Bed support material suggestions
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,974
Likes: 17
From: Millersburg, OH
I have my bed off and found my rails are rotted. When to a few machine/metal shops but they could not get some of the square stock in the height as I measured and check against what others on this thread had. I can get 2" and 2"1/2 and 3" stock but not the 2 1/4" and 3 1/8". I planned on have 1/4" and 1/8" plate welded that is the size of the frame rail at the points the bolts pass through. Everything will be pre-drilled.anyone see an issue with this?
Also what size thinkness was the walls for the square stock you guys used? I was thinking of 3/16". Did you guys re-use the round tubes for the bolt holes that where inside the old crossmembers or just used the square stock
I'm need deep in this and can use any advise you guys can give.
Also what size thinkness was the walls for the square stock you guys used? I was thinking of 3/16". Did you guys re-use the round tubes for the bolt holes that where inside the old crossmembers or just used the square stock
I'm need deep in this and can use any advise you guys can give.
Thread Starter
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,654
Likes: 20
From: Tewksbury, MA
I have my bed off and found my rails are rotted. When to a few machine/metal shops but they could not get some of the square stock in the height as I measured and check against what others on this thread had. I can get 2" and 2"1/2 and 3" stock but not the 2 1/4" and 3 1/8". I planned on have 1/4" and 1/8" plate welded that is the size of the frame rail at the points the bolts pass through. Everything will be pre-drilled.anyone see an issue with this?
Also what size thinkness was the walls for the square stock you guys used? I was thinking of 3/16". Did you guys re-use the round tubes for the bolt holes that where inside the old crossmembers or just used the square stock
I'm need deep in this and can use any advise you guys can give.
Also what size thinkness was the walls for the square stock you guys used? I was thinking of 3/16". Did you guys re-use the round tubes for the bolt holes that where inside the old crossmembers or just used the square stock
I'm need deep in this and can use any advise you guys can give.
*Edit*....I cant believe i just realized that next to my GF's dads garage there is a metal fab place.....it only took me a year and a half to realize that i could get the material right next to where i go to work on my truck.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 301
Likes: 1
I have my bed off and found my rails are rotted. When to a few machine/metal shops but they could not get some of the square stock in the height as I measured and check against what others on this thread had. I can get 2" and 2"1/2 and 3" stock but not the 2 1/4" and 3 1/8". I planned on have 1/4" and 1/8" plate welded that is the size of the frame rail at the points the bolts pass through. Everything will be pre-drilled.anyone see an issue with this?
Also what size thinkness was the walls for the square stock you guys used? I was thinking of 3/16". Did you guys re-use the round tubes for the bolt holes that where inside the old crossmembers or just used the square stock
I'm need deep in this and can use any advise you guys can give.
Also what size thinkness was the walls for the square stock you guys used? I was thinking of 3/16". Did you guys re-use the round tubes for the bolt holes that where inside the old crossmembers or just used the square stock
I'm need deep in this and can use any advise you guys can give.
These are the sizes I used (any metal yard should have these sizes)
Front support - 3" tall x 2" wide x 6' long
2nd support - 2 1/2" tall x 2 1/2" wide x 5' long
3rd support - 2" tall x 2" wide x 5' long
4th support - 1" tall x 2" wide by 5' long
And 1 1/2" tall x 2" wide x 1' Long (for the two spacers that sit on the frame)
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 301
Likes: 1
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,974
Likes: 17
From: Millersburg, OH
I didn't think about washers but after talking with the of the machine/metal shop I'm just going to have them fab some spacers. It doesn't add much cost. Also my plan was to have the spacers on the frame side.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,974
Likes: 17
From: Millersburg, OH
I'm going to use some replacement bed supports recommended by another member. Im going to use panel adhesive to attach them and then they will be like regular supports again. They are thicker then the stock ones as well here is the link Ford Super Duty Bed Floor Support Crossmembers Rails | eBay . I hve not made any progress because once all the snow melts here in MA it snows again
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,654
Likes: 20
From: Tewksbury, MA
Out of curiosity I contacted this seller. It seems like they make some nice factory looking cross memebers. The problem is the listing they have is for a long bed and they are not wiling to swap the second to front rail, which I do not need for my short bed, for the front rail, which I need. They wanted me to buy the listing they have plus an additional $135 for the front rail. Well over $600 plus shipping and charging me for something I don't want or need, no thanks.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,974
Likes: 17
From: Millersburg, OH
If he would have charged me $500 for all four rails I needed and not made me buy something I couldn't even use I may have bought them. His excuse was it was cheaper to sell them this way instead of separate kits for a long bed and one for a short bed. Yeah whatever.
