1982 F100 stepside shortbed
 

i am looking into buying an 82 f100 stepside. how much weight can the truck actually handle for payload? how long is the short bed? i want to haul my atv with it but i don't know if the truck would be able to handle it. is there an easy way to beef up the rear suspension? is it worth trying to add another leaf? my atv is 600 pounds. the truck has the I6, auto, 2wd. what are the inside bed dimensions? thanks for your help.

I take it your looking at this particular truck because you have the opportunity to buy it. (in other words, you didn't just pick this truck out of the blue)

A F-100 would be a quarter ton truck if I'm not mistaken, although it may be a light duty half ton. I don't think you'd have a problem with a 600 pound atv if it fits in there, but you probably would want to add a helper leaf (not hard). I know F150s are half ton trucks. I have an 86 stepside (F150 4X4), and I know the bed is longer than a typical 6 foot shortbed, it is closer to 7 feet, but not quite I don't think. As I recall it's about 4 feet wide, and the inner fenders stick in a few inches on either side, not too much. I know I can slip in a 4X8 sheet of plywood with no problem, it just sticks over the tailgate.

If you really need dimensions I can go out and measure.

i would really like to buy it just because these trucks are hard to find now and i really like them, but my major concern is will it handle my atv. if i just put helper springs to level it out would i have to worry about any other part of the truck: ie frame, rearend, wheels. putting a leaf on is not big deal as long as it will help me.

Adding helper leaves and you should be set. Assuming the rest of the truck is in good condition, that is. I don't know what rear they used in F100s, but their probably half decent. I don't know if 82 F100s still use the "lightened" frame. (it has holes in it :rolleyes: )

Nick's is like mine but 2wd. The easiest way to tell if your ATV will fit into the bed of the truck Park it on a 4x8 sheet of plywood. If your ATV isn't wider then the 4" sides it'll fit. The Beds are 6' long. But you can hook the tailgate chains to the gate for maybe an extra 2' of room. The best part about loading things like that into a Flareside is the Gate drops down much easier then a style side. Plus they lay more flush due to the real flat gates. As far as the truck handling the load it should, But it depends if the rear springs have weakend over the years, The easiest and cheapiest way to help carry a load is by adding air shocks that way you can air them up to handle the load still keep a good ride and lower the pressure in the shocks so the truck don't ride stiff after you unload the truck.

Are you sure tex? I could swear my bed is a hair longer than 6"?

The FlareSide beds are 6½', with the regular fleetside beds being 6¾' long.
For 82, all the F100s and F150's used the standard frame, not the 80-81 swiss cheese unit.
If it is a manual brake F100, it will have the normal truck 5x5.5" lug pattern, and the only difference between it and an F150 is the springs themselves. If it had factory power brakes, it will have the car 5x4.5" bolt pattern and oddball small brake hardware.
An F100 is just a light GVWR F150, most are around 4750# or so, which, in 84, after the F100 was dropped, was the lightest F150 GVWR avalable.
Evan

i know that a polaris 250 trailblazer fit in mine but i had the tailgate off. you shouldn't have any problems hauling the quad around as is. (i didn't but mine is a f-150 not a F-100)

1982 f100 stepside shortbed
 

jackal18us:

the least expensive way is to put a pair of coil overloads on the rear. they bolt right to the axle. they come in 1000, 1500 and 2000 lb sizes. they only begin to work when u begin to load. they don't contact when the bed is unloaded. $25 or so. i prefer the lighter sizes cause u still have the same lugs and tires.

another choice is 1/2 leaf overload spring.....can be adjusted to 750, 1000, 1500 lb. they're good also.......used them both for years. the coils are easier to install. a set of either and your 82 100 won't know your atv is back there. most parts stores have them.

if it fits in the bed it will haul it just fine imo.
82f100I6man4sp:-tap

thanks for all your help. i might just look for an F250 4x4. it's getting close to winter so i like the idea of 4x4. since i won't be hauling the atv around much (maybe a weekend here and there) the f100 would still work and i love that body style, but i also like having a stronger truck in case i need it sometime. i guess i'll have to make up my mind. hehe

An F250 is more than a bit of overkill for just hauling an ATV... That F100 would be plenty, it's just that 21 year old leaf springs just ain't what they used to be....
My 86 F250 is rated at 8800 LBS GVWR, I could easily put that F100 in the bed and be under that.
4wd is nice, but, if you're up to it, on an 80-83 F100/80-96 F150 it's a bolt in swap on a 2wd truck...
Evan