8' Ranger bed??
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,019
Likes: 2
From: Georgetown, Ky
Sure its possible. Only problem is going to be, when you get past the 6' mark you wont have any frame supportig the bed. Stretching the frame isnt too advisable. It will weaken the metal from excessive heat (welding). Plus its going to be a weak spot if you ever get rearended.
Also you would need to relocate the rear axle back farther for the correct look, that means moving exhaust, springs, mounts, fuel tank, lengthening the driveshaft.
Wouldnt it be easier to buy a F150 if you really want the 8' bed?
Also you would need to relocate the rear axle back farther for the correct look, that means moving exhaust, springs, mounts, fuel tank, lengthening the driveshaft.
Wouldnt it be easier to buy a F150 if you really want the 8' bed?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 24,724
Likes: 74
From: Blue Hill Township
Instead of moving the axle, and stretching the frame, you could weld up some supports to attach to the new box, and then attach it to the frame. That way you have the support without worrying about the other stuff. I just don't know how it would look with an extra 2 feet on the end. That was a good point, 4star.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,019
Likes: 2
From: Georgetown, Ky
If you dont stretch the frame you really wont have anything to mount the bumper too that will cary any weight. Plus no towing ability. even with stretching the frame I dont think you'd have any kind of towing ability.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Tuson, Az
I think that is a cool idea. I would like to do that with a F150 and have a 10 foot bed. Saw a pulling truck like that once. what you need to do is use two beds and make your extension in front of the rear wheel. you will have to extend the frame the same amount. The frame will have to be reinforced (boxed) at that point. Look at some mid 90s trucking and mini truck mags for ideas. They did a lot of this kind of stuff back then and had lots of how to's
Good luck on your project
Good luck on your project
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New User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Yep, my "project manager" suggested an older 8' F-150 box as well... instead of stretching my current bed as a junk-yard bed would be cheaper. He suggested getting one that would look close, then chopping 12" or so out of the middle (length wise) so it fits side-to-side as my little Ranger isn't as wide as a F-150.
Also, as for "stretching" the frame, it's really more like chopping the rear quarter end of the frame and welding in a 30" section of square tubing.
Also, as for "stretching" the frame, it's really more like chopping the rear quarter end of the frame and welding in a 30" section of square tubing.
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Tuson, Az
take some pix of your truck and then cut the bed part up and make it 8ft long. and then do the same with a f150 bed and see how you like the look. I think the wheelwell placement may be a deciding factor on how you want to do this. I know splicing 2 beds together is a big job but you want the end result to acetically(?) correct to you. The truck I saw was a mid 70s ford with the strech ahead of the wheel and I loved it. It's always best to see any project done in a sketch beforehand if possible. Anyway, take some pix, cut them up and move them around untill you like the end result and then GO FOR IT.
Good luck and TAKE PIX.
Good luck and TAKE PIX.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,351
Likes: 0
From: Benton County, MN
Rangers did come with 7 foot beds at one time, but they are now only available on 2WD regular cab models. A friend of mine has a toe truck with a 16 or 18 foot dovetail bed on it. The frame on this truck was stretched quite a bit. How they did it was found a spot to cut and hacked the back half of the frame completely off. I believe that they did it right after the rear leaf spring shackles, but they could have done it before the front ones. I cant remember right off hand. But they pretty much just cut off the rear half of the frame and moved it back a few feet and added some thick C channel steel in between the sectioned pieces. It looks pretty slick and I have seen him tow fullsize trucks on the back of it.
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New User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
I've uploaded my "vision" of this... with MY bed as the "stretched" version but likely, it's not gonna happen that way due to the amount of fabrication needed... and since an old F-150 needs just to be mounted...
(Click on my Gallary to see it)
(Click on my Gallary to see it)
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,392
Likes: 2
From: Michigan
Frame stretches can be done, I just did one in fact, it just take some planning. I just stretched a 1979 F-150 frame 4.5 inches to make it fit under my 1952 F-3 extended cab body (which I custom built, stretched the cab 20 inches). Heres the link to my pictures
http://irondragon79.clubfte.com/FrameStretch.html
If you have any other questions, just ask, or check the other pics in my FTE gallery.
http://irondragon79.clubfte.com/FrameStretch.html
If you have any other questions, just ask, or check the other pics in my FTE gallery.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Tuson, Az
It should also be noted that after the frame is made longer and the wheelbase is longer, the driveshaft will need to be made that much longer also and that is a job for a pro. Just trying to make sure there are NO susprises. Good luck.
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