Putting a pick-up bed on my F-550

[MrJimi]

I have no idea about doing this but I think I have most of the parts, I want a strong truck to haul my stuff with and I think I found it after looking at the high prices for dually PU's with diesels I decided to go this way.
I bought a 2002 Ford F-550, cab and chassis then I looked for a suitable bed for it and I do not want a flat bed and I bought a single wheel bed and some new dually fenders for it.
And now the fun begins, I had to travel about 70 miles to get bed and fenders and then it had to come off and get turned over right side up ( I love my 10.5' boom pole and Case 1845C )
I know we all love pictures so here are some for all of you
Take your time and enjoy and if you have any ideas for me, I all ears and eyes
Jim

 

[sandman2234]

I have a friend who works for a local company that removes those beds from new trucks, and adds utility bodies. Last two of them I have purchased have been under $500 each. Did you get the light set up with your fenders, and tailgate?
David from jax

 

[MrJimi]

Yes, I bought the complete setup for one money. Have you priced this stuff recently? ask you friend how much a 2006 bed and dually NEW fenders and tail lites and NEW tailgate would go for. My bed has not ever been in the rain, it is spotless on the underside.
It will come together. I am having a wicked hard time getting a 3" cab lift on account of the diesel intercooler and a few other things.
Jim

 

[Skyco]

Curious- What is the 3" cab lift for? Is that required to make the bed fit?

 

[MrJimi]

Curious- What is the 3" cab lift for? Is that required to make the bed fit?

The 3" cab lift is to align the natural body lines to be straight, here is a picture of what I mean

The bed is lowered as much as it will go and still have a full working T/G

Jim

 

[Dmace]

Do you know why there is such a difference...

Was the bed from a different sized pickup? You would think the F-550 cab would sit higher than any other Ford pickup.

 

[MrJimi]

Derek, The F-550 is same cab as a 250/350 but the frame on mine is straight back and on a regular P/U it has a hump over the rear axle. I have the bed lowered all the way down and still have a working tailgate.
I could get a 3" lift kit for a 250/350 and that part would be fine EXCEPT ! they all say will not fit diesel it's something about the turbo intercooler, I do know that I will have to get a steering extender and lower radiator cooling shroud, that is no problem and at this point of all these deadends, I am about ready to just make my own.
I have registered on a few forums that discuss this and still not getting anywhere.
Now if I were to make and put a flatbed on it, That would be real easy, I just don't like the look of a flatbed
I want a normal P/U bed
Jim

 

[firemanpat2910]

I left the same responce on the ford site, but if the stock tail gate is the problem what about a custom gate like for a 5th wheel. They are thinner, you could cut custom notches out to fit the frame, and make it look like part of the design. Or change the tail gate to a swing out instead of a drop down. Now thats custom!!

 

[MrJimi]

I just replied to your post there and I knew I knew that name.
This is hard to explain on a keyboard but if you were to see what I have, you the light would come on LOL
As of now I am going bolt shopping today and a trip to Ford dealer and I will take it from there
did I mention I hate flatbeds and that would work so ever easy and in my opinion look SO dumb.
Jim

 

[firemanpat2910]

could you modfy the hinge points ?

 

[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