Bed swap questions
 

I am planning on switching the bed on my 94 lwb 2wd pretty soon, before the rust completely destroys it. It's pretty bad over the wheel wells. The bolts are fine so I'm not worried about getting it off, I need to know what can go on. Am I limited to ninth generation beds or if I find a late 80s lwb bed will that go on and how hard? Also, if there re any other members in the central new york area I am trying to find a nice bed and would love some help cause I've never done this before and it's hard to find a bed in better condition than mine let alone nice

The bed is almost rusted right off, you could probably rip it off by hand its so bad. The frame and everything underneath is fine but I need a new bed soo and it's starting to become a safety issue.

Any F150/F250/F350 bed from 1980-1996 will bolt onto your '94. And a bed from a '97 F250 or F350 only will also work.

You are not limited to just the 1987-1996 style bed, you can use a 1980-1986 bed, but the body lines are different. Just wouldn't look right on the 87-96 generation, IMO.

I need to find a new bed as well, mine is beyond repairable. Bad rust, and a pretty bad dent.

Check Car-part.com

steve, no selling in the open forums.

keep it in pm's or email please.

Apologies Tom. I'm a mod on the Explorer Forum and that's the way it is there but I've been here so long I guess I had a brain far-rat.:-X18 Seen a few other sale ads out of place recently so it just didn't register. Thanks for reminding me!!:-X22

no harm done, we are all allowed a brain fart every now and then.

awesome! thats good to know that i have a wider selection and im not lim ited to just 9th gen. would it matter what the truck i get the bed from had for gas tanks? i have two tanks in mine now i wanna say theyre both 19 gal
trouble is finding one in good shape, every single one ive seen has either been shortbox or way more rusted than mine or not for sale. And thats saying a lot as my bed has no structure, you can shake the sides by hand and the rust is approaching the top of the bed....

Good luck finding a bed in good shape in the rust belt. If you do, it would have brought up from the south and it will be 1000+.

If the structure of your bed is good, I would look into putting sides on the bed

the bottom of the bed is fine, its just around the wheel wells where it rusted all over badly. every one ive found has been 1000+ in decent shape, i only paid 1000 for the truck. how would i go about replacing the sides?

You have to drill out the spot welds then either glue or weld the new sides on

Drive down to the south, TX, NM, or AZ and find a rust-free one for $200 or less, or you could hire a car transporter to get it for you. I once sold a rust-free bed to a guy in MI and he had one of those big car hauler rigs come pick it up.

I found an almost mint red lwb dual tank 1980 f150 bed from down south today, doesn't have tailgate or lights but he only wants 150!!!!! IM checking it out and ill let you know my progress later

Does it have dual tanks?

no it didnt, and the guy sold it before i even got there.
bummer.
still on the look though, ive been toying the flat bed option in my head for a while, i just have no idea where to find one, how to build one and how to put it on.