My 79 to 75 bed conversion

[coldtaco]

Hi all. Someone requested that I do a separate thread on my bed conversion--79 bed to a 75 bed.

 

[coldtaco]

So, X marks the spot, so to say. The 79 is 92 1/4 long along the top of bed. The 75 is 88 1/4 long. Had to also shorten the front bed mounts by 4in.

 

[coldtaco]

The 19 1/4in is where the front cross member needs to be when measured from the cross member in front of the wheel well.

 

[coldtaco]

Cutting begins. I used a spot weld cutting tool to remove the spot welds in the floor.

 

[coldtaco]

I had to weld back this piece, one on each side. This piece has a blind nut that one probably wants to keep, at least I did.

 

[coldtaco]

I used the floor piece I cut out as a template for drilling new spot weld holes for in the bed. Then used the cut out side pieces as backing plates to weld the front piece back to the rest of the bed.

 

[coldtaco]

Oops, here are the pics.

 

[coldtaco]

One more pic

 

[coldtaco]

Let the welding begin.

 

[coldtaco]

Wanted to move the spare tire mount so had to weld new nuts. These braces on the front piece of the bed are NOT spaces evenly :-( You can see where I welded the new nuts by the dark spots towards the left when looking at the pic looking at the outside of the front cross piece. In the other pic you can see the spot where the original spare tire mount was located.

 

[coldtaco]

Clean up of all the extras that came with the bed

 

[coldtaco]

If I was to do this again I would cut the bed sides somewhere along where I run the blue tape. I would probably also shorten it to 88in instead of the 88 1/4in just to be sure there was enough room between the bed and cab. Now just waiting for the painter to have time.

 

[coldtaco]

Final pics.

 

[coldtaco]

Last pics

 

[RhinoRig]

View attachment 1463381[/QUOTE]
Ah, the mysterious access holes...

 

[coldtaco]

Here is a better picture of where I took the 19 1/4 measurements from. This is looking from the front floor cross member to the front cross member in the wheel wells, look for the blue tape in the shade.

 

[simonliew]

instead if cutting the box,i just move the rear axle back on my hzj75.

 

[coldtaco]

instead if cutting the box,i just move the rear axle back on my hzj75.

did you move the spring hangers or just move the axle further back somehow?

 

[coldtaco]

instead if cutting the box,i just move the rear axle back on my hzj75.

I just thought a bit more about what you said. That would not work because the extra 4in. was put on the front of the bed. To use a 79 bed on a 75 without cutting the bed you would need to cut and move the bed mounts back about 4in. and then also move rear axle back to fit. Or am I wrong?

 

[2fpower]

Finally found this thread... I don’t understand your comment about the 19 1/4 block.