Not really used to how these old trucks are, I left work yesterday and got on it and a coworker said that my bed was flexing independent of the cab. I understand that this is somewhat normal but I wanted to confirm with people here based on their experience. I have a supercab long bed so my truck is very long but the bed sits square and isn't tilted any way at rest. You can see where the cab and the bed have hit each other though. Is this normal?

 

I once saw a 50s Chevy truck frame actually break in half on the driver side apparently because the gap between cab and bed allowed rain and other contaminants direct access to that part of the frame. Sure enough when we looked closely, the frame had severe pitting on both sides at this location. The truck had been passed around through several people in the construction industry in Miami FL so there is also the possibility that it had been used to haul something corrosive that got on the frame and escaped bed cleanup efforts.

So a close inspection of this part of the frame might be a good first step.

Of course it may be perfectly natural that a long ladder type frame twists a little under torque and then returns to normal at rest. Maybe a video of you "gettin' on it" taken from the left rear angle would provide some insights. At the very least it would be entertainig if shown here on FTE.

 

Apparently I had crested a hump and the front of the bed tipped in, so I'm a lot less worried now, you can see on the bed where that has happened before.

 

I’d give the frame and mounts a good look over. Mine has no signs of contact and sees terrain.

 

Certain amount of flex is definitely normal. Check out the body lines on my highboy in these pics Actually couldn't open passenger door when I parked there lol

 

My 1979 F-250 had a lot of flex and I liked it.

 

Yes frame flex is normal, the amount Rubiranch is flexing it NOT normal....but awesome. Flexing it to the point the bed hits the cab is going to happen when you over due it. As long as it goes back to normal after flexing it out, drive it. If it stays that way or start to drive crooked or dog legs done the road, time to start inspecting stuff.

 

Bed hitting the cab isn't uncommon I see it on well used 4x4's all the time. in normal use or in a 2wd it shouldn't happen.

 

Haha you guys put my truck to shame

I guess I need some real tires and find some tricky terrain

 

Alright then we’ll I guess I let my imagination get the better of me, i figures such a long truck would naturally flex anyway and it didn’t help that every time I put this thing on a lift it starts creaking and bending too but if that’s normal then I’m good.

 

A quick frame inspection wouldn't hurt. Not hard at all to access the frame on these trucks. Your body mounts could also be old and soft or even gone

 

Funny, I don't like to even park and leave my trucks in even just a slight twist. I know they flex when the ground is uneven, I know its normal to a degree. I know that the frame does not flex just between bed front and cab back, it flexes the whole length, even where the bed is bolted solidly to it and between cab bushings and core support bushings.

 

I bought my 79 new in June 1979.
The very first night I had it the bed dented both corners of the cab climbing up a washed out stream.
I didn't know it was normal. 3 of my friends owned F-250 4-wd and none of their beds hit the cab.
I took it back to the dealer and they told me they loosened the bed and pushed it as far back at they could.
I don't think they did anything.
First snow storm I was up a canyon and there was another 79 F-250 stuck in the snow so we stopped to help.
I noticed his cab corners were dented by the bed too. What did his truck and my truck have in common??
They were both Camper Specials. What made them different from the others??
Front and rear SWAYBARS!! Mine came off the next day.
I put masking tape in the dents and hit the trails, no more hitting.
I took it back to the dealer and didn't tell them what I did but I wanted the dents in the cab fixed under warrantee.
They fixed the dents, painted the repairs and replaced the moldings.

After a while the bed hit the cab again. The flex in the frame and suspension was awesome.
Amazing articulation from a F-250. I never had an issue with the frame.
I bought that truck specifically to take off road.

 

Yes, normal but as others have said check the frame and the body mats

 

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