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Question about the aluminum option?? Would it squeek , and rattle on and bad roads??? How does it handle extreme temperature expansion ???? At first glance it seems very durable.
The video earlier in the post says expansion is around 12/1000 inch across the entire bed at 100* vs 3/8” for wood. Not sure about the wood claim.
Honestly, I don't consider you a "restorer." I consider you a "conserver." You've had your truck for so long, and taken such care of it, even the paint job was just maintenance. More like a curator, taking care of history.
Honestly, I don't consider you a "restorer." I consider you a "conserver." You've had your truck for so long, and taken such care of it, even the paint job was just maintenance. More like a curator, taking care of history.
I bought the strips and carriage bolts on line. Bought pine wood at Home depot and exterior poly varnish. Hand drill,circular saw and paint brush needed. Far under the cost for kits. 8 coats of varnish , hand snaded between each coat,lightly,fast,easy.
I will say wood looks really nice and has its place.
I like the ALUM. as it takes less up-keep over the wood.
As for what gets hotter? I would like to know why you ask? Was it for expansion?
I am also guessing because of the age of your trucks you dont use the bed much if at all?
On my 81 F100 short bed flare side just the F&R sills and cross members were $1000, add the wood, metal strips and the hardware it was way out of my price range.
I needed a bed floor for my truck that I planed on driving and use when needed. Having a long bed style side I went about seeing what it would take to use the LB ribbed for.
Cut the sides off and shorten it and a little welding and it looks like a factory ribbed bed that I can use with out any damage. The bed liner was on the LB before I started the project and left it.
Down the road if I have the money and want to I can unbolt the bed sides, lay down the cross members & wood and bolt the sides back on and be like factory did not.
Dave ----
My truck is 72 years old and is used for pleasure and show. Nothing is hauled in the bed. The truck doesn't see rain intentionally. I only submitted a cheaper suggestion and not intending to get into a what's better. Just a reply to the original poster.
If I had the skills that aluminum bed install @FuzzFace2 did would be great. I just don’t have the skills to do it! That is really nice.
Even though I bought a bit of a shoe bed I am still going to put it to work and see what happens. Not super heavy work but brush, mulch, Home Depot runs and generally moving stuff around. We will see how it holds up.
My truck is 72 years old and is used for pleasure and show. Nothing is hauled in the bed. The truck doesn't see rain intentionally. I only submitted a cheaper suggestion and not intending to get into a what's better. Just a reply to the original poster.
No I under stand 100% that is why I also did what I did.
It may not be something someone would do on a show truck but if you have a younger truck you will haul things in its an option.
Originally Posted by 8pack
If I had the skills that aluminum bed install @FuzzFace2 did would be great. I just don’t have the skills to do it! That is really nice.
Mine is not ALUM but a long bed style side ribbed floor with the sides cut off and shorten.
Dave ----
I had to replace 2 boards in my bed as the oak I used in 1999 had split and checked pretty badly. I bought 1 × 6 × 8 pressure treated boards at Lowes. They were just the right width.
And now I don't haul anything heavier than soccer *****.
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