Steps for pickup bed access

[tallyho8]

The reason they call it a headache rack in this area is because you are always hitting your head on it while getting into or out of the bed.

 

[turnkey4099]

I race off road motorcycles and have to load bikes into the bed of my truck. I got a great deal on a stock height F350 with the diesel engine for towing tractors and the RV. Some bozo at Ford decided that the bed height of that pickup should be about 36". Way too high. The bed rails are about chin high so there is no way to even rech into the bed level from outside of the truck.

Loading bikes has become an ordeal. Lowering the truck is actually possible and the first 3-5 inches are very easy. That's how I plan to deal with it.

In the meantime I just climb into the bed like every other american truck owner. I have gotten into the habit of strapping gear against the tailgate though so that I can get to it without climbing into the bed.

Ya jes gots ta unnerstan. They are made that high for ground clearance. Never mind that it doesn't matter high they mount the cab/bed, the clearance is set by the differntial/tranny and sometimes the tie rods. Absolutely rediculous to see some jacked up rig on the highway that won't clear any more ground than my stock 89 F150 2x.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

I have the same understanding of the meaning of the terms as Highbeam.

As I understand the origin, a headache rack prevents your cargo from coming forward and hitting you in the head.

My lumber rack does not have a headache rack as part of it, but it is just the right size for a 4' x 4' piece of plywood to fit into it and act as a temporary headache rack. This is not by accident, but is part of good design.

Same here except my racks are just 'wood hauling' ones - cab high. The front portion acts as the 'headache rack'

Harry K

 

[Duffster]

The Ford bed isn't really any higher than the new Chevy.

 

[archerm3]

The Ford bed isn't really any higher than the new Chevy.

Yep, they're both about 2-3' higher than they need to be. But they do look meaner on the street so that you can intimidate other drivers, being so tall. Also a good excuse to offer huge engines in them to slug that huge frontal surface area through the air.

 

[Duffster]

Yep, they're both about 2-3' higher than they need to be. But they do look meaner on the street so that you can intimidate other drivers, being so tall. Also a good excuse to offer huge engines in them to slug that huge frontal surface area through the air.

Sure because 0-6" off the ground would work so much better.

 

[DanD78]

My Ford F-350 is 57" to the top of the bed rail. No lift kit just stock. On my past trucks the bumper was just the right height to make the step up in to the bed. This darn thin is almost waste high to the tail gate. I had seen this kind of step on flat bed trucks but didn't know how to make it work. My wife came up with this idea and I built it the same evening. It works great for me.
I had to move the axles under the springs of my fifth wheel camper to make it run level.

I have a buddy with a Dodge DRW and it is taller than my ford by a couple of inches.

I am working on a copy right of the design at this time.

Dan D.

 

[texasjohn]

I have a 97 F350 dually crew cab... needed running boards.... went to craig's list... discovered that running boards are for sale in this area from time to time....looked at several.... learned that you kinda gotta stick to same brand installations (Ford for example), and then some models work for a series of years... important to know the year series.

Ultimately on Craig's List, I got a set of full length running boards for the year model I have, for a crew cab dually... even in the right shade of blue... for $35...and about 3 miles from the house HAPPPEEEE

Also discovered that there are steps that fit into the receiver hitch, or on the tailgate.

 

[tallyho8]

The tailgate latch on my Ford pick up is about shoulder height and then you have to pull up on it to open it. They are always much harder to open as they age and I have to stand on the bumper to pull the latch up. If it was made to pull down it would be much easier.

 

[archerm3]

Sure because 0-6" off the ground would work so much better.

Check your math.

See the post after yours.

But yes, 0" off of the ground would actually work out quite well, 'twer possible.

 

[Duffster]

Check your math.

See the post after yours.

But yes, 0" off of the ground would actually work out quite well, 'twer possible.

Checked, whats wrong with it?

 

[Reg]

High pick-ups are a PROBLEM with gooseneck trailers; high sides make it even worse.
People variously lower the truck, block up trailer axles and/or clip the top of the truck bed sides.

My "solution" was to buy a chassis/cab and have a flat with gooseneck ball below a trap door installed.
Hillsboro brand, aluminum, the trap door and hitch are built into the flat at the factory, a fairly straightforward bolt on install.
I built my own stake sides, looks like a "fer real" Fahm truck.

With a flat I can load just about anything from the side and (as long as I'm legal width) things can hang over the sides.
No 50" between wheel wells crap here.

 

[LBrown59]

1*High pick-ups are a PROBLEM with gooseneck trailers; high sides make it even worse.

