Replace whole bed or just the panels?
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
Replace whole bed or just the panels?
For those who live in northern climates where the road salt has caused the wheel openings to rust away, have you replaced the panels or the whole bed with a rust free one? I already had the wheel openings rebuilt about 6 years ago, and the patch panels are rusting and pulling away, so the sides are trash now. I am debating on what to do. The inside of the bed is in good shape.
Either way, I'm sure that it will be a few thousand dollars with the paint work required.
The upside to replacing the whole bed is that I can replace the leaking front fuel tank, and probably the rear, and probably the rusty brake lines too. I'm wondering where I might find a rust free bed, however.
If I put new panels on, I want to make sure that they are not some Chinese garbage that will rust out quickly.
I'd appreciate recommendations from anyone who has done either.
Either way, I'm sure that it will be a few thousand dollars with the paint work required.
The upside to replacing the whole bed is that I can replace the leaking front fuel tank, and probably the rear, and probably the rusty brake lines too. I'm wondering where I might find a rust free bed, however.
If I put new panels on, I want to make sure that they are not some Chinese garbage that will rust out quickly.
I'd appreciate recommendations from anyone who has done either.
New User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
People throw away rust free beds here in FL. I could find you one if you wanted to deal with shipping it or picking it up. i'd do the whole bed, as you can find an entire southern bed for less than the price of one bedside from ford
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,935
Likes: 34
From: Arcadia, Fla
You got that right about Florida, tried selling a bed last year and only could get $150 for it!! Needed the $$ and $150 better than nothing.
A bed swap is better and much less work than replacing panels.
A bed swap is better and much less work than replacing panels.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
Likes: 1,499
From: Ottawa, Ontario
Where are you located? There are a couple companies that bring up rust free beds from the south to southern Ontario, and they have to pass through the eastern states to get here so you may be able to work something out if you're on the way. Do a web search for "southern truck parts".
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,250
Likes: 1
Anybody know what it would cost to ship a bed from the south somewhere to the North? I'm currently looking for a rust free bed, and I'd take you, Eddiec1564, up on the offer if the shipping were at least reasonable.
Edit: Spelling
Edit: Spelling
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,026
Likes: 0
From: Belle Mead NJ
You could do this, then do what ill be doing, undercoating the **** outta it.
I just did the same thing on my F350
All Primed up
I sprayed undercoatin till it dripped out the seam of the inner to the outer, its the way of the design that makes it rott out. You really have to wash em out well to keep em from rottin out. The shop that did yours might have left old metal in there also, have seen that a million times, down here in NJ.
I just did the same thing on my F350
All Primed up
I sprayed undercoatin till it dripped out the seam of the inner to the outer, its the way of the design that makes it rott out. You really have to wash em out well to keep em from rottin out. The shop that did yours might have left old metal in there also, have seen that a million times, down here in NJ.
Fleet Owner
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 21,437
Likes: 76
From: Gilbert, PA
Finding a "rust free" bed is going to cost you $1000 or more. And who is to say it will not be rotten in a year or two. Aftermarket sides are just as good as OEm. It is all in the prep of how the side goes on, as for how long it will last. Ford did a **** poor job of putting the sides on and they last anywhere from 3-8 years. if the side is painted before it is put on and GLUED on instead of welded. i see no reason why it would not last for 20+ years
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Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,026
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From: Belle Mead NJ
My buddy got his orig bed and orig rust free wheel wells, 94 F150, 100K now, washes it every week, maybe more. It is the niceist unrestored F-Series in our area. (Mine is the best restored lol)
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Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,670
Likes: 13
From: Sand Lake, MI
95F350XL,
Nice work!
Did you make up the replacement panel/s yourself (I wouldn't have anyway of doing that) or buy it pre bent?
I been hashing over doing something like that to my 94. Its rusty but the rear areas over the tires are the part that really makes it look bad.
I welded in some replacement panels on the Explorer the wife had, under the back doors in front of the rear wheels, mostly as a test to see if I even remotely had the skills needed. Worked out pretty good for my first attempt, all metal needed no "filler" over it when I was done welding em in and grinding/sanding it down, time consuming process though!
Nice work!
Did you make up the replacement panel/s yourself (I wouldn't have anyway of doing that) or buy it pre bent?
I been hashing over doing something like that to my 94. Its rusty but the rear areas over the tires are the part that really makes it look bad.
I welded in some replacement panels on the Explorer the wife had, under the back doors in front of the rear wheels, mostly as a test to see if I even remotely had the skills needed. Worked out pretty good for my first attempt, all metal needed no "filler" over it when I was done welding em in and grinding/sanding it down, time consuming process though!
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,250
Likes: 1
Looks like I can't send you a PM, 750chop. When are you planning on coming to Illinois and what would you charge if you were to bring a box up? I'm in north central Iowa, so Illinois isn't an extraordinary drive for me.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 487
Likes: 0
From: scottsdale
speaking of throwing away rust free beds man i had 6 beads for 87-96's at my place last year and i couldn't sell them for diddly so i sent them to the farm in NY >.> he paid me 300 each was pretty nice
i lives just south of tampa,fl
i lives just south of tampa,fl
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,935
Likes: 34
From: Arcadia, Fla
This was last year, and the one I still have needs the pass side as its all mashed up.
At one time my friend and I though about running good body parts up north, at $4 a gallon for gas, stopped that quickly in the planning stages and we never though about since.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,670
Likes: 13
From: Sand Lake, MI
I got the panals off craigslist, someone was selling em by me, but LMC sells em, ebay even has em.
I get my parts from my BIL, he works a keystone automotive. Gets em for me "his cost".
I was just curious if you bent them up yourself.
Yea its a ton of work, but its worth it in the end.
That's for sure, took me better part of a day to do one side on the explorer and that was a small repair by comparison!
I get my parts from my BIL, he works a keystone automotive. Gets em for me "his cost".
I was just curious if you bent them up yourself.
Yea its a ton of work, but its worth it in the end.
That's for sure, took me better part of a day to do one side on the explorer and that was a small repair by comparison!