has anybody cut off the lower bed half? i have an 85 truck with the japanese bed, and was in an accidnet not too long ago, the lower part of the bed cracked off at the seam, and i am planning on just cutting off everything under the tailights... hoever, i want to keep a working tailgate... i notice the tailgate mounts to the bed floor, and the basic structural H shape of the rear will not be as strong with the lower sides removed... how can i keep my gate functioning and still reinforce the area? i have a welder :fireman:

 

from this:



to this (photochop) essentially:

 

Check this out.
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f88/gave-my-truck-trim-55948/
This guy just did it on his.

 

no writeup on that thread.. and the issue i am having isnt hacking it, its what to do to keep the tailgate functional.. the hinges are in a wierd orientation and i cant see a real way to reinforce them in that area.....

 

In some of the pics you can see where he left part of the rear on. I'm not sure if there is a seam there or what. I would PM him and ask.

 

the bed is differnt as well, but i dont think that part matters.... i know where to cut the bed in half thats not the problem, i am trying to figure out what the best way to reinforce the hinge area to still allow a working hinge

 

There is a roll pan below mine as long as you cut below the tailgate it should be ok.
You need you get under there and look though.

 

yeah i am removing the rollpan too, everything below the floor....

the mounts for the tailgate however are actually angled downward off the floor of the bed... how would/could this be reinforced?

 

how 'bout this...cut along green line, then if there's room put a piece of maybe 1" sq. box tube behind the hinge - and just weld it in...if no room for box use angle... use something with about a 1/8" thick wall.

 

the issue i am refering to isnt that i cant weld soemthing on there, its jsut that the part where the hinge is is not flat its cut at an angle to the bed floor... how can i deal with that angle?

 

Hmmmm. I think I see what you mean. Look at my new illustration. Does this side view show the angle @ the hinge like you're talking about? If so I think you could still weld in a piece of angle (in green) to help supprt the sheet metal.



Just an idea....what ever you do I think some weldin will be in order!

 

Any progress? I am taking mine over to my friends house today to finish cutting the metal patch and bob and finish it up hopefully. I'll probably drink some beer too

 

nope nothing yet... im waiting to hear back from the other insurance company in case they need to actually see it or something before i chop the bed off

 

Here's a guy's site his bed that has been bobbed and done like that:
http://4x4republic.com/southwestvood...vyflexpics.htm