99 F150 spr cab 6.5' box.

I have a creased dent on my drivers side bed, just in front of the wheel well. Have a chance to pick up a new bed skin for that side for $100 and could probably have it painted for a few hundred more. Wondering how hard of a job it is. It is just the skin. Most people seem to recommend removing the whole bed of the truck (which I dont have room for at the moment) to access the front pieces. I'm completely unfamiliar with the process if anyone can shed some light on the subject. Otherwise, body shop wants 1200 to replace and paint. Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

Yea, you have to weld those in, - carefully. If you have a spot welder, -it's allot easier. If you Mig, it's a little more difficult. That's a GREAT deal on a bed side tho, - I wish I could find such a deal.

Keep in mind, - locating a complete bed in great shape and in your color ranges from 800- $1200. The easy way -

http://car-part.com/

 

Thanks.

Yah, don't have a spot welder, just mig. Still thinking about it. Found some decent color matched beds on that site for around 750+. Hate to lose my nice thick heavy duty spray in liner though. I might still attempt the skin myself... If it goes wrong, I'm only out $100 bucks and can still be recovered by a professional if needed. In the process of moving soon which may and should offer more garage/shop space. Can pull the bed and do the work. While the beds off drop a new pump in and get some things cleaned up. Might be a ways out but its the only dent in my whole truck... Every time I walk outside its staring at me.

 

A few tricks with the Mig and panels, - no more than 1/2" at a time and use a sponge to cool down. Panels warp REAL EASY.

If your filling for some reason (lol),use a copper backer plate and work out of the hole.

That's just in case you haven't done it before. Harbor Freight has spot welders pretty cheap.

Don't forget Self Etching Primer or Pore15.

Good Luck

 

If you decide to do it- Drill 1/4 inch holes where the factory welds were on the new skin around the tail lamp pocket, inside the tailgate jamb, and on the front edge of the bed and weld it there. On the wheel lip and the length of the inside of the box go with the 3M panel bonding adhesive. no weld. Yeah it's like 35 bucks a tube but it's actually stronger than welding and the corrosion resistance is so much better. One tube will do it. most places will rent you the gun.

 

Oh and plan on buying new bed bolts and u-clips either way you decide to go. They aren't coming out. ever. When you get the new ford u-clips you'll notice that there aren't any threads in them. They are designed for new bolts to beat their own threads into them on the way in. That's why you aren't getting them out. Kinda like a factory cross threaded nut. Stock up on 55 torx sockets. you're gonna break some. Cut the heads off the old ones inside the bed with a wizzy wheel then lift the bed off.

 

Yea that 3M is some real good stuff, but I've never seen the good stuff priced that cheap. It does work tho.

 

It's priced that cheap when i buy it through work. I'm not sure what it is if you walk in off the street and buy it. The crappy plastic gun is $250!

 

Im assuming you have the fleet side bed. That is a weld on, and it can be done on your own.
First off... there is NO NEED to remove the bed physically. It does have to be completely unbolted tho and usually the bolts come out and go in fairly decently. Not super easy and if the bed is severly WORN it will be a PITA.
Once the bolts are off you can lift the bed and slide a 4X4 or similar spacer in between the frame and bed rails. All the spot welds have to be cut or ground loose. There is a special bit, you first drill a 1/8 (or similar) pilot hole then the special bit goes on the drill and grounds out the spot weld. it is then easy to separate the bed side from the inner bed the tail light fillers, the front bulkhead and the lower points.... All in all its not bad, about a 2 hour job for a pro 4 hour for someone who knows and about half a day or more or so for a knowlegeable DIYer with the right tools. thats for removal. Install is just clamping in place and welding. It has to line up pretty precisely and should generally be painted after welding/grinding in place.


IMO i know how to do it, have the tools available to me and i would still pay someone to do it lol. How bad is the crease? would it be easier to just bodywork it smooth? how bout some pics.

