Dropside bed?

[Banshee365]

Hey guy's. The guy I'm buying my deuce from offered if I help him swap beds we'll put a dropside bed on my truck which has a straight side now. My bed is in great shape with very minor rust and very straight. The dropside bed is a great feature I would use but it has a bit of surface rust on the front of the tailgate but is also pretty straight and rust free. It also has the pockets for the bows and everything which is nice. I 'll obviously get to keep my mud flaps, tool rack, and such. The question I have is do yall think it's worth it? It does need 2 of those handles with the threaded rod that clamps the sides shut on the back but I might be able to find some in his yard. Are drop side bed parts hard to come by? The sides drop great and the hinges are in pretty good condition. What do yall think, is it worth it? I'd need to sand blast and at least prime the tailgate soon to stop the rust.

-Kelly

 

[emmado22]

will you honestly be USING the drop side feature? Yes it is cool to have the drop side, but worth all that effort?? I dunno....

 

[mcinfantry]

i have pulled my straightside to swap for a dropsde, only to find it was a 5 ton dropside. put my straightside on and used it like that a year. i bought a dropside 150 miles away, pulled my bed off and drove w/o a bed to go get it.

i have used mine so much, i cannot see how i functioned witout it

 

[clinto]

Even if you don't use it, it can be a popular item, thus making resale at a future point potentially easier and/or more profitable.

I know we all think we'll never part with our toys, but sometimes the unexpected occurs....

 

[jh1990]

if it was me, i would switch the beds, but that's just my

 

[ken]

You'll need to reuse the metal parts of the mud flaps for the dropside. The holes are in a different place. They sit a little wider. They also have stops on them to keep the sides from touching the tires. So you can drive with the sides down. It's the only way to go. I can go to the lumber yard and they can load it from the side with a forklift now. And it's much easier when i getting fire wood. I don't have to go all the way to the back to throw the wood in. If you have a M105 in tow It's a lot easier to load and unload also. Go for it! you'll love it.

 

[Banshee365]

Thanks for all the replies guy's. I'm pulling my bed off tomorrow and probably pulling some of the N/A exhaust off to get ready for the turbo and new exhaust. How is the parts availability for the dropside bed? i'll probably buy a few bags of blasting sand and some green primer and blast and prime the front of the tailgate and a few other spots to stop what rust there is before I leave his property. Should be a nice truck buy the time it leaves his lot considering everything goes well. So to mount the mud flaps I'll need to drop the sides, hold the flap assembly up and drill the new holes? or will they just mount in a different location? Thanks again guys!

-Kelly

 

[ken]

Kelly, The dropside metal mudflaps have a larger relief angles. And Small rubber tabs that the sides rest on when they are down.

 

[Banshee365]

Hey Ken. So do you think fixed side flaps won't work on the drop side? Maybe he has the flaps on the other truck with the rusted out bed, we'll see. Thanks guys!

-Kelly

 

[Armada]

I've got both types of mudflaps here, and it looks like you can easily trim the square flaps back to work on the dropside.

Also, anybody have a set, or a source for the 2 stabalizer bars that are used on the rear sides, inside of the dropside box? It sturdies the sides up when the tailgate is down.

 

[emmado22]

Im looking for the dropside bed Pinoneer tool bracket MOUNTS.. I have the bracket itself, I need the parts that attach it to the truck bed.

 

[ken]

Yep you could trin the others to fit and redrill the holes. I figured if the others where avalible then get them.
Emmando, Do you need the brackets that go to the front of the bed or to the mudflap?
I have a spare set if you need them.

 

[emmado22]

will keep you advised.

 

[emmado22]

Ken,

What Im looking for the the brackets that hold the pioneer kit to the drop side bed. If thats what you have, let me know the cost and shipping.

Thanks!

Mark

 

[Towman2277]

I would rather have the dropside....easy side loading, and better re-sale for a potential buyer, just my opinion.