The old adage goes, “all that is old is new again.” Take a look at a brand new Challenger. It looks kind of like an old one, doesn’t it? Same with a few other vehicles. But some other things are apparently coming back around (or maybe they never really left): pickup truck bed trailers. The variable, though, is the trendy way we describe them. Instead of “a pickup bed off of a junked out, wrecked Chevy,” it is now “upcycled.” It’s the same but different.
So what are the hip kids using upcycled truck beds for these days? And if your state doesn’t jive with them, how can you make your upcycled truck bed trailer street legal? Let’s find out.
What Is a Truck Bed Trailer?
Well, a truck bed trailer is fairly simple: it is the entire back half of a pickup truck. The frame is cut and shaped in a wedge, and a hitch is welded in place. The end result is a sturdy trailer that is at least a ½-ton but could even be up to a 1-ton with dual wheels. You can also throw a flatbed on there if you really want to be rad.
One of the easiest ways to make this happen is to go with one auction house specializing in wrecked vehicles (Copart) and find a pickup truck with a ruined front half. It doesn’t matter how bad the front end is as long as the frame isn’t twisted past the cab.
You can convert any pickup make, model, or year into a truck bed trailer. Of course, this does beg a few questions: how do you title it if the frame has a VIN attached to a junk or salvage vehicle? We’ll get to that in a moment, but right now there’s an even more pressing question.
Why Would You Want To Upcycle An Old Pickup Bed?
There are a few reasons why you should make an upcycled pickup bed trailer.
They’re cheap. Buying a used one on Craigslist or Marketplace rarely costs more than a few hundred bucks.
There is a deep supply of donor vehicles. Every truck totaled in the front end is a potential candidate for a pickup bed trailer.
A 1-ton trailer gives you theoretically 2,000lbs of load capacity for a relatively compact trailer. Not necessarily light, but compact.
It gives you a pickup bed even if you don’t have a pickup. Regular utility trailers lack the bed configuration of a pickup, so you have to secure some loads you would just throw in a pickup bed. Take a 4’x8’ sheet of plywood or sheetrock. They fit perfectly in a full-size pickup bed (if it’s an 8’ bed), and you can close the tailgate versus having to ratchet strap them down to a regular flatbed trailer. Plus mulch, gravel, and all manner of landscaping materials can be poured right in.
We can also think of a few other reasons: you can slide an in-bed camper straight in if you want to tow it with a large SUV. You’d want to ensure it has working brakes, which is another element that’s often easier to achieve than it would be on a regular flatbed trailer. Also, it might look a little weird, but who are we to say?
"pickup trailer bed with BBQ smoker" by La Chachalaca Fotografía is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.
Another option is to make a dedicated Overlanding camper. If the donor truck is a four-wheel drive rig, it already has good ground clearance and a sturdy set of springs and axles. Also, if you were to use a trailer of the same brand as an SUV (1500-series donor truck with a Tahoe or Suburban tow rig), the tires and wheels are compatible. Put a fiberglass topper on the trailer, and you have a camper with room for gear. If you are crafty, you can even put a toolbox on the frame and tongue of the trailer to store tools and spare parts. Sounds about as easy as finding a military trailer.
The final option worth mentioning is taking a utility truck with a service bed as a donor or putting a service bed on a converted trailer. While heavy, it could be a great way to stow a ton of gear and tools for the trail OR to use as an around-the-farm chore trailer.
Isn't There Already a VIN on the Frame?
There might be, although they are usually on the forward areas of a vehicle. This probably won’t matter, although it could. You would need to check into your local state laws regarding the titling requirements of trailers to see if you even need to know the VIN of the truck your bed came off of – in some states they even want you to have the whole vehicle in your possession and titled in your name.
However, we know that some states may be unfriendly toward the titling and registering of converted pickup trailers. If you are in one of those states, or if your state is complicated or asks for something out of this world, we can help you with our titling services. It’s hard to say what avenue we will take since these are unique vehicle types, but we will do our best to title it for you and make your upcycled truck bed trailer street-legal. Just give us a call if that interests you.
If there is a VIN on the frame still, it may need to be processed similarly to any other salvage-branded vehicle. It can be done, so if you are in this position, call us immediately and we can walk you through your options. Do you know for sure the vehicle wasn’t totaled or branded salvage? That’s even easier to work with. Don’t have a clue what happened to the rest of the truck? Rest assured, it should still be possible to get it on the road legally.
Well..Can You Lift It?
Heck yes, you can lift it! Now, beware: the springs are stiff since it is made for a truck so you could end up with an unstable trailer. But any standard rear-end lift kit that fits that make and model truck will lift your upcycled trailer!
Do I Need to Title A Pickup Bed Trailer?
It totally depends on your state’s laws. California requires almost all utility trailers to be titled and registered, including a converted pickup bed trailer. Other states, such as New Mexico, only allow trailers like this to be used for farm purposes. Rumor has it that you cannot title or register a converted pickup trailer in New Mexico, although the statutes are somewhat unclear.
"I can haz car title!" by Lee Bennett is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Okay, I Do Need A Title. Now What?
Assuming you’ve done your legwork and determined that you need a title (and registration) for your pickup bed trailer (remember, every state is different, so make sure to read the statutes), your most hassle-free option is to call our specialists and discuss your best course of action.
The Dirt Legal Advantage
Dirt Legal is your one-stop shop to title your ATVs, dirt bikes, boats, UTVs, and more. If it has wheels, we’ve probably titled it. We also are your registration destination; a clean title still gets you no closer to the road if it isn’t registered and tagged as street legal.
We work with states that will get you on the road when your home state's DMV won’t help you. Our LLC programs could save you thousands in sales tax. And no matter which option(s) you choose, you never need to leave the comfort of your home.
Wrapping Up
You just want to get your pickup truck bed trailer on the road legally, and we just want to get you there. However, some states are unfriendly to this trailer style or titling trailers in general, with paragraphs of requirements or outright disdain for upcycled bed trailers of all sorts. Their sales taxes are high, the process is difficult and slow, and dealing with the DMV is always a pain. Instead, let Dirt Legal title and register your truck bed trailer so you can get back to lifting it, Overlanding it, hauling lumber, or just hauling ass in the opposite direction of the DMV.
We have the tools to title and register your cars, trucks, RVs, and OHVs. Also, our online registration renewal program makes out-of-state renewals a piece of cake. So get the ball rolling today to get your trailer rolling ASAP!
John McCoy is a lifelong car and truck enthusiast and has a strong mechanical background off the road. He spent over 13 years in the U.S. Air Force as a crew chief, assigned to the B-1B Lancer, affectionately known as the Bone to those in the community, and the KC-135R Stratotanker. He resides on a small farm in Eastern Kansas where he (sometimes) enjoys fixing ancient farm equipment.