How to Remove the Pickup Bed From a Ford F-350
by Russell Wood
The F-350 is the largest commercial-grade pickup in the Ford truck lineup, and it's designed to carry heavy loads both in the bed and behind it on a trailer. Not everyone is a fan of a traditional bed, however, particularly with the dual-style trucks, and they want a commercial bed or a utility box on the back instead. If you need to take off the bed on your F-350, the biggest hurdle is the weight; other than that, it's not very difficult.
Step 1
Open the gas door on the driver's side of the bed and unbolt the gas filler neck from the side of the bed using a torx-head screwdriver. Crawl underneath the bed and pull the filler neck down from the bed side and toward the ground, flexing the rubber line in the process. If you have a gas door on the passenger side as well, repeat the process.
Step 2
Open the tailgate and unbolt the taillights using a Phillips-head screwdriver. Pull out the lens and unplug the wiring from the light using a free hand, then place the lenses out of the way. Crawl underneath the bed and pull any wiring out from the taillights down to the ground so that its out of the way. Make sure there are not clips or ties connecting the wiring to the bed.
Step 3
Unbolt the bed from the frame using the 1/2-inch ratchet, extension and socket. There are eight bolts on the long-bed F-350 trucks, all of them mounted along the sides of the frame or inside it.
Step 4
Set the assistants around the perimeter of the bed, spacing them evenly. Do not allow anyone to lift the bed by the fenders, as the dual fenders on these trucks are made of fiberglass and can break if used for lifting. Lift the bed up vertically, then walk the bed away from the truck, along the length, so that no one is walking over the frame.
Step 5
Set the truck bed down carefully in a safe place where it won't get damaged.
Things You'll Need
- Torx-head screwdriver set
- Phillips-head screwdriver
- 1/2-inch ratchet, extension and socket
- Two to four assistants
Writer Bio
Russell Wood is a writer and photographer who attended Arizona State University. He has been building custom cars and trucks since 1994, including several cover vehicles. In 2000 Wood started a career as a writer, and since then he has dedicated his business to writing and photographing cars and trucks, as well as helping people learn more about how vehicles work.
