Big Long Bed I Guess

[HostileWes]

So i have a 2002 F-450 4 Door Chassie Cab. I got it with the intent of putting a bed on it and having all that white covered up only to learn there was not ever a bed made for it. There are two Companys making beds for them i have found to the tune of $1500. Dont know about you guys but rape is not my thing. Are these regular long beds with Dually sides or stretched short dually beds. The only thing i have found or sure is that the year i have the 4 door chassie cabs were not intended or normal beds. so what is the best way to go about this? <---Can you smell what this guy is cooking?

 

[W4RLR]

<---Can you smell what this guy is cooking?

A big steaming pot of gumbo? I'll drive to NOLA for an excellent gumbo. Thankfully though, I can get gumbo here. Lulu's in Gulf Shores, AL makes some great gumbo using the secret Buffett family receipe (as in Jimmy Buffett, Lucille Buffett's songwriter brother)

 

[HostileWes]

A big steaming pot of gumbo? I'll drive to NOLA for an excellent gumbo. Thankfully though, I can get gumbo here. Lulu's in Gulf Shores, AL makes some great gumbo using the secret Buffett family receipe (as in Jimmy Buffett, Lucille Buffett's songwriter brother)

DAMN! i thought you had insight for me. But on the flip side, i have had the gumbo from there. AWSOME! Get me a bed, and a got some Gumbo for ya!

 

[keanoknick]

I believe the frames on the 02 F450 were different that the 250 and 350, and that is why a regular bed wont fit, but I'm not for certain. Good Luck!

 

[big_rooster]

i thought it was because the cab and chassis was made for a 10 foot bed. 1500 doesn't seem to bad for a brand new bed IMO.

 

[HostileWes]

I believe the frames on the 02 F450 were different that the 250 and 350, and that is why a regular bed wont fit, but I'm not for certain. Good Luck!

i have understood that you are correct but only the chassie cabs.

 

[HostileWes]

i thought it was because the cab and chassis was made for a 10 foot bed. 1500 doesn't seem to bad for a brand new bed IMO.

So i found one company building beds and they said it to be a 9ft bed. but everyone else says its a 10ft bed. Im about ready to go get a dually bed and just stretch it to what ever looks right.

 

[ponyexpress94]

I'm pretty sure starting in 99 the 450's, 550's and all Chassis cab 350's had flat frame rails from the back of the cab back to the end of the frame unlike pickups which have a "kick up" over the axle on their frames. Additionally, your truck has a chassis cab industry standard 60" CA (Cab to Axle Centerline) measurement where as pickups have a 56" CA distance. This is why aftermarket flatbeds are typically 9 ft long because the frames are slightly longer. Furthermore chassis cab frame rails are spaced 34" apart from outside of the frame rails. Pick up frames are 38".

To get a dually bed to fit will require several things.

To make up the difference in chassis length for the dually pickup bed you can track down a set of filler panels like most of the aftermarket upfitters use when putting a pickup box of 450/550 chassis. It is a fiberglass panel that matches the body lines of the truck and attaches at the frong of the bed on both sides and blends in fairly well. This will allow you to fit the bumper to the end of the frame. Several companies build the conversion trucks like this. The only one I can think of right now is Manning Truck Equipment.

There is one company out there that takes a dually bed and actually shifts the dually fenders on the pickup box back 4 inches. This eliminates the need for the filler panels for a cleaner look, but it requires you to shorten the rear end of the frame by cutting it off to a length where the bumper will mate up properly for the right factory look. I have only seen this method in pictures and figured it out after studying pictures comparing the two methods. I like option 2 as it is a nicer finished appearance, but I do not know if you have to modify the bed sides when you shift the dually fenders back.

No matter which method you use you'll have to fabricate custom mounts to place the bed on the frame to achieve the proper height to match the bodylines from cab to bed.

Finally, where is your fuel tank located? If it is behind the axle you probably have to use the first method because the tank will prevent you from shortening the frame. If it is behind the axle you need to get all of the fuel filler door and filler neck pieces from a shortbed dually. On shortbed duallys the filler door had to be mounted in the front side of the dually fender. You have to use these pieces to mount your fuel door on the BACK side of the fender because that is where your fuel tank is located. That still leaves you with the factory fuel door at the front of the bed unused if you don't mind having a door to nowhere.

Then you have to figure out the wiring harness on your frame to match it with your pickup bed harness...

 

[HostileWes]

I'm pretty sure starting in 99 the 450's, 550's and all Chassis cab 350's had flat frame rails from the back of the cab back to the end of the frame unlike pickups which have a "kick up" over the axle on their frames. Additionally, your truck has a chassis cab industry standard 60" CA (Cab to Axle Centerline) measurement where as pickups have a 56" CA distance. This is why aftermarket flatbeds are typically 9 ft long because the frames are slightly longer. Furthermore chassis cab frame rails are spaced 34" apart from outside of the frame rails. Pick up frames are 38".

To get a dually bed to fit will require several things.

To make up the difference in chassis length for the dually pickup bed you can track down a set of filler panels like most of the aftermarket upfitters use when putting a pickup box of 450/550 chassis. It is a fiberglass panel that matches the body lines of the truck and attaches at the frong of the bed on both sides and blends in fairly well. This will allow you to fit the bumper to the end of the frame. Several companies build the conversion trucks like this. The only one I can think of right now is Manning Truck Equipment.

There is one company out there that takes a dually bed and actually shifts the dually fenders on the pickup box back 4 inches. This eliminates the need for the filler panels for a cleaner look, but it requires you to shorten the rear end of the frame by cutting it off to a length where the bumper will mate up properly for the right factory look. I have only seen this method in pictures and figured it out after studying pictures comparing the two methods. I like option 2 as it is a nicer finished appearance, but I do not know if you have to modify the bed sides when you shift the dually fenders back.

No matter which method you use you'll have to fabricate custom mounts to place the bed on the frame to achieve the proper height to match the bodylines from cab to bed.

Finally, where is your fuel tank located? If it is behind the axle you probably have to use the first method because the tank will prevent you from shortening the frame. If it is behind the axle you need to get all of the fuel filler door and filler neck pieces from a shortbed dually. On shortbed duallys the filler door had to be mounted in the front side of the dually fender. You have to use these pieces to mount your fuel door on the BACK side of the fender because that is where your fuel tank is located. That still leaves you with the factory fuel door at the front of the bed unused if you don't mind having a door to nowhere.

Then you have to figure out the wiring harness on your frame to match it with your pickup bed harness...

Talk about a wealth of knowledge. Thanks man. ill do a little reasearch and let you know what whay i choose. I know im not going to shorten the rails. i wanted the long ass dually bed to begin with. What is iuse a bed, **** it back to match the fenders, the stretch the bed in the front to make up the 4 in and also in the back instead o cutting the rails?

 

[ponyexpress94]

If you don't want to cut and shorten the chassis frame rails, then just set the truck bed over the frame and center the wheels in the existing dually fenders. Then you just need to decide how you will make up the difference between the back of the cab and the front of the bed. You should have roughly a 4 inch gap to make up for. Good luck.