"Bed twist"
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Phoenix
"Bed twist"
I searched for this in the forums but couldn't find anything in the first three pages of results. Here's my question: has anyone ever noticed how many pickup trucks have a sort of "bed twist" going on? That is to say, when you are behind a pickup, and you site the top (horizontal) edge of the tailgate with the top (horizontal) edge of the bed closest to the cab, they don't line up. The misalignment always seems to be biased toward the same side, too. Just an interesting thing I noticed; wondering if anyone else had, too.
-aaron
-aaron
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 787
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From: Stephenville, TX
I have never noticed that on a pickup that is sitting on level ground, but when the suspension is flexed, the frame flexes too. You can see this be the bodylines between the cab and the bed being off and like you said, the bed flexing. The only other thing i can think of is maybe the truck was in an acident.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Seattle
This 'flexing' is a BIG problem with the '97-'03 F-150's.
Not so much with the frame itself, as all pick-ups flex to some degree. The problem is with the fact that the cab overhangs the box, and in hi-flex situations, the two collide. One of the FEW design flaws (IMO) Ford has made.
Not so much with the frame itself, as all pick-ups flex to some degree. The problem is with the fact that the cab overhangs the box, and in hi-flex situations, the two collide. One of the FEW design flaws (IMO) Ford has made.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2005
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IMOP most of the bed twist is from bent frames.
I had the luck of getting one myself brand new from a So Cal. Ford dealership.
Ranger PU bed was 5/8" low at the Rt rear when comparing the tailgate to the bottom of the rear window line. Came from Detroit that way!!!!!
Anyway, I had to take it to 3 different Ford stealerships to finally get one of them to fix the crazy thing under warrenty. Unbelievable.
The left front frame horn was bent down, which pre-loaded the front coil spring.
This transferred the load to the opposite side rear which made the truck sit/look twisted.
That is what the frame shop said. They also said that they got a lot of that stuff.
Apparently a lot of damage is done during delivery by rail or car carrier.
Took me a long time to like Ford again after that truck. It was possessed by some bad luck spirits or something..
I had the luck of getting one myself brand new from a So Cal. Ford dealership.
Ranger PU bed was 5/8" low at the Rt rear when comparing the tailgate to the bottom of the rear window line. Came from Detroit that way!!!!!
Anyway, I had to take it to 3 different Ford stealerships to finally get one of them to fix the crazy thing under warrenty. Unbelievable.
The left front frame horn was bent down, which pre-loaded the front coil spring.
This transferred the load to the opposite side rear which made the truck sit/look twisted.
That is what the frame shop said. They also said that they got a lot of that stuff.
Apparently a lot of damage is done during delivery by rail or car carrier.
Took me a long time to like Ford again after that truck. It was possessed by some bad luck spirits or something..
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2003
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I have seen a lot like that out on the road. Particularly Chevys and GMCs. That and they are crabbing down the road. Front wheels are on one track and rear wheels ar off to side a bit, even though going straight.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,553
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From: Corpus Christi, TX
Don't Chevy's always look like they're crab walking due to the different width of the front and rear track from the factory?
I know it's very noticeable on trucks with over sized tires. . .although they might have spaced out the front to help with CV angles if lifted...
I know it's very noticeable on trucks with over sized tires. . .although they might have spaced out the front to help with CV angles if lifted...
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Joe Kucinski
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Indiana
I don't know, but something I've noticed on my truck is that the driver's side rear bed corner is about 4-5" shorter than the passenger side. Also, the bed and cab seem to move independently, but I can't find a bad cab mount, and the frame and all mounting points are intact...
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 18,488
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From: The Big, Oregon
My 84 F250 used to take a set if I twisted it up bad enough. A couple of times, I had to find a suitable incline to twist it back. I saw a chevy dog-tracking the other day- it was so bad, he was taking up more than a lane. When he hit the brakes, it would straighten back out. Definetely a broken center pin.
As for seeing so many like that, it may be an optical illusion or something. maybe caused by the crown of the road.
As for seeing so many like that, it may be an optical illusion or something. maybe caused by the crown of the road.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2005
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The truck frames are so flexible that they get bent easily when overloaded and doing heavy offroading, huge tires,etc. That is the same reason that you are able to flex yours back. They are designed from the factory to flex some.
