freakin notheast rot!!!!!
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 126
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From: stratton vermont
freakin notheast rot!!!!!
ok i have a 94 250 4x4 with a 460 and a 5-speed,,,, needless to say its a fun truck to drive. and in pretty good shape but i live in vermont and as with almost every truck on the road in this state over 2 years old its got rot issues. i really want to do this rite and replace complete bed-sides , but not sure if anyone on here has ever tryed to remove an outer skin on a bed and replace it with any success? or if i should just suck it up and drive to florida and spend a week searching junkyards for a complete bed? 
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Joined: Mar 2008
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I've heard of most people having pretty decent luck just replacing the wheel well area since they sell those patches. I'd assume those would be easier to weld on rather than replace the entire bed side or bed itself. hopefully someone with more experience can give you something better
FTE Legend
Joined: May 2008
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From: In my own world
it's easy to just replace the wheel well area, but if your wheel house [area above the wheels, between bed and outside skin] is rusted, there is nothing available. you will have to fabracate these patch panels.
New User
Joined: Jul 2003
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Oil them or lose them
The trick in Vermont is to get a truck from somewere they don't salt the roads, and then get it oiled befor the snow flys. Have it oiled every year after that till it's time to get another. Trying to fight the rust after it's really got started, can be a losing battle. My 2 cents.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Cottage Grove, WI
dont feel too bad, we got that rot over here in the midwest too. you can find rust free boxes, they are around. Companies ship them up from down south for a fee. I knew a guy who lived in new york, got his boxes from TN i believe. Just gotta be willing to pay.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
Yep.. I know of 2 places in south-eastern Ontario now that bring up cabs and boxes from the south, I got a box for my truck a couple years ago for $1000can. There must be people in the Northern states doing that as well. The rust treatments really do work as well, I get all our vehicles done every year.
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 11,289
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From: Lakewood, Ohio
i would just go to florida and buy a whole truck if it was me.
i bring cars from california to ohio and make a pretty good profit on them.
i bring cars from california to ohio and make a pretty good profit on them.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2008
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From: Mass.
here in mass we have the same rot problems but usually if you look hard enough in local junkyards there are a couple beds that are in decent shape. How bad is your rot? a picture would give a better idea of how bad it is, you might not have to replace the whole bedside. ive replaced a couple wheel arch area, did it to my dads 90 which was horribly rotted out and if the hole is small enough like on my 94 i just sanded and bondoed the small hole before it got huge.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2008
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I got similar issues and I think my truck is also from Vt.
I didn't think about the bed but if you don't have that issue I believe they have some FENDER FLARES where you cut out a portion of the fender and rivet(?) the new flares on. Check JC Whitney. I got that issue plus rockers and door jams. I was going to hit thes with a wire cup brush, treat the area , putty and cover with diamond plate or a very thin stainless.
Elder User
Joined: May 2007
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From: NY (not the city!!)
I feel your pain. I hate salt, I miss cinders. People just need to slow down. But if anyone is interested i have a very nice styleside short bed. It came from down south, no rust, almost new bedliner, and diamond plate bed rail caps. I could give someone a good deal on it. It only saw 1 full winter here in New York State.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: stratton vermont
this may not seem like much to sum,,,,but i really want to paint this truck,,,and im not gonna do it untill i know it aint gonna rust out on me in a year....so bondo is out of the qwestion....
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Joined: Mar 2009
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From: metro detroit area...
that's not bad at all... my wheel arches are totally gone, the chrome trim is held on at each end by a small piece of rust/metal that will surely fall off soon... looked for complete beds and can't afford a nice one, so I'm just leaving it til i find something I can afford
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: stratton vermont
yea i know its not bad ,,,esp. for a truck with 225,000 miles on it and 10 years old in the state of vermont ...but im a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my vehicals ,,,i actually have spent alot of time and money on this truck,,,,wich in the proccess convinced the wife to tell me to bye a new truck a year ago so i didnt have to work on this all the time.....LOL yea rite i bought the 04 deisel anyway but ill never stop goin for profection on this one or the "new" 78 either LOL