run with a flat bed, but i'm in Texas
 
Sounds good, thanks for the replies. Have any of you guys pulled at NADM, NHRDA, or for any of the other organizations that run the bigger pulls? Thanks.
 
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