Bed swap advice please...

[cancow]

Is removing a bed and putting on a new one a pita? Is it just 6 bolts? One truck is a 67 2wd and the other is a 67 4wd.

[jimmy828]

To me the worse part was removing the 40 year rusty bolts. It was a lot faster for me just to grind the old ones off from top and also i did not want to work from underside of bed. I have not placed the bed back on truck yet but i'm sure it will be no problem to find new bolts.

[sargentrs]

I had no problems getting mine off. The nuts didn't seize up or anything. They spun right off and I was able to just push the carriage bolts up through the hole and let them drop in the bed.

[Calfdemon]

Just the 6 bolts, the fuel filler tube (if you have the 2nd tank) and the electrical at the rear end. The hardest part about removing the bed is finding a few buddies to help you lift it. Well, and the rusty bolts. I just soaked mine with some Liquid Wrench or PB Blaster and after about 30 minutes, they came right off.

[cep62]

If the carriage bolts want to spin, you can weld a big nut to the top and hold it with a wrench.
I'd buy new bolts ,but you could save the old bolts if you're careful.

[youngone]

Some guys lift the bed off with a engine hoist. If anyone has any info or pics on that it would be great.

[72BahamaBlue]

You can also tack weld the bolt head to the bed if they start spinning. Out of all the bed bolts I've removed, about 1/2 of them spun. Be sure and wire brush and oil them well first.
The original Ford carriage bolts have a larger head than hardware store bolts, try and save them if possible.
There's 8 bolts...6 carriage, and 2 hex head bolts way back at the rear of the frame.
You and 3 friends should be able to lift it.

[sargentrs]

Some guys lift the bed off with a engine hoist. If anyone has any info or pics on that it would be great.

Here's how I did it. All by myself, too. I removed the bolts and blocked the bed off of the frame with some 4x4 pieces first to gain clearance over the bumper. The only hard part is that, because the boom was a little too short, the rear end of the bed kinda rode up and down on the hoist cylinder. You should put something between them to keep from damaging either.

[cep62]

I've never tried a cherry picker , but what happens if you come in from the side .?
I would think that once you found the balance point it should lift straight up ?

[youngone]

If you had room (in the shop) you could come in from the side. The center of the box is closer to lift from, but it looks like this worked.
Thanks for the pictures.

[sargentrs]

With the tires on, I couldn't get close enough to the center and I had concerns about damaging the side of the bed if it rocked into the hoist. Even if I had pulled the tires, the boom on the hoist is shorter than it looks and the higher you raise it, the closer the center of lift gets to the hoist. That, and I realized afterward, I hadn't built my cart high enough off the ground to get the hoist under it. It was shorter than the bed so I was able to get it set on it from the end before I ran into interference with the cart and then worked it the rest of the way up on it with a 2x4. I did this alone with nobody else around (not recommended!) so if I screwed up and dropped it, I would have been in a real pickle.

[youngone]

That makes perfect sense. The main thing is it works for the box removal. I never thought about it hitting the tires. Some times experience is the best tool.
I have seen some guys use the cherry picker for removing the cab as well. I think they hook it to the seatbelt bolts and to the door hinges.

Thanks Pat.

[tiny]

we just cut the nuts off and i grabbed one side and my son the other and lifted the box off. Hopefully we can find new bolts.

[sargentrs]

That makes perfect sense. The main thing is it works for the box removal. I never thought about it hitting the tires. Some times experience is the best tool.
I have seen some guys use the cherry picker for removing the cab as well. I think they hook it to the seatbelt bolts and to the door hinges.

Thanks Pat.

Yep, did that too. Pics if you need 'em.

[67 F100]

I like your bed dolly.