So I have spent hours prob 40 under my truck over the past year fixing replacing brake lines exhaust wiring brake cylinders just about everything the whole time cursing up a storm. Truck spent many years pushing snow here on the east coast as a farmers truck and the frame including every piece of metal from cab back seems to be dropping rust I'm talking flakes. Well I have now noticed the shock mount on the frame and the leaf spring hanger on drivers side both are about to give out seem this side of truck is where the rust is the worse . Now here is where I'm unsure what to do. This truck isn't a show truck or restored vehicle will prob rock black primer till it dies its gonna have a plow on it and prob won't be driven more then 1000 miles a year gonna be used as a spare to the spare beater. Lol I have to many toys That being said I don't want to open a whole can of worms up under the truck. I get way to involved fixing things sometimes this truck is worth prob 1000 bucks but in has 3000 in new parts plus my labor I'm trying to decide if I should take the bed off or fix them with it on. One part of me says do it right the part says screw it just do it to make it safe no need to go crazy

 

If I pull the bed I'm gonna have to replace a cross member and the fuel tank straps as well as anything else under the truck that is showing cancer. The bed isn't anything special pin holes galore with patch panel wheel wells that wernt done right but look ok from a distance. I know me and I'll end up dumping another 1000 plus time which is hard to get with a working wife and a 3 year old. So I'd end up sanding and painting everything plus I'm sure I'm gonna find something major frame rust as I have already pulled nickle thick flakes off the inside frame rail

 

I would have pulled the bed to start with. That way everything that you already have done would have been a lot easier. As far as getting your money back, ha. you're doing this for the love of the truck. Labor, forget about that. keeps you out of the wife's hair. when I started my restro. I pulled the bed, rear axle, tanks well everything. fuel lines & electrical were easy to replace along with 100's of other things. been at it now for over 2 years. finally getting it back together. take your time and do it right. you'll be happier at the end. otherwise you'll be working on it all the time

 

I wish I pulled it before trust me if I knew what I know now I would have. The truck has been solve one issue find 3 more. It's be frustrating and rewarding though it was never suppose to get this far. I would have restored the truck instead if constantly doing minor surgeries and realizing the old girl is worse shape lol My old lady rather have me in house then in the garage

 

I owned the truck years ago sold it running and driving with minor problems but overall decent shape the next owner drive it home started taking it apart aka hack job and let it sit a few years go by I get it back for free and now been fixing everything lol

 

My brother and I lifted the 8' bed off my K2500. Its not easy but not terrible. 4 guys would make it much more comfortable.

 

Remove bed and apply your favorite rust prevent paint. If your going to keep it you may as well slow down the carnage.

 

Being march and I still haven't put the plow on I figure its prob gonna come off can you purchase the bolts as a set as I see just knocking the heads off with a grinder also does the lights unplug or do I just feed the harness back down to the frame and pull the bed

 

Grinding the heads off the bed bolts works great. There should be a disconnect plug by the driver side rear corner of the bed.

Don't forget the fuel tank filler hose,any electrical grounds and plate lamp wiring.

 

Do you like laying on your back with rust flakes and grinder sparks in your face or would you rather have a small home made bench to set on and grind straight on the rivet heads to replace the shock mounts?

Note:there is a small drain notch on the shock mount bracket next to the frame, when they are mounted and it that always clogs up with very little dirt/road grim ect...grind it a little bigger to let the mount drain better.

Once the bed is off, might as well plan to wire wheel the frame and coat it with something, POR-15, barn paint, Eastwood rust preventer ect....??

If you want to tackle taking off the bed bolt nuts, after a ludicrous amount of PB blaster and when you get under there with a impact, have someone stand on the bolt head so if you get lucky enough to get them to brake loose, is will not push up a little bit and strip the square hole that the bolt fits in.

Plan on finding at least 5 other things you want to fix, it normal and quite ok to have happen. lol

We are here for you and have the live online Ford truck substance abuse meeting at 8 pm. lol The hotline was shut down cause the 2 operators were overwhelmed, and they had to go to separate counseling.

Hi, my name is Rich and and I have not bought anything off the Craigslist for my Ford truck for 111 days....only cause I am out of town.

 

Rich, Yea, Yea,Yea, I bet you've been looking to see what's on CL though.

 

You know it, every day Grinner, every day, I have a note book full of leads and have only called from here on a few things. lol

 

Yeah I'm just gonna pull it off. I'd rather do it right and get 10 years out of it then always worry the frame is going to snap. Though now the rust under the cab is going to annoy me including the rusty cab lol. This truck should have been a parts truck lol