 

Doesn't sound to bad, but the weathers turning toward winter and no garage space atm.
I'm just one of those people that likes to take things on themselves. I had the chance to let a shop do my motor swap for $500 which is cheap, but opted to do it myself. And don't regret it one bit because I know it got done right. But body work is a bit different. Something I don't haven't much time with. A bit new to me. I'm more familiar with bondo than I am with paneling.

As far as how bad it is, I'm not even sure as to what caused it because it was there when I bought the truck. Which, being black and at night when I drove 120 miles to get it, I didn't even notice it until I got home (was in a hurry and it was cheap). It starts up high above the fender well, maybe 2 inches from the bed rail and comes down through the trim and makes a U shape heading toward the gas cap. Overall about 2 feet long. So there are a few body lines there that might be concerns for bondo, or at least make it a bit more difficult. Up top coming down bove the wheel well trim, Id say about 3/8" deep with not much of a crease and no chipped paint. But as it comes down and turns vertically is where it creases, that part being about 1/2" pushed in at the crease. And believe it or not, is still hard to see. People who have been around it and don't notice it till months later asking "what did you do to your truck" Lol, and don't believe me when I tell them its been there the whole time. It could probably be filled and painted, but when I found the skin for $100, just seemed worth looking into, and still is. I'll get some pics when the rain stops. Thanks

 

Once you start doing your body work, - your realize why it cost so much to have someone else do it.

About 1/2 way thru fixing the first spot , you get a second thought, - those guys don't make enough money... This SUCKS!

Have fun, - I'm on my fourth spot, -I better not post what I'm thinking now. #$$$%5^%%%&@$ #$ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I'm with jbrew! I don't make enough money! Ahhh... It's like almost being appreciated. I've often said that doing body and paint would be a cool hobby, but doing it for a living sucks. If you can't tell I just got home from work.

 

I think you need incredible patience to learn and actually be halfway fast at it. Time plays a significant roll I expect lol. Hats off, - it takes talent and skill for sure.

What would make it easier for me, is knowing what to use. The BEST (or close to it) Mig/Flux core,- when welding in is the only option. I know basic welding, but have about the cheapest Flux Core you can probably find. I have some welding to do and it's only about 1/2" above the body line (which sucks). I've done this for the rear lower bed bed panels and it's turned out alright, but it wasn't easy. I can only run a 1/2" bead at a time, and stop because the panel heats up so quick. I'm on the lowest possible setting for the welder using regular 35 wire. Is there a better welder or accessory I can purchase for making the job much easier ? How do you suggest going about this , if welding was the only option ?

 

It's really hard to get a decent weld with flux core. What mig do you have? Is it able to accept a gas bottle and dump the flux core? The best combo is .023 wire with 75/25 argon/co2 gas. (sometimes called 'stargon' gas) I've also run with straight co2 like a keg bottle. It works ok. The trick is as you said to do half inch sections at a time and move around to different areas of the panel so as not to centralize the heat and cause a big bird bath in your panel.

 

Yea, I can't incorporate gas with this one unfortunately. This is the one I have, - I only paid $25 for it on Ebay, - still in the box lol.

http://www.harborfreight.com/90-amp-...der-98871.html

Their not built that well, but, I have upgraded some hardware. I replaced the cheap ground clamp for a Lincoln Electric ground clamp, added a dual fan set up, also a Hobart steel gun liner instead of the plastic original, plus, a knurled drive roller bearing (you would think they all have this, -nope; - not this one lol).

Anyway, that helped, but I need gas for mild steel, can't get around it.

I'll purchase a better Mig then. This is the one, I'm thinking about -

http://weldingsupplyusa.com/index.ph...emart&Itemid=1

Yea, it has the gas set-up. Either this Lincoln or a Miller. I don't think I can do better. I can run .023 with it.

What do you think ? What am I looking at as far as gas, - just hit a welding supply for a bottle? What's that , about 100 bucks since I don't have one yet?

Thanks for the info.