How do our trucks drive with no bed installed?

[robroy]

Good morning,

I'm considering removing the bed from my truck and driving it that way for a while, since it will make it very easy for exhaust to be installed and I don't plan on hauling anything for a while.

How do our trucks drive with no bed installed compared to how they normally drive? Is there a gigantic loss of rear end traction, or is it a minor change?

My truck's an 8,100lb GVW F250 so all the springs are pretty stiff.

Thanks!
-Robroy

[FLATBEDFORD]

... Is there a gigantic loss of rear end traction,...?

Yes! Had an F350 with no bed. Made big, easy burnouts, much smoke.

[390F100]

I was going to ask the same question, but if you dont mind another question about the bed. How would we run brake lights and signals to the rear without a bed?? and to add to the original post, with that new 390 of yours it would make tons of smoke at the rear wheels but with no weight, it would just be too easy, I know with my old stock 360 it was a torque monster and smoked the tires real easy. you should have tons of fun with it...

[mrtleavitt]

Ya, the rear end is super light without the bed on there. Not much traction but dang fun! For the lights, all you'd have to do is rig up some temporary ones, probably with trailer lights woudl be easiest. Where I'm from, folks don't care to much about brake lights so I wasn't ever bothered about it.

[RedneckTexan]

... Is there a gigantic loss of rear end traction,...?

Yes! Had an F350 with no bed. Made big, easy burnouts, much smoke.

Sounds like I'm gonna take the dump bed off of my F-350 and do some serious burnouts, donuts, and fish tails!!!!!

I also think that it being a dually that it would make twice the smoke!!!!

[flyboy2610]

Around here, you'd get a ticket within 5 minutes of putting it on the street!
No fenders, no brake lights, no turn signals, no rear bumper...........

[aramil]

i think im going to pull the bed off when i go to thrash the old tires
you should be able to rig up some mud flaps or somthing if legally have to have them... it would just take some creative thinking

[FordTruck]

Yep no bed is FUN!!! I had ming off for a few days and and nice big smokey burnouts I'll have to go outside and take some pics of the burnouts on the street in front of the house

[averagef250]

Easy bake burnouts and stopping in rain is scary at best. Don't do exhaust without the bed. You need the bed on to get things to look right.

I've driven a few miles in bedless trucks. Just rigged lights on the frame rails. In fact I can tell you the stud mount trailer lights bolt right into the rear bumpside bed bolt holes in the frame rails. Never once had a cop give me trouble. They gave me some "what a moron" looks though.

[averagef250]

BTW, read your states mud flap/fender laws. Most are so poorly written you can get away with anything if when the cop tells you you need mud flaps/fenders you ask "why?". Mud flaps are usually required moreso than fenders.

[bumpside]

You could bolt a piece of 3/4 plywood across the frame rails . Let it hang out over the tires. If you need flaps you could screw them to the back edge fo the plywood. There are some holes in the last cross member that will allow you to attach some temp lights and the l plate.

[averagef250]

Tires sit above the frame rails. Hence pickup beds have wheelwells.

[bumpside]

[bjde0b]

I didn't read all the posts, but I drove my truck around for 3 months without a bed. The cab was primered. My bed was a flareside and I was working on refurbishing it while I drove around with it off. I ripped a 2x4 in half and mounted the tail lights to it, and attached a ground wire to the frame. I also had a bumper on. It looked funny and my friends called it half-butt (they used other words), but it worked. I still cannot burn the tires off because the rear end is so light that it bounces when I do try.

Anyway, I don't remember this but I was told that a couple days before I put the bed on I was pulled over for no mud flaps. That would be my only addition. This is what my truck looks like now with no bed.