[TheForge] sheet metal repairs

[jerry Frost]

You're right Bruce and it's not something someone with serious mobility
issues is going to do himself nor cheaply. Not and have something reliable.
Just the lift is going to be several thousand dollars for a good one.
Provided it MUST be installed in the front driver's side of the bed. That
just escapes me who wants to stand on the shoulder in traffic to unload a
scooter?

There is a jib boom type that runs as low is $750 for the low end, powered
seems to start around $1,000 and up.

There are scooter/chair lifts that connect to a trailer hitch receiver and
are powered from the socket. 

The big problem is hanging several thousand dollars worth of important gear
from a rust bucket in the first place. The fab shops that build specialty
beds up here won't put a bed or repair one on a rust bucket, there's too
much liability. 

In a year or so prices on used vehicles will come down, production of new
vehicles is beginning to pick back up. Then there's keeping an eye open for
a good deal to turn up, you see some pretty good ones even here. It just
takes patience and a realistic list of expectations.

Frosty

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bruce
Sent: Sunday, October 3, 2021 2:21 PM
To: terry l. ridder; Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] sheet metal repairs

Terry,
I"m way out of my depth here, but I recall being surprised, a decade or so
ago, to learn that independent shops are often the fabricators of box trucks
for special applications.
What I'm wondering is whether it might make sense to remove the bed and
replace it with a completely new fabrication, made by such a shop.
Alternatively, I know of a shop (in NJ) that modifies vans with wheelchair
lifts, etc., and presume such shops exist elsewhere as well.
Bruce
NJ


On Sat, Oct 2, 2021 at 2:18 PM terry l. ridder <terrylr at blauedonau.com>
wrote:

> hello
>
> the ford f-150 pickup bed needs to be either replacements with a 
> salvaged one that is in better shape or have the rust cut out and new 
> sheet metal welded in.
>
> The VA has decided that i need a mobilty scooter to allow me to be 
> independant. This requires that a mobility lift be installed in the 
> driver side forward corner of the bed. the probelm is that the bed is 
> rusted and i have doubts that the bed would safely support the lift.
>
> used truck prices are greatly inflated. I am not going to spend tens 
> of thousands of USD, so that I can transport a $3,000.00 USD mobility
scooter.
> There is stupid and then there is really stupid.
>
> i think it would be easier to repair the bed if it was removed from 
> the truck. there  are six bolts which hold the bed on. must boddy 
> shops just cut the head off the bolts and use new bolts. The bolts are 
> secured using thermal lock tight. the bolts have to be heated to 
> several hundred degrees in order to be removed.
>
> has anyone repaired the rusted bed of a pickup? what are the things to 
> look out for?
>
> There are body panels available for the pickup truck. some people butt 
> weld these  in place to the original body metal which has been cut away.
> some people weld the body panels over the original sheet metal. I 
> would cut out the rusted metal and use the replacement body panels 
> either slightly overlapped or just butt weld.
>
> several people have used salvaged beds for the replacement sheet metal.
> mostly for the wheel well curved pieces.
>
> I am looking for suggestions and guidance before jumping into this 
> project.
>
> some links
> www.pickuptrucksalvage.com
>
>
>
>
> --
> terry l. ridder ><>
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