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Hard to tell from pic but if I was doing this on the cheap, I'd cut some tire clearance wells in the flat bed. Ideally you'd weld in a piece of flat stock to finish it off, you can curve 1/8" pretty easy with a little creativity.
Torch or plasma cutter would be my first choice but angle grinder with cutoff wheel or even a Sawzall would work.
Would have to see better pics and take some measurements to say how viable that route would be.
Hard to tell from pic but if I was doing this on the cheap, I'd cut some tire clearance wells in the flat bed. Ideally you'd weld in a piece of flat stock to finish it off, you can curve 1/8" pretty easy with a little creativity.
Torch or plasma cutter would be my first choice but angle grinder with cutoff wheel or even a Sawzall would work.
Would have to see better pics and take some measurements to say how viable that route would be.
so….instead of buying $200 worth of taller blocks and longer ubolts and installing that with a minimal amount of labor and financial outlay you want him to cut out the flatbed and start fabricating wheel wells. Which would most likely need to curve past the flat top part of the bed thus rendering the flat bed portion of the flatbed worthless. And using 1/8 inch sheet metal. You do realize it’s a work truck not some SEMA show truck
so….instead of buying $200 worth of taller blocks and longer ubolts and installing that with a minimal amount of labor and financial outlay you want him to cut out the flatbed and start fabricating wheel wells. Which would most likely need to curve past the flat top part of the bed thus rendering the flat bed portion of the flatbed worthless. And using 1/8 inch sheet metal. You do realize it’s a work truck not some SEMA show truck
Don't recall telling anyone what to do, merely giving rhe OP my first choice. Provided of course I understood his dilemma in the correct context. My read is he's hitting the vertical flange on the flat bed. If that truly is the case and if after measuring the thought is viable I would absolutely cut out that part of the flange.
Even if you don't have an angle grinder and abrasives, it would be way cheaper to buy some el cheapo's (though I don't typically advocate for cheap tools) and chop out a small section of the flange.
Again, assuming the tape measure said it would provide sufficient clearance, removing a rectangle would be very fast, take almost no talent, and be very cheap.
Make it prettier by matching tire radius in your cut. Takes more talent but still very cheap.
Want it a little prettier? Form a well (perhaps flare is a better word?) Inside the radius.
1/8" is as light as I would personally go. You can form it kinda nicely it without any special tools with some creativity. You could even bolt it to the deck with some fender washers if you dont weld.. which sounds like may be the OPs situation. If it were my truck I would use 1/4" but I also have the tools to roll the plate into the appropriate radius. 1/8" would be just fine in this application.
Not sure why you think this would be a SEMA candidate unless you're thinking that I meant to make wheel tubs protruding up from the flatbed. That would be quite the foolish solution to this problem as it would greatly reduce the usefulness of the flat bed. If after measuring I found that tubs were necessary then I'd go another route.
So, and again assuming the tape measure says it'll work, less than $50 in a grinder and some wheels and maybe half an hour cutting rectangles vs. $200+ for blocks, bolts, having to deal with jacking up the truck to install blocks, hoping the old u-bolts don't need to be cut out, and........ Yeah, I'd go the easier and cheaper route.
The value these message boards bring the world is a wonderful collection of different experiences and knowledge. Giving people multiple perspectives and ideas to work with. Even folks who have done it all benefit from someone else's opinion. Heck, I still call my dad for his thoughts on stuff.
Don't recall telling anyone what to do, merely giving rhe OP my first choice. Provided of course I understood his dilemma in the correct context. My read is he's hitting the vertical flange on the flat bed. If that truly is the case and if after measuring the thought is viable I would absolutely cut out that part of the flange.
Even if you don't have an angle grinder and abrasives, it would be way cheaper to buy some el cheapo's (though I don't typically advocate for cheap tools) and chop out a small section of the flange.
Again, assuming the tape measure said it would provide sufficient clearance, removing a rectangle would be very fast, take almost no talent, and be very cheap.
Make it prettier by matching tire radius in your cut. Takes more talent but still very cheap.
