Spring is coming Have Plans for bed repair and suspension drop
 

I've had my 87 swb silverado for almost a year now. So far it's been a very reliable driver. All I had to do major with it, within the year, was replace the rotted driver side gas tank. This spring, I want to do more with it. The bed has some rot that needs to be addressed, which has gotten worse over just the year. While the bed is off, I plan on stripping the frame down, as best I can, and painting. I also plan on giving the truck a drop, not sure how much I want to go, I'll address that later. Thing is, I still need to drive this truck. Have any of you guys driven your trucks w/o a bed? How did you mount up your tail/turn signals? Is anything else required? I think in CT, if a truck has no bed it must have mudflaps? I need to make something temporary while I work on the bed, any ideas? I have included some pics of what I'm dealing with for rust. These pics were taken before the winter, and the areas have gotten a bit worse. All the vendors I have looked at, are all close in price, and fairly cheap. I was thinking about getting a pretty good bedside section, not a complete section, but enough, and just cut out what I need for patching. The back cross beam, where the bed bolts actually go through and bolt the bed to the truck frame, is almost completely rotted away. I can't seem to find these anywhere? It seems like a pretty basic concept, cut out the old beam, weld in a new one. Also, the tailpan section is in pretty bad shape, any tips on installing one of those? I have a good Lincoln mig welder, and my father has done body patching before, actually with his old 86 c10 with very good results, but we aren't really that knowledged with body work (body filler, getting it all to blend). This ain't gonna be a show truck but I would like the treated areas to be presentable so any tips would be greatly appreciated. Here are pics of what I'm dealing with.

Rotted wheel arch, it has gotten worse since this pic was taken http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/100_3194.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/100_3322.jpg

Rust popping through on the same wheel arch
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/100_3323.jpg

Rust popping through, same bedside, in a rather odd spot, looks like this one should be fairly easy to tackle. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/100_3324.jpg

WOW, that cross beam is GONE! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/100_3321.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/100_3320.jpg

What the truck looks like, presentable but boy does it hide some rust underneath that bed!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...100_3209-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/100_3214.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/100_3210.jpg

Re: Spring is coming Have Plans for bed repair and suspension drop
 

for the drop would go with 2inch drop springs or spindle and for the rear I would go with a shackle and hanger and for the rust I don't know since the only thing I had was the floor pans in my truck

Re: Spring is coming Have Plans for bed repair and suspension drop
 

I have seen guys around here drive with no bed. All you need is a rear bumper and lights. Most just use a l shaped peice of metal and bolt it to a pre existing hole. The wheel arches suck man i bet there is more hiding in there then you think at least there was on my old 85 c10.

Re: Spring is coming Have Plans for bed repair and suspension drop
 

I'm still undecided on which patch panels, I should get, or if that bed is even worth fixing? I was hoping for more responses! Anyways, that lower bedside wheel arch corner, most vendors sell them in 12 x 25''. Problem is, I think I need a taller section, since that rust creeps up that wheel arch as you can see in the pics. Should I order that patch, and a wheel arch panel and piece them together? That is my biggest concern. That bottom cross brace, and tailpan, are hidden, so it's just a matter of getting them welded solid, I have no problems with that. Just that damn wheel arch. I hate to throw in the towel and search for a better bed to work with, because although those pics make it look horrible, the rest of the bed, including the entire right side, is solid. Any tips?

Re: Spring is coming Have Plans for bed repair and suspension drop
 

You can buy a slip over tail pan replacement or the whole one to cut out the old and weld in.

Also you can get an upper arch and lower rear section or buy the whole arch section and it be plenty enough for you to fix what you need shown in pics, except for the front of the bed.

For cross sills under the bed I seen them listed on back of my raybuck automotive book. I couldn't find them on their website last year but they got em on back of the book.

Just look up raybuck automotive online.

Worth saving, definately our 84 bed is rotted out worse and we are saving it. We just ground it down and filled with fiberglass and bondo, that was a year ago almost. Going to do a whole arch or new bedsides on it. We don't have a welder, so I thought cut it, flange it, then panel adhesive and rivet it in place. Not sure though, alot cheaper then besides but more work.

Re: Spring is coming Have Plans for bed repair and suspension drop
 

Thank you Benoit for the information and opinions on bed! I always get mixed opinions from people on whether to scrap the bed or repair it. Like I said, if the passenger side was bad as well, I'd probably consider it but the rest of the bed is solid and it's tough to find a complete rust free 6.5 footer in New England for cheap. Then I would probably have to paint the entire new bed anyways so it's worth keeping I guess.

Re: Spring is coming Have Plans for bed repair and suspension drop
 

It's hard to find a short bed anywhere that's prone to rust for a decent price, and around here they want 2 grand plus for rust bucket trucks.

I never could find an s-10 short bed rust free or at least less then ours had, and the 76 we had and 84 we got now is the same way.

My buddy however found a long bed for his s-10 for $75 had tailights and tailgate and they cut it off and loaded it up for him for that price.

Now if they were bad enough I'd say replace the bedsides.

I know how that goes though about $300 a side compared to what $20 a side for an upper arch repair?

Re: Spring is coming Have Plans for bed repair and suspension drop
 

Nice shorty! looks like mine but mines a 81