ya its been happening alot more lately for some reason.

 

I wanted to share this though i had the other day and wel personally i think irs genious...i might not put a whole hell of a lot of work i to my bed except the supports because in a years time say aluminum super duty beds will be popping up from utility bed swaps! And tailgates!

 

I will probably take initiative and get some rear and front door shells and fill them with my door internals because the door bottoms are really rusty inside.

Ok seriously guys your replies are deafening i can't take it anymore!

 

I work for a steel service center that supplies the coils to the vehicle manufactures to stamp out the panels and we have been approached a few time about increasing our aluminum production but I don't know how fast it is actually going to turn around.

 

I like the idea. You'll need front fenders too to match the body line (I think). I bet those beds will run $5k though....

 

I can tell you they are not cheap. But I can tell you that they have very strict specifications for the aluminum we sell them and will be a great product.

 

I have no doubt they will be awesome, but clean steel shortbed go for $3k in my neck of the woods. A new aluminum one would have to bring a higher price just from materials. The would be awesome to have but at that price, I may buy an aluminum flatbed lol.

 

Yeah i was just thinking oit loud i will do my best to maintain what i have but if it gets to the point whwre the rust wins and i start to get rot holes etc i will switch modular parts like doors etc.

I have flares so I'm not really concerned about the body lines but i did think about that at first. same here on bed prices it was cheaper to repair my rust than fix it at the time, beds go for 3.5k around me. Might be worth it if the time comes in the years to come.

 

Hey guys I'm at work thinking ahead to my diesel swap again and i was trying to think of some type of fuel tank heater for the ex tank since its plastic but what about slapping one of those heater pads on the Skid plate since the tanks rests against it will the plate heating up heat up the tank as well?

I was trying to think of an electric one instead of running coolant lines to the tank to heat it after the truck starts.

 

I received my headlights and the rest of my OTRATTW switches last night as well as my new 06 Mustang Shifter! I will get pictures posted tonight because of course my phone died last night and I just never took them after it charged lol.

 

I think you'd want to insulate the back side of the pad so you don't warm the skidplate. Being metal, it may draw the heat away from the tank. You would also need to look into properly sizing the wire. I imagine those pads take a good bit of current and that could lead to some expensive copper.

It would be a pain run coolant lines all the way back there, but I guess they did it in the diesel Excursions.

I'll be waiting

 

Everything I've read has said not to install pads directly to plastic tanks though so i thought that may be a decent middle ground. I am trying to think of a system that will plug in and make sure i have no issues with fuel etc. Since the tank is so big there is a good chance I'll have summer diesel in the tank once it starts to get really cold. I am anticipating filling it maybe once a month with the amount i will be potentially driving it.

Excusrions did that? I never knew that lol.

 

Did they? Mine doesn't have any warming element or coolant lines running back there that I know of?!

 

Fuel & Fluid Warming Products

This is the only thing I can think of which is your coolant option but in all reality as long as you are using an anti-gel additive and the winter blend from the fill station you should be fine.

 

Cool thanks bigbee! Good to know about the anti gelling additives.