Hi, I'm new to the site but I've been visiting for awhile. I picked up a '86 F350 dually 460 last Sunday. Even though I've only driven it as far as backing it into my driveway (ignition cylinder broke yesterday), I love this truck!!!
This is a truck I plan to keep for a very long time. So I want to fix everything on it. The first thing I want to tackle is the rust (rot).
Have any of you guys repaired rot in your truck bed? How much of a pain would this be? I have rot in the same place on the other side. Today I went to the jy near me, and didn't find a single F350.

 

In addition to what you'll find here, FTE has a pretty good Bodywork forum you should check
out, too:

Paint & Bodywork - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

 

I believe you can use any 80-97 bed even if it isn't a dually bed. Those flares over the dually wheels are just fiberglass if I remember correctly and you can just mount them to a standard bed. Someone correct me if I am wrong but I'm pretty sure you can.

 

I imagine you can, too.

F150-250-350 are all the same body, differences are in the suspension & drivetrain.

 

Technically, the mounting holes for the beds are all in the same location...but the body lines are different for 87-92 and 93-97...?? I thought they were...

I mean, if you don't care about the smallest details and just want a hauler for grunt work...any bed will work.

And as far as I know it...the dually covers are just fiberglass. Could even make your own, if you feel crafty enough.

How about replacement quater panels from LMC.. you'd need to weld, but some elbow grease and some new metal and that bed will be good as new...on the cheap.

Might I suggest maybe adding Rust Bullet. I have used this stuff on thinning metal. After the two required coats...that panel was rigid again. Pretty good stuff so far. I have used it on in several places on my truck (tailgate especially) and living on the coast ... salt just creeps in. It's been hold up good for the last 6 years...

 

Thanks! I just checked out LMC, I think that might be what I need. Maybe I can find someone to weld them for me, I'll put an ad on craigslist . Hopefully it won't cost me too much. I plan to take the bed off this weekend.
Is rust bullet similar to that POR 15 stuff? Who sells it?

Sorry for posting in the wrong section.
Thanks again guys.

 

Throw a flat bed on it. My 84 long bed has surface rust but I am going with a flat bed and trying to sell or scrap this bed.

 

Yes the body lines are slightly different however to an untrained eye you will never know the difference. This has been discussed many many times on here. Essentially the newer beds have flares over the back wheels and a slightly slightly different body line. However like I said 95% of the people out there will not know the difference.

 

You can either buy it off their website: Rust Inhibitor Paint | Stop Rust | Rust Corrosion Inhibitor | Rust Converter

Or do what I do, and buy it on Amazon. Just search for it, and the company sells their products through Amazon.

It's similiar to POR 15. Without getting into the science of it all...POR 15 is a very proven system, but that also comes with the high price tag.

Rust bullet comes in one can. They sell various sizes..pint, quart, gallon. Each getting a bit more expensive. The quart is roughly $46. I've never used POR 15 (cost prohibitive), so I can just give my $.02 on rust bullet. It's easy to put on. They say you can put it right on the metal with little prep. But we all know that if you do something...do it right the first time and forget it. So prepping is the longest part of this whole thing. Sand, sand, sand. Wire brushed work great of breaking off the flaking rust. Rust bullet seems to love bare metal. So put a medium first coat on. You can use a brush or paint sprayer...the automotive formula is just thinner to go through HVLP guns easily. I brush it on myself. Wait the recommended time...I usually wait an hour or so. Then put on the second coat. There is no color difference between dry and wet product...so you have to be very keen as to where you have and have not brushed the 2nd coat. Go to the website for a scientific explanation of how it all works.

At the end of the 2nd coat...just leave it. About 48-72 hours before putting any paint on it. I have put dupli-color's engine enamel on it, and works pretty good. The cheap paint flakes off but rust bullet stays on strong. (Dupli-color isn't the greatest for durability....but I digress)

That's it.

Very, very true....but I'm just a little OCD like that myself....

 

DRW beds are actually different then a SRW truck. You'll need to cut out some of the bed so the gas filler tubes line up with the dually fender gas door openings.

 

dont look that bad to me just fix it

 

If it were mine (and I'm a metal fabricator/hot rod builder) I'd ditch the bed an find a rust-free one to start out with. You can hammer out dents, but rust never sleeps.

Getting new bedsides installed is more labor intensive than just replacing the bed. These trucks are EVERYWHERE around here and there's always ads on craigslist for trucks being parted out. Just need to keep an eye out in your area.

Just find another long bed being parted out and grab the bed. Do some minor trimming if it's not a Dually bed, and attach your fenders. You'll save time, money, labor, and you won't have to worry about the rust coming back. It's also a good time to clean up & paint the frame rails & suspension components while the bed is off, and a good time to clean up & paint or undercoat the underside of the bed.

 

You're not posting in the wrong section, you're cool. I was just trying to point you at MORE
stuff.

Concerning products like POR15 and whatnot, the following is intriguing:

Zero Rust is nothing more than a Rustoleum-type paint

 

What a weird place for rust!

I'm deep in the rust belt and i've never seen a dually bed rotted in those areas!

 

Correct. Dually bed sides are differnt than single wheel bed sides. You need dually bed sides. But i would just get another bed.

The rust pictured is quite common on dually beds. The rot on top is from the internal mounting bracket for the dually fender, it just collects and holds dirt and stays moist