Replacing the bed on a Ford Ranger

[Devonai]

I have a 99 Ford Ranger XLT 4x4 Step-Side.  There is some body damage to the bed from the previous owner (just cosmetic), and the tailgate is rusting out.  I have done a little research and it seems that if I spend just a bit more money I can get a like-new replacement bed.  The only tricky part is finding a color match.

Has anyone ever done this kind of swap before?  If so, what should I look out for?  Is this a big enough job to warrant a large labor charge?

Also, has anyone ever built their own bed, say out of pressure-treated lumber?

[Brad Johnson]

Six bolts and one electrical connector.  You and two or three of your buddies can lift it off.  Total elapsed time about twenty minutes (cut that to five if you take a torch to the bolt heads instead of trying to get at them from underneath).

Brad

[client32]

Replacing it should be easy.

The times we have had to replace a fuel pump on a pickup, we always lift rather than drop the fuel tank.

I don't know about building one out of lumber, but I bet you could find something on the internet.  I can't imagine it being all that hard.  The biggest problem I can think of is the tail lights and stuff.

[Brad Johnson]

How about a flatbed-style replacement bed?

http://www.beslerindustries.com/products/flat-beds.htm

They are common in these parts as farmers and ranchers like the utility and easy access.  Don't know about your area, but most farm and ranch supply stores will have them (or at least know where to get them).  Most are universal fit so you may have to do some drilling/cutting/fitting.  Most places that sell them also install them or have someone on the hook who does.

Brad

[Tallpine]

+1 on a non-factory replacement bed

If you have a garage with open rafters or maybe a handy big and strong tree limb, you can lift the bed off with one of those hand ratchet winches ("come-alongs").  Just rig up some sort of multiple point attachment that pulls evenly.

With a fleetside/wideside bed, I just cut a couple heavy boards long enough to catch under the pickup bed flanges, and ran chains around those boards.  Of course, when I did it, I had access to and used a forklift 

It might be handy to rent/borrow a flatbed trailer or two to shift the beds around.  Hoist the bed off your p/u as suggested above, pull your p/u out from under, and back a trailer under the airborne bed for removal.  Reverse process for the new bed.

Or you could just leave the old p/u bed hanging in a tree for artistic value 

[Brad Johnson]

Or you could just leave the old p/u bed hanging in a tree for artistic value 

Family-size yard swing.

Brad

[client32]

Some type of hoist might help, but I don't think it is necassary.
My brother and I have done this with full size long bed pickups several times.

Get a couple of long 2x4s or 2x6s.  After you have everything disconected, one person picks up one side of the bed while the other slides the board under the bed edge and on top of the wheel from the back.  Move to the other side and repeat.  Now that you have the bed detached and on the boards, back up your Ranger.  (It might be safer if you stick it nuetral and push it backwards.  )  You should get to a point where you c an have the boards act as a ramp from the ground to your bumper. 

The easiest thing would probably do what Brad said and get three guys to lift it off.  The full size long beds aren't too heavy.

[Brad Johnson]

The easiest thing would probably do what Brad said and get three guys to lift it off.  The full size long beds aren't too heavy.

I've done it with just me and one other guy.  Wasn't much fun, though.  Three are better.  Four would be best.

Brad

[Tallpine]

The full size long beds aren't too heavy.

Sorry .. I forgot that the new ones were made out of plastic 

The longwide bed on my old 1973 Chevy seemed fairly heavy.  I didn't have three guys to help me, either.  I bet the short stepside bed on my old 1965 Chevy was even heavier, as it was made out of heavy steel, with a wood floor.

One time I swapped out the body and chassis on a VW Bug (don't ask me why ... I should have just pushed both of them over a cliff).  I ran lodgepole pine poles about 4" in diameter crossways under the fenders front and rear, jacked them up and supported them on various piles of junk.  Then just pushed the chassis out from under the body, and pushed the "new" chassis under the body and set it back down.

[Tallpine]

Thinking about this a little more ... once you find yourself a "new" bed, you might just want to go to a junkyard and roll the old one off and leave it there, rather than taking it off in your yard.

[Devonai]

Thanks for everyone's input so far.

Does any state regulatory agency have anything to say about building my own bed?  Obviously I plan on having brake lights and directionals.

[Brad Johnson]

As long as you don't remove or modify any of the factory energy-absorbing features, I wouldn't think so.  A quick call to your state Dept of Transportation should clear it up.

Brad

[client32]

The full size long beds aren't too heavy.

Sorry .. I forgot that the new ones were made out of plastic 

I can only lift one side at a time, but it is doable.



I think you are ok as long as you still have a bumper.

[Bogie]

Sawhorses, dude... Or whatever can hold it.

Junkyard bed is probably cheapest. A wood bed would be cool. One with toolboxes could be even cooler.

[never_retreat]

YEHAW We got some serious competitors for the red neck olympics here. Whoever can hoist the largest most obscure object into a tree wins.

I've done a boat engine (inboard 250 st 6), A 900lb Seadoo, and a few trailers to replace axles.

[Tallpine]

You guys pick up the truck bed while I stand there and hold the bolts

[roo_ster]

Or you could just leave the old p/u bed hanging in a tree for artistic value 

Family-size yard swing.

Brad

I think I saw one or two in my drives through the Ozarks.