My bed is rusted out (need options)

[coolioni]

What would you guys suggest to do if the bed you had on a 720 was pretty rusted.

It has the usual rust lines going down the side, and the inside of the bed has some rust through spots that I could probally push right through.

Can it be fixed by a body shop and repained, or are their other options ?

[izzo]

ya it can be fixed if you have the dough,

 

you could make your own flat bed, or keep your eyes peeled for another 720 bed

[datzenmike]

Make a wooden flat bed for it. Cedar or pressure treated lumber and some carriage bolts. Looks good, doesn't show the sctatches, light, paintable, won't rust out again, easily built and repaired with carpenters tools... no body work experience needed.

[Hyphy]

If its only the bed floor that has issues, check with local body shops and junkyards for junked or scrap beds that still have the floor. An old toyota one may do you just fine. Know how wide and long youll need and cut the floor from donor and swap to your truck. This will take some welding and youll likely need to re-seam seal the bed. If you're are lucky enough to find a good replacement, swap it over and paint match it.. or frankenstein it.

 

Replaceing a bed floor isnt very dificult at all if you leave the floor supports, have a welder and a plasma cutter. Cut off wheels or sawzalls can work fine for smaller sections.

[72240z]

My bed is pretty shot too, for now I have 3/4 ply cut to size for the floor to distribute load weight and I use a ratchet strap or 2 to keep the side walls steady when the bed it full up.

 

I think flat beds esp wood ones done right can make a truck classy but for the d21 and imo 720's I don't think it works well. So with that opinion I have just been holding out for a better bed. It's def a wait though, I will prob end up with a pathy before I find one.

 

They can be repaired but honestly I never even considered it an option. Yours sounds very similar to mine. For the work it would take? To hell with that.

[Hyphy]

If you keep your eyes open, you can find beds rather cheap if not free. I found a donor bed for my 521 at a swap meet. And it wasnt even part of the swap meet. It was just sittin with other crapped beds in the corner from the nearby body shop. They wanted it gone, so i snatched it. If you wanna restore/replace ur bed, itll take some work. And if you do it right, it should last you another 20 yrs.