Thanks again Stu,

looking at the express box pic,if the bolt heads in the skid strips go in the cross brace then i think there looks to be 6 braces,is that right?

then where the wood meets the side panel,is there something there to cover that joint or is it just a nice fitting butt joint?

what wood would i use to make these cross braces,we sell hardwood at work for cabinet makers so i have a good selection of oak ,maple,cherry,birch,alder,beech and i can order pretty much any kind that we dont have in stock.

 

My bed only had four angle braces welded in to the bottom side rails, attaching the bed to the frame. Then the 1/8 inch steel sheet was welded on top. I trying to get photos on how or where the braces were, how it looked from top or bottom, front and back. Whether your bed is pristine or falling apart. It like how is the frame attached to the front of the bed, I think there was a piece bolted to it that supported the sides. It may show details that can be used to help rebuild other beds.
Here is a place that can supply crossmembers and a few other things.
Ford Bed Wood



I planning on cutting them out the angles an rewelding new steel tubes in.

On a lot of the F1 beds they had a metal strip to cover the edges of the wood floor up. Just wondering if there was any for the F2 or F3 beds. I have not found any per say.
Here a view of a bed finished.



My bed has a lot of work



Dale
Ford52F2

 

I went out to the barn and checked. There are six cross members, not seven, as Dale has pictured. The brace below the tail gate is structural metal.

The four longer wood cross members measure 53.75" long x 1.75" wide x 2.5" thick. The board that mounts below the headboard has an additional piece attached that extends forward and below the lower lip of headboard. The length of the middle two supports is shorter to fit between the wheel wells. Mine are trash so I didn't get that measurement. Easy enough to just make yours fit between the wheel wells. They are the same 1.75" wide, and as my drawing shows, they are 1 5/8" thick at the center and only 1 1/8" from the frame to the bed wall. There is no trim strip covering the wood along the bed sides or headboard. Stu

 

A good indication if the metal floor covering is factory or not is to see if it has any raised ribs. The factory floors had raised ribs that resembled the metal strips in a wooden floor. Most (if not all) owner installed metal floor coverings were just a plain flat sheet of steel.

You can buy a replacement metal floor covering from most of the vendors, Mack Hills, LMC, etc, but they are pretty proud of them. I've never seen the covering on an Express Box but then again I've never paid too much attention either.

https://www.mackhils.com/mack_produc...?CategoryNo=31

Bobby

 

i dont know why the heck i didnt take pics of the underside while i had it up in the air with the forklift on sunday,but i will lift it up again tomorrow and get some for Ford52f2.i did squeeze under there today at lunch and there is 6 cross ribs and 9 planks and the skid strips look pretty good where i could see them on the ends.
the pic above looks like the cross braces fit 7 planks,i think that would look better than the 9 thin planks.
i didnt plan on taking the metal plate out just now,but i think it might just be better to do it how and be done with it.
i will make the cross braces myself,the oak from work will only be about $20.00,then i will have to pick what type of wood to use for the planks,we have some pretty cool looking African mahogany or maybe some nice cherry would work.

 

Chuck wrote: "Express beds never had a steel floor. Chuck"

 

well i guess my box wont have one for much longer.
i didnt want to take it out just yet,but i cant see how i would get the old carriage bolts out from that outside limp with out removing the plate on top of it?the middle ones will come out with what is left of the wood,oh well.i think i will start this on satuarday .thanks for all your help everyone.

oh and Ford52f2 i didnt get a chance to get those pics today,i happen to drop a lift of 3/4" melamine for about 8' just before lunch.what a mess ,not one sheet made out in one piece.sorry i should be able to get them tomorrow.

 

Dale,I hope this is what you needed.if not let me know exactly what you want and i will get it.









i hope this helps.

 

Roy,
Will check these tonight. When I'm at work any photo show up as X's. They're tight on computer security here .

Thanks, Dale
Ford52F2

 

I know this is a really old thread but I am working away from home and can't measure any thing till who knows when.Today I found a really nice Mercury tailgate that is off a ton.Dads 56 M100 has a long box and I would like to know if the one ton and the long box 1/2 ton tail gate are the same size.I am assuming the tailgate and box on the lwb 100 are the same as a 250.Does any one have these dimensions like shown in this picture for the 53-56 models.The tailgate I looked at measures 55 by 21 1/2.
Thanks in advance Dave