Commercial & Fleet

Flatbed Trucks in Oklahoma City

By Jason Leck, General Manager, Carter Chevrolet — Okarche, OK

When your loads don’t fit neatly in a pickup bed, a flatbed truck pays for itself fast. Pipe, lumber, pallets, fencing, hay, a skid steer attachment — anything long, wide, or awkward rides easier on an open deck you can load from any side. That’s why flatbed trucks are a fixture on job sites and ranches all over central Oklahoma.

This page covers how flatbeds are built, which Chevy chassis work best, and the options worth knowing before you order. It’s part of our broader guide to upfitted commercial trucks near Oklahoma City. The short version of our pitch: we sell the Chevy, and our sister company, OEM Truck Equipment, builds the deck a few doors down the same street in Okarche.

What a flatbed truck actually is

A flatbed swaps the factory pickup bed for a flat steel or aluminum deck mounted to the frame. Most decks add stake pockets and rub rails along the edges so you can run a headache rack, side stakes, or chain down a load. Many also get a recessed gooseneck ball and a rear bumper-pull receiver, which turns one truck into a hauler for stock trailers, equipment trailers, and gooseneck flatbeds.

The big decision is material. Steel decks are tough and cheaper to repair, which is why they dominate oilfield and construction work. Aluminum decks weigh less, so you reclaim payload for cargo — useful if you’re already running heavy. OEM Truck Equipment is a full-line CM Truck Beds dealer and builds custom steel decks in-house, so you can spec the deck to the work instead of the other way around.

Who buys a flatbed truck around Oklahoma City

Flatbeds earn their living in trades that haul things a pickup bed can’t hold:

• Welders and fabricators — a flat deck plus a headache rack for leads, bottles, and a welder.
• Oilfield and energy services — steel decks that take abuse and chain down equipment.
• Fencing, lumber, and supply — long material loaded from either side with a forklift.
• Hay and feed hauling — stack square bales or pull a gooseneck trailer.
• Construction and equipment dealers — haul attachments, pallets, and small machines.

Best Chevy chassis for a flatbed

Not sure which one matches your loads? Tell us the heaviest thing you haul and whether you’ll pull a gooseneck, and we’ll point you to the right chassis and rating.

Building your flatbed: options that matter

A deck is only the start. The build details decide how useful the truck is day to day:

• Deck length and material — steel for durability, aluminum to save weight and keep payload.
• Gooseneck + bumper-pull hitches — a recessed ball in the deck plus a rear receiver covers most trailers.
• Headache rack — protects the cab and holds leads, bottles, ladders, or a winch.
• Underbody toolboxes — lockable storage without giving up deck space.
• Stake sides, lighting, and mud flaps — spec’d to how you load and where you drive.

Frequently asked questions

What is a flatbed truck used for?

Hauling cargo that won’t fit a pickup bed — pipe, lumber, pallets, fencing, equipment, and hay — plus pulling gooseneck and bumper-pull trailers. The open deck loads from any side, often with a forklift.

Steel or aluminum flatbed — which is better?

Steel is tougher and cheaper to repair, which is why it’s common in oilfield and construction. Aluminum weighs less, so you keep more payload for cargo. The right choice depends on how heavy you run and how rough the work is.

Can you put a gooseneck hitch in a flatbed?

Yes. Most flatbed builds include a recessed gooseneck ball in the deck and a rear bumper-pull receiver, so one truck can pull stock trailers, equipment trailers, and gooseneck flatbeds.

Which Silverado is best for a flatbed?

The Silverado 3500HD and the 3500HD Chassis Cab are the most common. The chassis cab is purpose-built for a deck; the dually adds stability for heavy and gooseneck loads.

Do you build the flatbed in-house?

Effectively, yes. Our sister company, OEM Truck Equipment, builds and installs flatbeds on the same street in Okarche, so you buy the chassis and the deck in one place instead of shipping the truck out of state.

How long does a flatbed build take?

It depends on the deck and options, and because OEM keeps a chassis pool on hand, many builds can start sooner than the ship-it-out model. Contact us for a current timeline.

Can I add toolboxes and a headache rack?

Yes — underbody toolboxes, headache racks, side stakes, winches, and extra lighting are all common add-ons spec’d to your trade.

Do you serve businesses outside Okarche?

Yes. We work with customers across the northwest Oklahoma City metro, including Kingfisher, El Reno, Yukon, and Piedmont. Okarche is a short drive up US-81 from OKC.