Want it a little prettier? Form a well (perhaps flare is a better word?) Inside the radius.
1/8" is as light as I would personally go. You can form it kinda nicely it without any special tools with some creativity. You could even bolt it to the deck with some fender washers if you dont weld.. which sounds like may be the OPs situation. If it were my truck I would use 1/4" but I also have the tools to roll the plate into the appropriate radius. 1/8" would be just fine in this application.
Not sure why you think this would be a SEMA candidate unless you're thinking that I meant to make wheel tubs protruding up from the flatbed. That would be quite the foolish solution to this problem as it would greatly reduce the usefulness of the flat bed. If after measuring I found that tubs were necessary then I'd go another route.
So, and again assuming the tape measure says it'll work, less than $50 in a grinder and some wheels and maybe half an hour cutting rectangles vs. $200+ for blocks, bolts, having to deal with jacking up the truck to install blocks, hoping the old u-bolts don't need to be cut out, and........ Yeah, I'd go the easier and cheaper route.
The value these message boards bring the world is a wonderful collection of different experiences and knowledge. Giving people multiple perspectives and ideas to work with. Even folks who have done it all benefit from someone else's opinion. Heck, I still call my dad for his thoughts on stuff.
cutting out old U bolts in about 60:seconds of work. Hell even if you use a impact or saws all youre looking 5 minutes tops for all four. All he literally has to do is block the wheels and cut the ubolts lift up the bed 3-4 inches. Pop the old blocks out install the taller blocks and then tighten the new Ubolts. That’s maybe a hour work tops.
cutting the bed frame or cross members means having to reinforce it. Guy uses the truck fr farm work which means it gets real weight put back there
cutting out old U bolts in about 60:seconds of work. Hell even if you use a impact or saws all youre looking 5 minutes tops for all four. All he literally has to do is block the wheels and cut the ubolts lift up the bed 3-4 inches. Pop the old blocks out install the taller blocks and then tighten the new Ubolts. That’s maybe a hour work tops.
cutting the bed frame or cross members means having to reinforce it. Guy uses the truck fr farm work which means it gets real weight put back there
Perhaps, but let's assume the tire is coincidentally centered under a cross member and said cross member is tall enough that it too needs to be trimmed. Unless you're putting a very heavy load with a very small footprint at the edge of the flatbed centered over the tire centerline, the net loss effect on the bed strength is minimal at best.
Got to keep in mind that we're only talking about trimming what 10 inches from the flat bed lip. I think the frame rails are about 34.5" so assuming 8ftw bed, we're talking about a 30.5 cross member outside the frame. In this scenario you'd have to remove 25ish inches of that crossmember to clear both tires. That's a lot for sure but typically you load flat beds relatively uniformly and its very unlikely an odd, very heavy, small footprint load would be put anywhere but centered over the rear axle.
All that said, if after scoping out the job and taking some measurements trimming the flatbed won't work, then blocks would be a good candidate for an alternative.
Conversely, if all one wants to do is go right to the block option. By all means if it makes ya feel good do it,; there's more than one way to skin a cat.
Again, the point of this discussion is to provide options not decide for or tell someone else what to do with their equipment.
Perhaps, but let's assume the tire is coincidentally centered under a cross member and said cross member is tall enough that it too needs to be trimmed. Unless you're putting a very heavy load with a very small footprint at the edge of the flatbed centered over the tire centerline, the net loss effect on the bed strength is minimal at best.
Got to keep in mind that we're only talking about trimming what 10 inches from the flat bed lip. I think the frame rails are about 34.5" so assuming 8ftw bed, we're talking about a 30.5 cross member outside the frame. In this scenario you'd have to remove 25ish inches of that crossmember to clear both tires. That's a lot for sure but typically you load flat beds relatively uniformly and its very unlikely an odd, very heavy, small footprint load would be put anywhere but centered over the rear axle.
All that said, if after scoping out the job and taking some measurements trimming the flatbed won't work, then blocks would be a good candidate for an alternative.
