Noticed that my bed floor supports are rotting out pretty bad. Anybody have experience replacing these and which product did you go with? Advice?

 

Just saw some pics on this recently - one of the other Forums. Trying to remember where. Seems like they got some Dorman rails (not that I am a Dorman fan!).

 

This video may help - not sure what year model tough

 

Here is the thread I was thinking of -

Bed Rail/Support Replacement - PowerStrokeNation : Ford Powerstroke Diesel Forum

 

Thanks for the info. Looks rather nightmareish.......

 

Mark tapped some good resources there. I’ve not done my rails, but if I actually have a running motor when I’m done I’ll be doing this in the summer. It’ll give me flashbacks to Mustangs though.

Here’s my take. If the floor pan needs to get replaced I’d be looking for a take off bed. There’s an insane amount of spot welds to do otherwise and I’d rather pay for the painting then spend the time with ALL those spots.

Pulling the bolts - weld nuts onto the bolts as you’ll just be breaking Torx bits. Or grind them out. They are one-time use bolts anyway.

The Dorman kits are an exact match which is good for figment, but I think a serious amount of rust prevention is going to be needed to not end in the same condition sooner. I just don’t have the opinion that Dorman steel is going to be as good as Ford steel. Ford probably has the rails available too, just not sure of the price.

I’ve read where people use channel and some creativity in replacing the rails, which is more likely the direction I would go, just to have thicker guage material.

To me it’s a toss up on drilling out or grinding off the spot welds. It somewhat depends on the floor pan condition and if the bed uses a liner or pad, or if thinking of spraying liner afterwards. No matter what you do, during the welding the top side is going to get burned and needed to be repainted. But if no covering up top you probably would be better without holes unless you’re going to fill them with weld.