To bad as he could have got some traffic from this site,but unless you have money to burn or a long bed I wouldn't bother. Just buy some hollow square stock and make your own. My local machine shop said it would be a no more than $200 for everything including making the holes and welding the spacers and risers on.
To bad as he could have got some traffic from this site,but unless you have money to burn or a long bed I wouldn't bother. Just buy some hollow square stock and make your own. My local machine shop said it would be a no more than $200 for everything including making the holes and welding the spacers and risers on.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,974
Likes: 17
From: Millersburg, OH
These are the sizes I used (any metal yard should have these sizes)
Front support - 3" tall x 2" wide x 6' long
2nd support - 2 1/2" tall x 2 1/2" wide x 5' long
3rd support - 2" tall x 2" wide x 5' long
4th support - 1" tall x 2" wide by 5' long
And 1 1/2" tall x 2" wide x 1' Long (for the two spacers that sit on the frame)
Front support - 3" tall x 2" wide x 6' long
2nd support - 2 1/2" tall x 2 1/2" wide x 5' long
3rd support - 2" tall x 2" wide x 5' long
4th support - 1" tall x 2" wide by 5' long
And 1 1/2" tall x 2" wide x 1' Long (for the two spacers that sit on the frame)
Also for the first one what did you do about the front flap for the old cross member? That flap is spot welded to the panel that makes up the front of the box. I could cut out all the welds and remove the flap as well but I think I want to leave the flap and just cut it right at the square part of the old cross member. This way I can weld the new cross member to the old flap and still maintain the strength in that area.
Thread Starter
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,654
Likes: 20
From: Tewksbury, MA
If he would have charged me $500 for all four rails I needed and not made me buy something I couldn't even use I may have bought them. His excuse was it was cheaper to sell them this way instead of separate kits for a long bed and one for a short bed. Yeah whatever.
To bad as he could have got some traffic from this site,but unless you have money to burn or a long bed I wouldn't bother. Just buy some hollow square stock and make your own. My local machine shop said it would be a no more than $200 for everything including making the holes and welding the spacers and risers on.
To bad as he could have got some traffic from this site,but unless you have money to burn or a long bed I wouldn't bother. Just buy some hollow square stock and make your own. My local machine shop said it would be a no more than $200 for everything including making the holes and welding the spacers and risers on.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,974
Likes: 17
From: Millersburg, OH
For my short bed one of my neighbors and I did it. With two people it's not so much that it is heavy as it is hard to balance and carry without tipping it. A third person would make it better and a forth would make it a breeze.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,654
Likes: 20
From: Tewksbury, MA
Sounds easy enough I can get my brother to help me lol, all you have to remove is the tail lights and the filler neck correct? I may attempt this before winter, I'm at that point where its like do i let it just sit through one more winter or get it off and done now. Same with my fenders, where they mount right in front of the door is rotting and i just put some POR over where i could reach until i get to it.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 301
Likes: 1
How did you fit peices that long? For the first and forth ones I come up with measurements around 60" and for the second and third they were around 48". You had to cut them down to size?
Also for the first one what did you do about the front flap for the old cross member? That flap is spot welded to the panel that makes up the front of the box. I could cut out all the welds and remove the flap as well but I think I want to leave the flap and just cut it right at the square part of the old cross member. This way I can weld the new cross member to the old flap and still maintain the strength in that area.
Also for the first one what did you do about the front flap for the old cross member? That flap is spot welded to the panel that makes up the front of the box. I could cut out all the welds and remove the flap as well but I think I want to leave the flap and just cut it right at the square part of the old cross member. This way I can weld the new cross member to the old flap and still maintain the strength in that area.
Yes all the cross members were rounded to the next foot and had to be cut down to the right size to fit.
I cut the flap out because there was not much left to it. But you could leave it.