It is easiest to notice accurately if you sight the top of the tailgate against the bottom of the rear window frame. Having the truck on a uniform surface is a must. Look in level parking lots etc. See how many you notice. Might be suprised if you really look for them!!!!
When I say I see this often, I mean approx. 1 in 10-20 trucks, maybe.
It is normal to see the frame twist and flex while even going in and out of a driveway or other sharp dip/entrance. Usually the truck frames return to normal!!!
As far as dog-legging, that is another condition. Bent/broken suspension parts, severe alignment/steering problems, or a frame that is racked or "laddered" as the frame shops refer to. Don't know if one brand is more vulnerable to all this than the others or not.
I have frequently noticed the trailers on big rigs will dog-leg behind the tractor. Have seen some extreeme cases. Rear axles are "off" for a number of reasons.
It is easiest to notice accurately if you sight the top of the tailgate against the bottom of the rear window frame. Having the truck on a uniform surface is a must. Look in level parking lots etc. See how many you notice. Might be suprised if you really look for them!!!!
When I say I see this often, I mean approx. 1 in 10-20 trucks, maybe.
It is normal to see the frame twist and flex while even going in and out of a driveway or other sharp dip/entrance. Usually the truck frames return to normal!!!
As far as dog-legging, that is another condition. Bent/broken suspension parts, severe alignment/steering problems, or a frame that is racked or "laddered" as the frame shops refer to. Don't know if one brand is more vulnerable to all this than the others or not.
I have frequently noticed the trailers on big rigs will dog-leg behind the tractor. Have seen some extreeme cases. Rear axles are "off" for a number of reasons.
Originally Posted by Ford_Six
My 84 F250 used to take a set if I twisted it up bad enough. A couple of times, I had to find a suitable incline to twist it back. I saw a chevy dog-tracking the other day- it was so bad, he was taking up more than a lane. When he hit the brakes, it would straighten back out. Definetely a broken center pin.
As for seeing so many like that, it may be an optical illusion or something. maybe caused by the crown of the road.
As for seeing so many like that, it may be an optical illusion or something. maybe caused by the crown of the road.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
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From: Atlanta GA
Cetane, I saw many bone headed things done to new Fords and Jeeps by the delivery company. They can blame the rails for a lot of things, but, most of the damage comes from the truck drivers and not the railroad. I had one guy try to deliver a Jeep Cherokee (unibody) with the roof torn completely off from hitting a bridge or something.
When I worked at a Jeep dealer checking in cars, I went out to inspect the trucks and see the guy driving them off the truck, without a ramp! Bam coming off on the rear and total crunch on the front. Not even creeping it, just flat out driving it off the end of the truck. Asked him why he would do that to someone's brand new vehicle and not put down the ramp and he said "they're a Jeep, they can take it".
We refused to sign for them, called the carrier, and made the shipping company take them all back and returned them to Jeep as lemon/defects on the CO (so no innocent person would buy it). Plus, made Jeep send the replacements by a different carrier. I imagine the driver's boss was not to happy.
When I worked at a Jeep dealer checking in cars, I went out to inspect the trucks and see the guy driving them off the truck, without a ramp! Bam coming off on the rear and total crunch on the front. Not even creeping it, just flat out driving it off the end of the truck. Asked him why he would do that to someone's brand new vehicle and not put down the ramp and he said "they're a Jeep, they can take it".
We refused to sign for them, called the carrier, and made the shipping company take them all back and returned them to Jeep as lemon/defects on the CO (so no innocent person would buy it). Plus, made Jeep send the replacements by a different carrier. I imagine the driver's boss was not to happy.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
Likes: 4
From: Lafayette, IN
I have 2 F-series trucks (see sig), and they both have bed twist. I don't know how it happened on my F150, though I have overloaded it before, or I could have bought it that way, too (bought with 60k miles). The F250 definitely came that way (bought with 117k miles), and there is a little denting in the fender in the area between the wheel well and the bumper, like it was in a minor fender-bender. That side of the bed is high. Oh, well, they're trucks. I use 'em like trucks. And I don't expect them to look like show cars.
Jason
Jason