What about a Cybertruck Flatbed?

[Cyberman]

I realize most of us really like the idea of a stainless pickup from hell, but as a small business owner, besides the Cybertruck, I'm going to need a flatbed very soon, and I hate the idea of buying another ICE truck. Most contractors work one metropolitan area, so range only has to be 250 miles tops. When I bought my F550 in 2001, I welded an 8x14 stainless steel sheet over the T&G wood on the flatbed, and I've never had to worry about it rusting. The cab is another story. For the last 15 years, it's been battling cancer, and it's losing. Does anyone else have a need for a stainless steel stakebed or flatbed?

Advertisement

 

[davamanra]

Sadly, being that it's an exoskeleton design, you would need some kind of structural support to maintain the rigidity of the exoskeleton. You might be able to go bare bones, but you would need some kind of substitute for the sail pillars, or the truck would just buckle in the middle.

 

[ldjessee]

Why would a trailer (made from stainless steel) not be possible for your needs?

If you are currently using an F550, that is a pretty big truck, so I am guessing it is not for maneuvering?

Is it for offloading by a forklift/skid-steer?

Knowing the need/use case would help understand the problem.

Remember, start at the beginning of the problem, not with the traditional solution to the problem.

That is a more 'first principles' approach.

 

[Cyberman]

Why would a trailer (made from stainless steel) not be possible for your needs?

If you are currently using an F550, that is a pretty big truck, so I am guessing it is not for maneuvering?

Is it for offloading by a forklift/skid-steer?

Knowing the need/use case would help understand the problem.

Remember, start at the beginning of the problem, not with the traditional solution to the problem.

That is a more 'first principles' approach.

A trailer is possible, but it's not what I want. I'm a fence contractor, I keep the bed loaded with C-mix (sand and pea gravel) to make concrete for setting posts; on heavy work days, after removing 100 to 200 feet of fence, I load it onto my flatbed, most days it's tough enough to get the truck parked, let alone a trailer. A lift of boards gets fork lifted onto the truck, we unload by hand at the job site. Roof rust is my main problem, and I like the idea of paying $10 to refuel my truck, not $100. Also, fewer brake jobs, no oil changes, no transmission to go out at rush hour, no radiator, no water pump, no alternator, no fuel pump...etc. So just bring on the SS flatbed, please.
And thanks for the input.

 

[davamanra]

Why would a trailer (made from stainless steel) not be possible for your needs?

If you are currently using an F550, that is a pretty big truck, so I am guessing it is not for maneuvering?

Is it for offloading by a forklift/skid-steer?

Knowing the need/use case would help understand the problem.

Remember, start at the beginning of the problem, not with the traditional solution to the problem.

That is a more 'first principles' approach.

All these truck examples you mentioned are built like a traditional truck, with body-on-frame. The frame bears the weight of the load and the cab and bed are simply bolted on to the frame. With an exoskeleton (or unibody construction) the weight is distributed across the body and the stresses are supported by the pillars of the passenger compartment and the unibody. Taking away these structural members are like removing a load bearing crossbeam in a ho.use. There's nothing left to hold them house up anymore and the house collapses. I'm sure I could give you a better engineering example, but I'm tired and can't think of one! In a nutshell, the Cybertruck is built more like a car than a truck and they are like comparing apples and oranges

 

[davamanra]

A trailer is possible, but it's not what I want. I'm a fence contractor, I keep the bed loaded with C-mix (sand and pea gravel) to make concrete for setting posts; on heavy work days, after removing 100 to 200 feet of fence, I load it onto my flatbed, most days it's tough enough to get the truck parked, let alone a trailer. A lift of boards gets fork lifted onto the truck, we unload by hand at the job site. Roof rust is my main problem, and I like the idea of paying $10 to refuel my truck, not $100. Also, fewer brake jobs, no oil changes, no transmission to go out at rush hour, no radiator, no water pump, no alternator, no fuel pump...etc. So just bring on the SS flatbed, please.
And thanks for the input.

In this case, the Cybertruck CAN handle this type of work because it has airbag suspension! Load up the bed (vault) of the Cybertruck, then pump up the airbag suspension and pump up the tires. I don't know how the Cybertruck adjusts for shock absorption, but set the rear shocks for greater damping and you should be good to go!

 

[Cyberman]

In this case, the Cybertruck CAN handle this type of work because it has airbag suspension! Load up the bed (vault) of the Cybertruck, then pump up the airbag suspension and pump up the tires. I don't know how the Cybertruck adjusts for shock absorption, but set the rear shocks for greater damping and you should be good to go!

I would really like that, but I need a 14 foot bed, I don't mind if Elon and his team of wizards build an actual SS frame to support the extra load/length of a bigger truck, I need something bigger than the Cybertruck, but smaller than the Tesla Semi.

 

[davamanra]

I would really like that, but I need a 14 foot bed, I don't mind if Elon and his team of wizards build an actual SS frame to support the extra load/length of a bigger truck, I need something bigger than the Cybertruck, but smaller than the Tesla Semi.

Well, two things. First I've seen some sketches of a Cybertruck with some ladder carrying rig that looks like it mounts to the sail pillars. They look like they could carry some pretty long hardware, and it wouldn't even stick out past the tailgate. Just strap them in over the cab, OR have them hang out past the tailgate and tie some of those red caution flags to the end of whatever you're hauling.