Bed replacement
Thread Starter
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4wd Low
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Bed replacement
I have a 1997 F350. I have never replaced a bed before, but now is my time. Can any one of you or some of you on the installment plan provide me with the list of hardware and p/n's and vendors for all parts needed. I have the light duty stuff already i.e. replacment decals, fender trim molding, door for fuel filler cap. I need a line on insulators/bushings, spacers, bolts, etc.
Thank you. MBW
Thank you. MBW
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 868
Likes: 84
From: Florida
What bed length? 8' beds are usually 8 bolts driven into the frame rail receiving speed nuts (clipped onto the frame rail). Usually they are Torx head, T50 or so. Sometimes it's a TP-50 where the star formation is a little more rounded. If you have never taken the bolts out before, spray them up from the bed so the PB Blaster can soak downwards to the threads. You might have to cut the tops of the bolt heads and pound them out. You'll need appropriate sockets, 1/2" breaker bar, 1/2" ratchet wrench, impact wrench, grinder with a few metal cut-off wheels, a friend, patience, some space and some skill-set learned form research and doing. I used an engine hoist to lift mine up and hold the position while I work on things below. There are many ways to remove a bed if you get creative.
Thread Starter
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4wd Low
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Thank you
I am ok on the tools including the hoist. It is a standard box on a regular cab. From what have read, getting g the box off is half of the fun. Do I need to buy a kit or can I get by with grade 8 bolts and make some spacers out of stuff laying around the shop?
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 7,955
Likes: 4,037
There are 8 bolts and usually you will NOT be able to remove them using the Torx bits without going through quite a few of them. You have three choices to remove them, First, use a grinder to cut deep slots and chisel the head off, second, use a plasma cutter and burn the heads off (what I did) and third have someone underneath with a torch turning the bolt into a cherry while you wrench it out. Use quality replacement bolts and cage nuts. The nuts will more than likely be squished so they are very tight to install. I have one of the caged nuts break trying to install it. The rest is easy, just lift the bed off after disconnecting the light harness.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 4,055
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'Mild rust issues.' Heh. That's going to be up there for understatement of the year.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 7,955
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Thread Starter
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4wd Low
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Bed replacement
Your old stuff looks like nos compared to what I am running. I have a line on a dual tank bed needing nothing other than scuff and shoot for $1,000.00.
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FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
Given that don't waste a second trying to get the bolts out.. you won't have any success, order a new set of bed bolts and captive nuts for the install. To get the old bed off put a cutting wheel in an angle grinder and cut around each bolt with a 3-4" square pattern, then disconnect the lights and fuel filler hoses and lift off the old bed. If you look at the unside down picture of the bed above you will see the support rails it has underneath, the OEM bed bolts pinch this against the frame so it's doesn't even help to grind the heads off the old bolts, the bed still won't come off. This is why I suggested cutting the bed floor around the bolts.Once you have the bed out of the way cut the old bolts off too, they are usually rusted into the nuts bad enough they just spin if you do manage to get some torque on them.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2021
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I wish I had a plasma cutter, I have an amphetamine (lol) torch but I dont have gas or experience using one
