how interchangeable are J10 beds?

[brent]

The right side of my bed hit a tree when I slid off a hill offroadin' yesterday. Just a dent on the right side, but I am restoring this beast.
I know where there's a '76 and '81 shortbeds. I'm weighing cost-of-bed vs. body work.
Thanks, Brent

[Elliott]

Short bed to short bed is all the same, only the front two bed mounts on the bed are spaced about 3.5" closer on the Kaiser trucks (and possibly throughout the early AMC rigs).
I just put a '66 on '77 frame.

[stanwood]

Is it a straight swap to put a short bed on a long bed J10?

[joe]

No. The wheelbases are also different on the short/long box trucks and the difference in the lengths of the boxes are in the section between the front of the box and the fender openings so the tire won't be in the middle of the wheel opening.

[Elliott]

Originally posted by stanwood:
Is it a straight swap to put a short bed on a long bed J10?All of the bed mounting points will (at least the ones I've worked on) be the same excepting the two aft holes on each side which are 12"s further back on the long bed.
I moved the spring hangers fwd 12"s, chopped 12"s out of the frame just behind the rear hanger (drilled one new mt hole on each side) and then welded the rear section back to the frame with a butt weld since at that location it'll be strong enough.
The frame cross member on the formerly LWB frame will now be centered over the axle and may require relocating fwd unless you're doing a substantial lift that will provide clearance for the pumkin on spring compression.
You will likely be modifying the driveshaft and rear e-brake lines to compensate. Shock mt will also need relocating.
Make sense?
http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/1963-1987-Pickups/Jtruckframeshortening1.jpg
http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/1963-1987-Pickups/Jtruckshortening2.jpg

[ July 27, 2003, 02:50 PM: Message edited by: Elliott ]

[brent]

How about a '65 Kaiser J3400 short on my 79? Saw one this am.-Brent

[joe]

A 65 J3000 has a wheelbase of 126" so if your 79 has the 126" wheelbase yes, if it has the 132" wheelbase no.
You'll still have some minor mounting point issues(see Elliots reply above) and possibly fuel fill pipe location issue but not sure on that.

[ColeTrickle]

Hey Elliott, nice truck ;)
Do you have any pic's of how you cut the bed on that one? I'm assuming you cut the bed or found a short box. Which was it?
Keep it up!

[Elliott]

Originally posted by ColeTrickle:
Hey Elliott, nice truck ;)
Do you have any pic's of how you cut the bed on that one? I'm assuming you cut the bed or found a short box. Which was it?
Keep it up!Thanks for the compliment... it's coming along slowly.
I started with a '66 short bed. I've seen a pic of a J10 box the guy claimed to have shortened 12" in front of the wheel wells. I did a body melt/meld like that on a '67 Triumph sports car once ('73 TR6 rear -'67 TR4A front), lapped the joint and brazed it. Would think you could gap weld it with a mig? Things to pay attention to before finding the place to make the cut would be:
1) where the location of the body mt points end up (although they are easily cut and relocated)
2) where the gas tank mt points end up
3) where your fuel filler opening ends up
4) maintaining correct spaceing of the stake pockets
5) if you have a bed mounted aux saddle tank it will no longer fit forward of the wheel well without being shortened also (and that should be done by someone familiar with welding, soldering gas tanks)

I've seen the rear bobbed also, but I am sure that would require you to go with shortbed (Chevy?) springs because the stock springs locate so far back on the frame. The '66 came with short springs and personally I want to retain the longer springs that I got on the '77 frame. Plus, my box is too darn clean to go cutting up.

[ July 29, 2003, 08:51 AM: Message edited by: Elliott ]