What is a good, short term fix for this? Normally I like to do something right the first time, but I probably don't have the money to do it right, this time, and I need this able to haul gravel, lumber, etc asap.

Or is it going to be fine as is? I don't really know. I'm young and never had a truck before.

 

If you just need temporary you could always lay a 4x8 sheet of plywood in the bed and it should cover that up for the time being, or one of the rubber bed mats.

 

But won't that just allow water to get in between the plywood and the bed, but now it won't be able to dry out and could compound the problem?

 

It possibly would, or you could just put the plywood in whenever you need to haul something so it doesn't fall through for now. Then take it out when you aren't using it. That would be your cheapest way to fix it for now. But you are right if you left it in water could get trapped underneath, but in that area the damage is done. I would say wire wheel it down to good metal and at least prime and lightly coat it with something to stop it rusting further if possible.

 

Leave it as is, and be on the look-out for a better bed. What you have going on there could be serious. Open the tailgate and then grab the side of the bed where the taillight is located and try to wiggle it. How loose is it?

Right back there in that area there is a deep u-channel that goes across the rear of the bed. There is a metal box under each taillight. This u-channel is welded to the box under each taillight and supports the rear bed sides and keeps them in the right place so the tailgate will shut properly. When this gets rusted the sides of the bed will start getting loose, and you will find yourself pushing the side of the bed inward to get the tailgate to shut.

Most all the patch panels you can buy are only cosmetic for the outside parts of the bed. They do not make anything for these critical underside pieces. I used mine for several years rusted out like that, I ended up making a support piece to keep the rear of the bed from flopping around till I found a better bed. Beds in good shape are getting harder and harder to find, you may find a better bed off a later 1987-1998 truck that is good shape. They will fit, but the wheel well has a little different shape over the rear tire. If you get a different bed, try to get the tailgate with it.

 

For a temporary fix, a 4x8 sheet of plywood or you could use some thin sheet metal and some self tapping sheet metal screws.

 

I think ply wood thrown in when needed is the way to go.
Thing is you will need to push it to the gate to cover the holes then have the front lip of the wood to deal with when trying to off load dirt and such.
If you are going to do a repair even a temp you cant have any lip at the back or you cant get product off, it will be trapped by the lip.
Then again you have the tail gate to deal with so ?????

Maybe find a bed liner to use when hauling dirt and such. It would cover the holes at the rear and easy to get product off.
Don't know how hard it is to put in & out as an option but find a way to hold it in as you don't want to have it fly out going down the high way.
Dave ----

 

A plastic drop in bed liner is a good idea too.

 

I would go with fiveoh and Franklin. Reinforce it ugly but effective, and find a liner cheap.

 

So I found a guy who is giving away a long bed from a 1988 f250 with a camper shell too. Problem is, I don't know how heavy it is going to be and how to transport it 40 miles since I still haven't been able to fix Baruch's brakes. Any ideas?

 

Mounting it to a car trailer would work. They're not real heavy (it's just sheet metal) but they're large and awkward to handle.

 

Yeah...I don't have a car trailer. Guess I could rent one from UHaul...

 

It would be cheaper to make friends with someone who had a truck.