Many thanks to all the forum members who have responded.
In decking material preferences, the wood proponents greatly outnumber the metal proponents.
However, if items are blocked and secured properly, why should a steel deck be any less suitable than a wood deck?
Surely the key to keeping hauled items upright is to have the requisite number of securing points in the requisite locations.
In that regard, every truck bed and trailer deck that I’ve seen hasn’t had a sufficient number of properly located securing points.
Or am I missing something regarding load securing here?
In my opinion, the truck itself is, or should be, immaterial to the question raised in this thread.
However, to better apprise forum members of my aims, thoughts, uses, etc., I will respond with the following comments.
If I had enough money for purpose-oriented trucks and trailers I would be looking at things differently. Alas, I don’t.
I have to accept that a truck/trailer combination that is multi-purpose will likely not be absolutely ideal in every situation.
Yes, I would be using the truck and/or trailer to transport sub-25K excavating equipment as well as drills, lathes, mills, etc.
Dumping vs Tipping: I meant dumping (for the truck at least); for the trailer tipping would most likely suffice.
Most deck over tipping trailers seem to have 36-inch deck heights. Is this industry norm too high to be suitable for tipping use?
I’ve seen pictures of 6 axle deck over trailers using 12-inch (2450 lb. rated) tires with a 26-inch deck height. Thoughts?
Dumping capability is needed to transport dirt, rubbish, stone, etc. – necessary to remediate two old farms dating to 1785/1796.
I discounted a rollback truck deck long ago; but rollback trailer decks are available and might be more useful than a tipping deck.
The makers of dumping flatbeds for trucks I’ve contacted assure me their steel decks can safely carry equipment and machinery.
But perhaps I should apply the age old .25 multiplication factor of claimed performance to determine real world capabilities.
No, I’m not contemplating sliding a 15K RAD down a tipping trailer deck; but I’ve had many people tell me they’ve done this.
No, I’ve never had a 26K tipping flatbed; but I have had a 10K tipping flatbed (that I’ve often considerably overloaded) for 10 years.
Yes, the tipping bed had a tendency to rock sideways with tall loads (like say 2000 lbs on the full-length ladder/material rack).
However, once I added removable plates that locked the bed rigidly to the frame this disconcerting trait vanished.
If such plates are not enough for a 26K truck, I will make removable trusses like those used in motorhome floor assemblies.
My 10K tipping flatbed now has 1.5 inch sway bars on both axles; my 26K truck would have 2.5 inch sway bars on both axles.
I would also incorporate provisions for fitting both 5th wheel and gooseneck hitches.
I have a 20K kg rated 5th wheel hitch from a Unimog that rocks in both side/side & fore/aft planes that I want to be able to use.
Long tongue center axle trailers (which attach under the bed near the axle) are widely used in EU/Commonwealth countries.
Years ago, I started a thread about the Trailer Toad (i.e., two-dolly), and now having used one, tongue weight is a non-issue.
For those unfamiliar with these terms, the two-dolly or Trailer Toad effectively converts a tag trailer into a full trailer.
But I would ensure that the bed had almost no rear overhang to allow easier access to any rear mounted trailer coupling.
I purposely didn’t bring up the subject of CDL requirements, as I didn’t want this thread derailed or sidetracked. No such luck.
So, to allow those forum members who opined on this subject a venue for further comment, I will start a separate CDL thread.