Schnit

Hey everyone, I just picked up a 86 4x4, it's in great shape EXCEPT the box is litterally falling apart.

I'm up in Minnesota so finding a rust free box is next to impossible, especially for a half decent price.

So, I was browsing car-parts.com and found a 4x2 box from Arizona in a wisconsin yard for a couple hundred bucks. I know the swap can be done, but I want to know how bad the lack of fender flare is going to look.

Thanks

- Tyson

Evil.Dingo

Welcome to the forum. I have experienced the same thing as you. Trying to find a bed for my 88. The deal with all these beds are that the trucks came over from Japan piggybacked w/o a bed on them. Ford was contracted to build the beds for Toyota (apparently the same year ford beds fit these trucks for that reason) and they used poor grade metal and seem folded the beds which is fine in CA but out here they rust faster you can say cheese.

Anyway trying to find one of these puppys is hard and they usually fetch top dollar out here. Try doing a search for "Bed Swap" "Box Swap" etc... and you should come up with some good posts. I used a '94 bed on '88 and it fits alright but the '88 just has great lines. Anway, keep in mind that even if you swap that 2wd bed on, you are going to need to clean it up underneath, undercoat it at all the vital seemed spots and stay on top of it otherewise it will rust out just like the original. That is one reason I am happy with my 94 swap. It will last longer than the 88 bed.

here is a link to my 94 swap

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...d-swap-190928/


As far as the fender flare difference, I believe somone on here has done that swap. Perhaps they can post some pics of it

Good luck!

Schnit

Thanks for the reply. How much work was involved in adapting your bed? Electrical? There's actually a few 6 and 7 foot beds of that model in my area for reasonable prices. HMMMMM

So the same year ranger beds fit the truck as well? As tempting as it sounds having a ford bed on a toyota truck just sounds all kinds of wrong LOL

Evil.Dingo

It was a straight forward swap. 6 of the eight bolts lined up perfectly, the two in the very rear of the bed are off by a half inch. You just have to ovalize the hole in the frame and then use a large washer. If you look real close you can see the bed is about 1/4 inch wider than the cab on each side. But for the money I couldn't complain. When you take your bed off, take advantage the oppurtunity and clean everything up real good.

One other thing is be sure to be real careful when taking off and replacing the bed. The fuel lines on the fuel bracket assembly and sending unit are crushable. LIFT THE BED STRAIGHT UP AND OFF. My fuel sending unit was rusted real bad, not leaking but waranted replacment. Tends to be trend with these beds. The rust from the bed will sit on the fuel pump bracket.

As long as the Toyota replacement bed is from a 89-95, it will fit. Electrical will plug and play. Easy Swap. The ford bed will not plug and play and the fuel fill is a little off and requires drilling. And .....its a Ford!


Good luck. If you want I can post some pics of the install later.

Evil.Dingo

Dont know haow far this is from you but here ya go.

http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/1366845841.html

86smiley

I just did this on my 86 Reg cab (long box). check out my photobucket site for more details. make sure to keep your old fuel filler rubber hose and adaptor. different length!!

http://s1004.photobucket.com/albums/af161/86smiley/

Evil.Dingo

Nice job Smiley!! Wish I had access to those Cali beds! I see you had to replace your fuel pump bracket assembly to. I got the bracket from Toyota and the Denso Fuel Pump. Man was mine rusted!

Schnit: If your going to replace your pump and bracket, make sure you order the gasket and the screws as well. My screws came out after pb blasting them for 2 days but were unusable afterwards.

Evil.Dingo

86 smiley: For some reason you avitar reminds of Jawas traveling in Star Wars! lol