Need some opinions on bed alignment.

Leeroy · Post by **Leeroy** » August 13, 2010, 3:52 am

Had the bed aligned on the chassis today, but I'm not sure it's correct.
It appears to line up well at the front, but to me, I think it needs to come closer toward the cab and it looks like it's sitting too high at the back. Meaning it slopes upward at the rear.

Trouble is, where it sits on the rails appears to be correct. If I push the bed any closer to the cab, the angle of the bed at the back gets higher (worse.)

Are the rails between 61-64 all the same? MIne is a 62 and it's never had a styleside bed on it before and to add to the fun, I've had to grind off the 'brackets' that held on the old steel tray so I'm not 100% which holes in the rails were for the styleside bed and which were drilled for the tray.

Comparing to a few others pics, some beds look dead straight along the body line, a few others look like the bend upwards.

Any opinions?

matt2491 · Post by **matt2491** » August 13, 2010, 5:24 am

Maybe raise the back of the cab to match? One way to check the alignment is by looking down that body line. From the pics it does look a bit tweaked.

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » August 13, 2010, 10:16 am

there are blocks of hardwood in the bed crosspieces that set the level. if they are missing or put in the wrong spots it will affect the level.

semotrucker · Post by **semotrucker** » August 13, 2010, 2:09 pm

I was always under the impression that the 61-63 short and long wb frames were different than the 64-66 by a couple inches on both. I know the obvious such as straight axle trucks vs the later Twin I's...what I am speaking to is frame/wheelbase length. I didnt think the later 64-66 bed would fit right on the 63 and earlier frames w/o modifications. Someone will be along shortly to correct me or explain it better.

Cam

olliesshop · Post by **olliesshop** » August 13, 2010, 2:29 pm

ICEMAN6166 wrote:there are blocks of hardwood in the bed crosspieces that set the level. if they are missing or put in the wrong spots it will affect the level.

Thanks for answering that question for me too. I was pretty sure those hardwood blocks were put in during production, but wasn't sure. That's one of the reasons I didn't want to pull the whole bed/cab off my '61 Uni, since I was thinking I would never get the bed aligned again.

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » August 13, 2010, 2:46 pm

semotrucker wrote:I was always under the impression that the 61-63 short and long wb frames were different than the 64-66 by a couple inches on both. I know the obvious such as straight axle trucks vs the later Twin I's...what I am speaking to is frame/wheelbase length. I didnt think the later 64-66 bed would fit right on the 63 and earlier frames w/o modifications. Someone will be along shortly to correct me or explain it better.

Cam

i did not think there was a length difference in the short wheelbase but the long are different
61-63 is 122" (2wd)
64 is 128"
65/66 is 129"

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » August 13, 2010, 2:47 pm

olliesshop wrote:
ICEMAN6166 wrote:there are blocks of hardwood in the bed crosspieces that set the level. if they are missing or put in the wrong spots it will affect the level.
Thanks for answering that question for me too. I was pretty sure those hardwood blocks were put in during production, but wasn't sure. That's one of the reasons I didn't want to pull the whole bed/cab off my '61 Uni, since I was thinking I would never get the bed aligned again.

the wood pieces are held in with screws, unless they are totally rotted away they will stay in place.

HiBoy63 · Post by **HiBoy63** » August 13, 2010, 3:35 pm

I agree with iceman hardwood blocks are there for alignment I found them when I removed my bed. I also have shop manual for 61-63 Ford trucks F100 and Up. If you need frame specs let me know and will post them for you.

Leeroy · Post by **Leeroy** » August 13, 2010, 9:34 pm

Thanks for the replies guys, I have some 1/4" timber blocks between the bed and the rail, but the cab has a similar sized spacer as well (Previous owner) So I figured the body line would be matched.

I had this 64 truck in a collection of slick pics, It too seems to slant up at the back, mine doesn't seem to be as bad noticeable as this one although I think the bed is closer to the cab than mine is.

Can anyone tell me if the wood pieces are the same thickness front and rear, or is the rear spacer thinner?

Where's Alan when I need him! I know he added a styleside to lenore!

Michelle · Post by **Michelle** » August 13, 2010, 10:41 pm

When I bought my truck the bed was too close to the cab and it would hit the back of the cab when you drove across even the slightest uneven ground. When I put the truck back to gether it was still too close and I had the bed slid as far rearward as possible. I corrected the situation by moving the cab forward. You may have to do the same thing.

ezernut9mm · Post by **ezernut9mm** » August 13, 2010, 10:50 pm

i don't recall any block between the bed and frame. there were crush blocks inside the bed cross frame pieces, but nothing between them and the frame. at least there were none there when i took my bed off.

TxSlick66 · Post by **TxSlick66** » August 15, 2010, 3:50 pm

How do you check to see if the frame is sagging? That would sure cause that. Usually only see it on 88&newer Chevy trucks, though.

Leeroy · Post by **Leeroy** » August 29, 2010, 10:46 pm

After a bit of poking around, it doesn't look like it will be too hard to correct. Some thinner material on the back brace of the bed should lower it a little and if I need to I can raise the rear cab mount spacer to raise the rear bodyline.

Does anybody know how thick the factory hardwood blocks or crush blocks were? I wouldn;t mind having a known value and can then adjust everything properly from there. The spacers I have in the cab aren't original.