Installing new bed floor in truck

Lizer

Mad Scientist
I have a complete bed floor to install on a 1970 F250. 8’ style side bed. I first need to do some patch repairs to the inner sides of the bed as they’ve all rotted away where they meet the bed floor.

What I’m trying to determine is how to best support the bed sides and front to remove the bed floor and reinstall the new one.

I do need to remove and replace the entire front panel so I’m wondering if it just get the bed floor leveled out on stands, and then get the bed sides and front jigged up in place.
 
Lizer, I've had to do more than my share of Frankenstein beds back when I was working heavy collision. Often taking two damaged beds to make one good one. How I've always approached it was get the front panel centered/aligned with the bed floor, then fit the sides. Used self tappers and clamps to hold everything in place and get everything aligned then welded once everything was copacetic.
Your plan sounds good, just start with the front panel alignment to the floor and work from there. Get it all clamped and fitted before welding anything. Don't forget the tailgate.
 
What was the bed sitting on when you were doing this ? I’ve been debating bolting the new bed floor to the frame first. Currently the bed is sitting on a rolling wooden dolly I made for it.
 
We did a bed floor replacement and hung it from an overhead hoist

 
We did a bed floor replacement and hung it from an overhead hoist

Nice. This bed is going to be a much larger project. The bed floor is hardly attached to the sides anymore. The entire thing is completely rotted out around the inner bed sides and wheel wells. I'm having to cut off the bottoms of the sides and weld on 3" of new sheet metal for the bed floor flanges to mount to.
 
What was the bed sitting on when you were doing this ? I’ve been debating bolting the new bed floor to the frame first. Currently the bed is sitting on a rolling wooden dolly I made for it.
Sometimes the floor, sometimes on stands. Lots of them I had to cut through the middle of the floor to make an undamaged floor out of two damaged ones. Unlike a body or a cab that's disassembled the bed will not "spring" out of alignment, so where you do it is not as critical. It's just a matter of aligning everything well and getting it clamped down, and skipping around welding once you have it aligned. Mounting the tailgate is important as it will give a good reference as to how far out of align things are as you clamp it down. Once the tailgate is aligned with the bed sides and opens and closes correctly that is a good sign that you have everything correct. Another important thing to do is either on top or bottom (or both) measure diagonally left to right and right to left (from the front to the back) to make sure it is square. Once it's square and the tailgate fits you are pretty much set. Skip around welding as well to avoid pulling it one way or the other.
 
I replaced 6 1/2' bed floor not too long ago. I turned it upside down and put it on a picnic table. I ran some 4x4s across the table to hold it up when I cut the floor out. That might not work for you if it's rusted out too bad.
 
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