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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Lacombe, Alberta
Posts: 288
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Opinions please!
I am putting my truck together for summer vacation. Should I go with a wood bed or steel? If I go wood I need to replace most of the cross braces, including the expensive back one. I do already have marine grade plywood though, in a 10' sheet. My truck is going to be a daily driver during the summer (no 4wd= no winter), and I would lacquer the wood, or bedline both sides of the steel. Which should I go with?
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#2 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Godley, TX
Posts: 17,963
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Re: Opinions please!
If you have a steel bed, I'd just leave it. If you go with a wood floor, I do not recommend plywood - I'd go with a hardwood. What do you have now? Steel I assume if you are talking about requiring cross brace replacement. if that's the case, I'd probably just stick with steel, nothing wrong with original.
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Owen Sound, Ont. Canada
Posts: 79
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Re: Opinions please!
I have always liked the wood bed look!
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#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: enumclaw, wa
Posts: 143
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Re: Opinions please!
Daily driver=steel bed. Durable and looks great if its lineX'ed or whatever kind of Berliner you want. The wood beds will never hold up like a steel bed.
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'67 2wd LWB 350/4speed. |
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#5 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Lacombe, Alberta
Posts: 288
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Re: Opinions please!
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#6 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Godley, TX
Posts: 17,963
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Re: Opinions please!
because of the exposed ply edges along the length. they absorb a lot of moisture, marine grade or not. Hard wood will only have "end grain" at the ends of the boards. But, more importantly, when you cut it and rabbet it to fit under the slats that hold it down, it will very likely splinter. Just not ideal for making bed wood.
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#7 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Lacombe, Alberta
Posts: 288
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Re: Opinions please!
Quote:
Cross sill (3x): $55ea Bed strips: $120 Rr. cross sill: $55 Bolts: $45 Reinforcement strip: $120 White oak or marine grade plywood: $150-$180 Total: $655-$685 Complete steel: $600 The local place that carries parts for these trucks is a ripoff, and that is why the wood bed stuff is so expensive, however, I can get the complete steel bed from our local auto body parts store for an ok price, plus they carry Tri-plus, which is supposed to be fairly good quality. |
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#8 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Modesto, CA
Posts: 2,188
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Re: Opinions please!
I have always like wood beds better than steel. That being said if it ain't broke don't fix it, that's why I don't convert to wood. If money and time is available to you, then its personal preference. Whatever you choose, good luck!
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#9 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: May 2012
Location: Anton, Texas
Posts: 2,364
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Re: Opinions please!
i like the bed wood better, if done right it is far nicer than metal ...
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#10 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Lacombe, Alberta
Posts: 288
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Re: Opinions please!
I think I will stick to a wood bed and buy a bed mat for when I have to haul stuff. Thanks for the advice and opinions!
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