making a short bed

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Nov 1, 2004 | 09:22 PM

#16

arsetard

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i think long beds look gross when theyre slammed onto the groung like mine will be.

Nov 1, 2004 | 11:08 PM

#17

mlf72f250

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Quote:

Originally Posted by arsetard

i think long beds look gross when theyre slammed onto the groung like mine will be.

To make it really gross, someone could put a standard cab on a crew-cab frame and stretch the box to match the frame. (Where's the barfing smiley face when you need one?)

Nov 2, 2004 | 12:36 AM

#18

RR4E

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From: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Quote:

Originally Posted by arsetard

hes talking about keeping the long wheel base but shortening the over hang in the rear.

The main problem I see here is the tail end dragging. Adding a suspension lift and mild body lift would cure this problem. It's a lot easier to do than shorten a body, and still make it fit on the frame. Anything done to achieve this will have to be behind the rear axle, not in front of it.

Nov 2, 2004 | 12:44 AM

#19

arsetard

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Quote:

Originally Posted by RR4E

not be be an *** or anything but seriously read before you post he already has a suspension and body lift. and all the shortening he wants to do would be behind the axle. like i said he wants to keep the longer wheel base but he wants to shorten the rear over hang. and if you measure correctly you should have no problem getting everything to fit.

Last edited by arsetard; Nov 2, 2004 at 12:51 AM.

Nov 2, 2004 | 12:58 AM

#20

RR4E

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From: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Quote:

Originally Posted by arsetard

Pardon me. I just noticed the lift kit information. Thank-you for pointing it out.

So we're looking at shortening, fine. You'll have to shorten the frame front and rear of the axle, move the axle up, and shorten the bed accordingly. Hope you're good with a mig and bondo. Would be an interesting project to do. The bigger tires should help out a bit. I'd try a slanted forward bumper, or a tube style bumper first as well. It may drag still(depending on angles) but not have near as much drag.

Nov 2, 2004 | 01:40 AM

#21

Vern69

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From: Lost Wages, NV

Buy a shorter truck. That's the deal. If you wan't a truck with half the hauling capacity then that's the way to go. Period. If you can't put a full sheet of plywood (sheetrock, whatever) in it then it's not a truck. -JMHO!

Nov 2, 2004 | 01:46 AM

#22

arsetard

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Vern69

i dont really care about hauling capacity. even if i liked long beds i wouldnt have much space with the 10" frame notches and the tubs and the fuel cell. all i care is that i can put a couple bikes (bmx) back there. id buy a short bed but i can buy a long bed and make it a shortbed for cheaper.

Nov 2, 2004 | 01:57 AM

#23

RR4E

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From: Winnipeg, Manitoba

If you really want ground clearance, don't care what you haul, and don't want the back end dragging. Pull the box, sell it, and build yourself a flat-bed out of channel iron and tube steel. You can add stakes to add remove-able sides, or a head-ache rack with side bars, etc...the world is your oyster here. And be able to get rid of the rear drag, and make the truck as short as you want. I did this with a 69 Ford 4x4 when the box was to rusty to bother repairing, and also to expensive to bother with new/used parts. Add stacks(exhaust) and you've got yourself an interesting hauler. I used the channel iron(mounted inset marker lights inside the channel) tube steel to brace it as well as attach to the frame with 4x4 wood blocks for spacers, had the head-ache rack, side rails matched the bump side body-line, had to move the bumper up a bit, but it did the job real well. A deck is the most versatile bed, providing you build the stake-side features into it as well. Can be used for anything, and made how you like it. Probably easier than modding the existing box.