advice sought on purchase of a bed for my M54

[steelcaptain]

Sorry for the newb type question but I have an option to buy an almost mint 14' bed for my M54 from an M923 with full canvas for $500 however I have to spend $700 to have it shipped from Montana or I can buy a M809 series bed with dropsides locally but without canvas and not in as good of condition for about $900. Which would be preferable to you other 5ton owners here? I assume both are going to fit my truck without any mods?


bed in MT

thanks in advance for helping a guy still climbing the steep learning curve.

 

[73m819]

It Would do the drop side, it will be more versatile

 

[Castle Bravo]

While I think the bed itself is probably 99% the same, where the mounting brackets and sling load guide bracket are is going to be different on each bed.

 

[steelcaptain]

I am still waiting to get photos of the dropside bed and when they arrive, I'll post them here. Hard to compare the two without photos of each

 

[bigboy44]

I think a bed in good condition and with canvas and troop seats for $1200.00 is a good buy! I would go for it!

 

[steelcaptain]

I think a bed in good condition and with canvas and troop seats for $1200.00 is a good buy! I would go for it!

that's also true as well hence my dilemma and why I posted this question here...it's a tough decision to make

 

[firefox]

I would go with the dropside, but that's just me.
Bruce

 

[steelcaptain]

I got the pics of the dropside bed that is close to me...it is definitely not close to the same condition as the one in Montana. Right now he wants $1000 for this bed here and the one in Montana would be $1200 delivered to WA State. I think I am going with the Montana one.



btw, as one can see the guy has a ton of parts for both deuces & 5 ton trucks...he's in Bellingham, WA but I just discovered his Craigslist post is now deleted.

 

[Recovry4x4]

If I may, I would like to point out that they are both dropsides. For an additional $300 it would be a no brainer for me, get the nice one with a cover.

 

[steelcaptain]

by jove you're correct Godfrey! Thanks for seeing that and pointing that fact out. The seller didn't advertise it as a dropside and I simply assumed that is wasn't.

The decision is now most easy!



I also think I'll mention that I plan to have the new bed for my rig set up to be a dump. I already have the hydraulics for the plow so think it will be just add another spool valve and lines to the cylinders. Any thoughts as to what bore and stroke would be best? I already own one cylinder that has a 4" bore and 42" stroke (the orange one in the foreground) but that won't give me a very high tilt plus I still would need to find another. Regardless the pump isn't very high volume so the dump will be very slow.

btw, anyone need any short stroke but big bore cylinders in the Pacific NW...I am your go to guy!

 

[firefox]

Will the drop sides hold up to using it as a dump truck?

 

[steelcaptain]

I'm only thinking of using it for firewood and perhaps soil or gravel...no boulders or rock