2*My "solution" was to buy a chassis/cab and have a flat with gooseneck ball below a trap door installed.
Hillsboro brand, aluminum, the trap door and hitch are built into the flat at the factory, a fairly straightforward bolt on install.
I built my own stake sides, looks like a "fer real" Fahm truck.

3*With a flat I can load just about anything from the side and (as long as I'm legal width) things can hang over the sides.
No 50" between wheel wells crap here.

1*loading and unloading such a pick up with a small TLB is A disgusting joke.
2*I think I will have to go with a flat bed with a dump bed or other wise a pick up will be totally useless to me due to the outrageously stupid over height of them.
3*Ya got it rite there.

 

[Reg]

I can lift a small/smallish disk harrow onto the flat bed just by hooking a chain from the top link pin to my FEL bucket, it "dangles" and I can put it onto a couple of 2x8s to keep the disks off the aluminum floor.
The bed is certainly higher than the bottom of a regular pick-up tin box bed, since it is over the wheels, but of course it is WAY lower than the sides of a tin box bed.
It isn't too low to be a problem at regular loading docks, maybe 8 or 10 inches lower than a "regular" tractor trailer's van trailer floor, so it works out pretty well for picking up stuff at loading docks.

Werks fer me.

 

[archerm3]

Checked, whats wrong with it?

57" bed rail height, minus 24" of what I said, does not equal 0-6" off of the ground.

57-24= 33

Which means (if the bed sides were lower than what you get today) I don't have to lift 100 lb something over my head to get into/out of the bed. Because something that weighs 100 lbs is not going to have a handle or grip on it that can clear a bed rail by 57.0001". How high is a five gallon bucket handle above the bottom of the bucket, and how many dents/scratches do "you" want on the side of a BRAND new truck bed?

Now I need a step so I can load the bed. Why not just make the bed sides lower? Like they were for the last fifty effing years.

You owe me 20 bucks for doing your thinking(math) for you. I take paypal.

 

[Duffster]

57" bed rail height, minus 24" of what I said, does not equal 0-6" off of the ground.

57-24= 33

Which means (if the bed sides were lower than what you get today) I don't have to lift 100 lb something over my head to get into/out of the bed. Because something that weighs 100 lbs is not going to have a handle or grip on it that can clear a bed rail by 57.0001". How high is a five gallon bucket handle above the bottom of the bucket, and how many dents/scratches do "you" want on the side of a BRAND new truck bed?

Now I need a step so I can load the bed. Why not just make the bed sides lower? Like they were for the last fifty effing years.

You owe me 20 bucks for doing your thinking(math) for you. I take paypal.

Wow mathematician

My bed sides are 20" tall and the floor is ~4" tall.

With your previous post a 2'-3' reduction in height would place the bottom of the bed 9" above to 3" below grade.

Now who owes who ( I take cash)

 

[LBrown59]

Why not just make the bed sides lower? Like they were for the last fifty effing years.

Because companies can seldom ever get any thing rite and if they ever do they can't leave it alone with out screwing it up.

 

[Reg]

It has to do with SELLING trucks.
It has little/nothing to do with USING trucks AS TRUCKS.

Any more than "Croozer" style two wheel things have ANYTHING to do with motorcycles.

 

[archerm3]

Wow mathematician

My bed sides are 20" tall and the floor is ~4" tall.

With your previous post a 2'-3' reduction in height would place the bottom of the bed 9" above to 3" below grade.

Now who owes who ( I take cash)

Your bed raills are 20" above the ground? Methinks you are confused. You're on some other plane of reference that the rest of us in this thread are on.

Again, 57 inches above the ground, reduced by 24 inches, leaves 33 inches above the ground. For the top of the bed sides. I didn't say anything about the bed level.

You still owe me.

Just admit already that you like how trucks keep getting taller every year, because it looks cool.

 

[Duffster]

Your bed raills are 20" above the ground? Methinks you are confused. You're on some other plane of reference that the rest of us in this thread are on.

Again, 57 inches above the ground, reduced by 24 inches, leaves 33 inches above the ground. For the top of the bed sides. I didn't say anything about the bed level.

You still owe me.

Just admit already that you like how trucks keep getting taller every year, because it looks cool.

I guess the math is just to much for you eh?

Todays F350's are the exact same height as my '99 F350 (57"). So I guess I will have to leave you old boys to talk about the good old days.

PS I am sorry you are short, get used to it because you are probably done growing, taller anyway.