Putting a pick-up bed on my F-550

[MrJimi]

That picture of yours is my problem, I had to raise bed 2" to make it even look like that, now just imagine lowering that bed in the picture and you would have more problems than I do with cutting all the ribs under truck bed if you look under a truck bed you will see what I mean. Here is a picture of bottom of my bed and all the ribs

I love my 10.5' boom pole
This should give you a better idea of bottom of bed and ribs
Jim

 

[Wayne County Hose]

With a flat bed you could put on a sander to go with the snow plow.

 

[MrJimi]

Andy, I think you have sat on snow banks for too long as a kid.
Very funny
do you have a cab lift for a diesel engine for me, I need one

 

[mopacman]

On a cab and chassis truck the back wheels set narower than on a PU. this will make the tires rub on the inside of the finder well. This makes them look strange with duely fenders. .....Larry

 

[MrJimi]

I think it will look fine with my dually fenders on it.
No pictures yet but I did get my lift bolts today
Getting closer all the time and I ain't in no hurry
Jim

EDIT for picture, I think this looks OK ?

 

[Runner]

If I understand it correctly, it is the U-shaped cross supports that are making the bed sit too high.

What if you removed those (by just drilling out the spot welds) then, went back with suports made of either a piece of flat metal bar stock or maybe angle iron, with notches out where it goes over the frame?

Would that allow the bed to sit low enough?

Still not sure I understand how the frame affects the tail gate, but could you just cut or notch the end of the frame for clearance?

 

[MrJimi]

If you look at the above picture on the right side where the bed sits on the frame and just behind the rope is where the tail gate hinges from. I would have to have the frame above the bed floor to work properly.
I bought bolts yesterday to lift body and I will see what is involved with relocating the intercooler for turbo
Jim

 

[RobS]

Looks like the frame is just too long. Any chance to shorten it?

Nice truck!

 

[MrJimi]

Rob, I tried moving bed all the way back over the frame and it's still too high and with a 4' gap in the front. I don't mind lifting the cab, it will be lots of work but I like a taller truck as long as it still goes in my 7' tall door opening.
Thanks on compliment and it will get done someday, I have to paint frame and a few odds and ends and paint bed to ( hopefully ) match cab someday
It is a serious truck with a powerstroke turbo 7.3 diesel engine with a 4 speed auto with overdrive and a 4.88 rear ratio and 10 leaf springs in the rear, It rides like a rock but will pull anything
and my wife loves it and she is used to driving a Toyota Corolla
Jim

 

[montanaman]

If I understand it correctly, it is the U-shaped cross supports that are making the bed sit too high.

What if you removed those (by just drilling out the spot welds) then, went back with suports made of either a piece of flat metal bar stock or maybe angle iron, with notches out where it goes over the frame?

Would that allow the bed to sit low enough?

Still not sure I understand how the frame affects the tail gate, but could you just cut or notch the end of the frame for clearance?

Looks like the rear crossmember is actually behind the bed and that would require removing is and sliding it forward so the bed could be mounted lower on the frame. The bed ribs could be notched so the bed could sit lower but there would be a lot of strength lost by doing that and you would need to add supports to the truck frame to sit under the bed rails to replace the support that was removed.

Body lift might be an easy way to go if you can get around the problems that you are aware of.

I know you don't like flat beds but they do provide much more usable space!

Another thing to think about is if you will be towing a gooseneck or fifth wheel trailer with this, you are going to have a lot of problems with the bed height causing clearance issues.

In the old days, the GM bed floor was the entire floor and it would be easy to take the bed apart, drill holes at the right height on the fenders and header board, and bolt it back together. Ford has had a narrow bed floor with wide flanges on the fenders that make up part of the floor for years and this wouldn't work

I'll be watching to see how it goes!

Ken