Removing bed on old P/U truck

[Sigarms]

Looking at an old Nissan 4x4 for use around the house.

Currently have a T-100, but since buying the new house and land, really starting to beat it hauling stuff around the house.

Thats the reason I was looking at the Nissan.

Problem is the bed on the Nissan is pretty darn small, and I don't see it having much use for hauling alot of brush and such.

Remember a buddy's friend up in W.V that had an old toyota with the bed completely removed, and had lumber down as the "floor".

This may work that it would increase the carrying cargo of the truck (tree's limbs, drums...)

Just wondering if anyone has done this, what the "procedure" is, how much to do it.

Figure I'd rather beat a "junker" when I need to do the hauling rather than my "nicer" toyota /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Any input would help.

Thanks

 

[JimR]

I did that to an old 1960 Ford many years ago. I ran 4x4's across the frame and bolted them down front and rear. I then ran 2x8's full length, put in pockets for stake sides and had a mean brush hauler. This was before tractor days. Now I just pile it up and roll it along with the bucket.

 

[Dozernut]

You will need a frame to support the wood deck. You can look around if, your not in a hurry, and find a used flat bed to fit your truck or you can weld one up. There are six bolts that hold the bed on, then you need some friends or a loader and chains to lift the old bed off. You will need to make some brackets to attach the bed to the frame. I used four inch angle iron and cut two inch pieces with a metal band saw, then drill mounting holes for attachment to the frame and new bed. One trick we did was to make a simple wooden frame to place on the frame of the truck to make a template, so we could drill and attach brackets to the flat bed so it would match the holes in the frame of the truck. Not a real hard job but labor intensive and it will take a lot of welding. One word about the flat beds, they will be heavier, if made of steel and wood, than your original bed. This will cut down on your GVWR. An alternative would be an aluminum flat bed with all the mounting brackets included but they are more $. Another would be completely out of wood but you will still need mounting brackets. Be sure to size your wood cross members larger (4x4) for load strength. Good luck.

 

[Sigarms]

Thanks for the replies.

Makes me wonder at the nissan I'm looking at.

Extra weight with new bed, pushing a 4 cyl and then any materials on top of that?

Might be better off looking for a beater F150 8 or 6 cyl.

 

[HGM]

I agree, an F-150 would be a much better idea. The weight thing would be BIG.

Unless you could make a stake bed out of aluminum you wont get much out of the Nissan. Unless you get it for a good price and just leave the bed alone, maybe a trailer? You should be able to find an old Ford for sale cheap somewhere.

 

[Jagmandave]

A buddy and I did this with his Toyota. We used 2X6's on edge across the frame, then just used deck screws to attach 2 X 6's lengthwise. The problem you'll have is tire clearance if you run the long boards over the tires. He wound up putting a cheap set of air shocks on his to keep it up off the tires when he carried a load. Other than that, worked fine, and gave him a nice flat " mobile workbench" to work on other projects too. As to load carrying capacity, I don't think it was any heavier than the stock bed, but those were not true half ton trucks when new............

 

[turnkey4099]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Thanks for the replies.

Makes me wonder at the nissan I'm looking at.

Extra weight with new bed, pushing a 4 cyl and then any materials on top of that?

Might be better off looking for a beater F150 8 or 6 cyl.

)</font>

Yeah, for that use a full-size 1/2 ton ford or chev 2X 6 plus 4spd beater would be best. I specify 6, 4sp,2x as that eliminates a a bunch of high cost maintenance parts, ones that are the most likely to fail in an old rig. Of course the flip side is they are hard to find in that configuration.

I don't follow why people always suggest a V8 for hauling. They aren't necessary - that's what all those gears in the box are for. Even hauling full time you are running empty 50% of the time.

As for racks: Something I have always wondered. Why do people go to the trouble of 'notching' the posts to fit in the stake pockets? Just rip them to the right size. Any excess above the stake pocket is of no benefit and adds weight to the racks. If the post breaks it is going to break at the top of the pocket and nowhere else. My racks (now on their 2nd PU) have posts made of very tight grain doug fir 2x4 that were ripped lengthwise - basically 2x2's. Yeah, they "look" flimsy but they work fine.

Harry K

 

[HGM]

I'll agree, the straight 6 has more torque per pound and is nearly indestructible.

 

[bontai_Joe]

Since you stated that this was just for hauling around the house, I think the Nissan would be fine if cheap. The suggestion of 4x4s across the frame is good, and you can save weight by using the 5/4" x6" treated boards sold for decks. The 4 cylinder will also be fine at the slow speeds you will probably be driving at. I've seen these trucks in Asia hailing a ton or more at slow speeds down bumpy mountain roads.

 

[Sigarms]

Forget the Nissan.

87 with 170k, wants $2500. Not the Fuel injected but carburator (sp?).

Somtimes I think these guys smoke crack!