Conversely, if all one wants to do is go right to the block option. By all means if it makes ya feel good do it,; there's more than one way to skin a cat.
Again, the point of this discussion is to provide options not decide for or tell someone else what to do with their equipment.
every flat bed I had used a piece of angle iron with the angle pointing down. If he’s hitting that you’re only talking about ankther inch or so of clearance to the bottom of the flatbed deck. From the pic it looks like the actual external frame is gonna be a issue also.
im not trying to dig on you man but you were saying to cut out the deck and use sheet metal. That’s a whole other thing when you start doing that.
now I can see cutting off if there is a 10 inch piece of angle iron or some support rib that he can do without if it gives him the clearance yeah that’s some labor time and cost of a cutting disk. Maybe 20/30 minutes
bit if that dually outer sticks out and the external frame of the bed is right there I wouldnt bother
my truck had a CM flatbed but it had a ton of clearance even when loaded down. At one time I had theee pallets of tile on there. Not the best idea but I was only going three miles on. Side streets. I had the guy remove one pallet and I came back for it
it was way too overloaded
I didn't want to get into cutting the bed to clear the outside edge of the tires. The solution was getting OEM 18 x 8 wheels from Craigslist and some Kumho 10 ply tires. I'm happy with the inexpensive solution and can always go back to the DRW setup if my needs change. Of course, the DRW setup will require new tires since they were dry rotted and had rubbed on the bed quite severely.
I didn't want to get into cutting the bed to clear the outside edge of the tires. The solution was getting OEM 18 x 8 wheels from Craigslist and some Kumho 10 ply tires. I'm happy with the inexpensive solution and can always go back to the DRW setup if my needs change. Of course, the DRW setup will require new tires since they were dry rotted and had rubbed on the bed quite severely.
Thanks to everyone for the recommendations!
keep in mind that your load capacity isn’t as high as before with the switch from dual to single wheels
I think the axle width is different on a cab and chassis.
I have seen the beds placed on wood thats on top of the frame rail before. That’s probably what’s missing on yours.
I would sell it and make the nicer one into a farm beater. Put a flatbed on it and 129 rated tires with the funds and those older factory beds are also worth a little money now they are getting older.
I think the axle width is different on a cab and chassis.
I have seen the beds placed on wood thats on top of the frame rail before. That’s probably what’s missing on yours.
I would sell it and make the nicer one into a farm beater. Put a flatbed on it and 129 rated tires with the funds and those older factory beds are also worth a little money now they are getting older.
axle is same. Sprig perches are different due to difference in frame width. Chassi be regular. Unless we’re talking F350 to F450/550
he can’t place wood under it. Bed is welded to frame
its a farm truck. I wouldn’t even of put the wheels on it. I would of gotten some cheap tall blocks and ubolts to gain the needed clearance and called it a day. I would keep the dually option for the advantage in carry capacity and stability over a single wheel.
Yeah there is several options. I would get rid of it and use the other truck, install aluminum flatbed, some Method HD and 129 rated tires.
dude….. it’s a farm truck….you’re asking the guy to dump thousands of dollars in a farm truck. . A aluminum bed alone is gonna run 8,000 bucks. And say another 2k for wheels and tires….lol all the guy wants is some tire clearance
SRW conversion has seen no problems with tires rubbing on bed with the 18" wheels. I've towed a loaded 25' gooseneck trailer 600 miles without any issues. I did need to recalibrate the speedometer since the 18" wheels are taller than the 16". I've also noted about 1/2 mpg improvement in fuel mileage while unloaded, but that's probably related to the change in gearing not the SRW.
I have another thread started regarding replacement of the rotted exhaust system. The Y pipe, or should I call it a T pipe, is discontinued by Ford and the aftermarket Y pipes look even worse from a flow point of view. I saw an ad for a s/s Borla Y pipe for a Ford F-53 for $300. Does anyone know if it fits the F350?
Update: No, not even close to fitting!
Last edited by fordfarmtruckf350; Dec 21, 2022 at 08:03 AM.
Reason: Update
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