Lifting/moving bed

[Fredthecat]

How do you lift, move and when ready reinstall bed as a unit?

Read the threads on lifting cabs. Good ideas.

[OrrieG]

Three strong or four guys can lift it off, taking off the tail gate (4 bolts) helps. To put mine back on I used my engine hoist and a fabric lifting strap under and over the wheel well area. I put 2x4 pieces on the frame, pulled out the strap and blocks then positioned each side by hand. Put a blanket over the cab to avoid scratches and dings

[Russell Ashley]

Pretty much what Orrie said. I work alone so I used my engine hoist and four straps hooked into the bottom of the stake pockets.
BTW, you can also use two straps and an engine hoist to remove/replace your hood.

[Truck Guy99]

My brother and I removed an 8 foot bed from a square body by hand. Get a few buddies together and pay them with a pack of beer. If you have a chain hoist, use that and a strap at each corner of the bed. You can do the same with a come along. Lift the bed off the frame about a foot and make sure nothing is still connected (wires, grounds, etc.) and pull the truck out from under the bed. If you have a cherry picker, use that at full extension with a couple of straps. If you have access to one, a tractor, backhoe, or a forklift make the job easier.

[starterman99]

I took the fenders off .unbolted box from frame, slid it back,stood up on end and used dolly under rear cross sill to move around.they really are not that heavy just awkward.

[av8tr33337]

I run a chain from corner to corner kind of making an "X" from stake pocket to stake pocket and use my cherry picker. Tie down straps would work just as well.

[Fredthecat]

Thanks for the ideas. Sounds like it's time to put the 1952 8N tractor with lift arm to work pulling Chevy pickup apart. Make the Ford do the work!

Thanks

[msaintg]

I used an engine hoist, the same as the cab. I also had a welding table that I built years ago for handling the bed when it was off. It goes almost verticle in both directions.

[oldcouple]

I used binder straps looped to the roof rafters, eye bolts in each corner of the bed.

[ETsC10]

Originally Posted by av8tr33337

I run a chain from corner to corner kind of making an "X" from stake pocket to stake pocket and use my cherry picker. Tie down straps would work just as well.

Originally Posted by Fredthecat

Thanks for the ideas. Sounds like it's time to put the 1952 8N tractor with lift arm to work pulling Chevy pickup apart. Make the Ford do the work!

Thanks

Ha! Last time I had a cab lifted into my truck it was a Ford backhoe doing the lifting.
I was sooo hoping it wasn't an evil Ford backhoe. It wasn't.

Last time I lifted a bed by myself (my '68 LWB), I did it like av8tr33337 did. I was working
at dusk (alone) on a concrete slope so I also test-lifted until I had the load centered and
then put an old alt. bolt through the chains crosses. Not sure if there's a
major differance in weight between your beds and my later one but they are all heavy.

BTW- I'm a 5'2" female, so I couldn't afford a mishap since the cherry picker
alone weighs probably 300# (made for big-rig motors)...
...that hoist would have had a heyday rolling down the 4-lane road out front
so, yes, I know all about wheel chalks, too!

Just dropped in to bend your ears...Ellen

PS---msaintg, very cool welding cart!