Interchangeable truck beds?

[KoahNellee]

I just bought and 83 ranger and I'm wondering what, if any, beds I can interchange with. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

83-92 all interchange.

Just gotta find the right length.

 

[RonD]

There were only 2 beds from 1983 to 1992, 6ft and a long bed 7ft all were fleetside

Regular and extended cab used the same 6ft bed

Regular cab could come with 7ft bed, axle was 6" farther back on long bed frame so you can't put a 7ft bed on a regular or extended cab without major work

Flareside(stepside) beds were first used in 1993 and up Rangers

 

[adsm08]

If you don't care about mismatched body lines and maybe reworking some tail lights you could really use any Ranger bed of the correct length.

I have also seen early Rangers with S-10 and Toyota T-100 beds on them.

 

[Ranger850]

If you don't care about mismatched body lines and maybe reworking some tail lights you could really use any Ranger bed of the correct length.

I have also seen early Rangers with S-10 and Toyota T-100 beds on them.

I personally like it when I see a Gen 1 or 2 with the Splash/Stepside beds. There is a yellow one running around and the bodylines being off isn't that noticeable.

 

[adsm08]

I personally like it when I see a Gen 1 or 2 with the Splash/Stepside beds. There is a yellow one running around and the bodylines being off isn't that noticeable.

It probably would be a lot less noticeable on a step side than a fleet side.

 

[Nez'sRanger]

If you don't care about mismatched body lines and maybe reworking some tail lights you could really use any Ranger bed of the correct length.

I have also seen early Rangers with S-10 and Toyota T-100 beds on them.

Sorry to bump/hijack an old post, but I've been wondering if the bolt patterns are identical between the different generations of rangers. I would love to put a utility bed on my 89, but 1 & 2 gens with utility beds are few and far between, at least that's what I've found... I have found several 3rd and 4ths with them. Would that be a relatively simple swap?

 

[RonD]

Sorry to bump/hijack an old post, but I've been wondering if the bolt patterns are identical between the different generations of rangers. I would love to put a utility bed on my 89, but 1 & 2 gens with utility beds are few and far between, at least that's what I've found... I have found several 3rd and 4ths with them. Would that be a relatively simple swap?

Yes, I as far as I know 1983 to 2011 frames are the same as far as bed mounting and the holes, on the 6ft beds of course, 7ft are different
Beds were wider from 1993 and up, but not the frame rails

 

[fastpakr]

At some point late in Ranger production I think there was an extra set of bed bolts added, but all the existing ones still line up.

 

[adsm08]

Sorry to bump/hijack an old post, but I've been wondering if the bolt patterns are identical between the different generations of rangers. I would love to put a utility bed on my 89, but 1 & 2 gens with utility beds are few and far between, at least that's what I've found... I have found several 3rd and 4ths with them. Would that be a relatively simple swap?

Should work.

At some point late in Ranger production I think there was an extra set of bed bolts added, but all the existing ones still line up.

This is all I know of. Some time during Gen4 they went from 6 bed bolts to 8, but as stated, the original six holes are still in the same spots.

 

[racsan]

theres a toyota here in town with a ranger bed, really confused me the first time I saw it. I suppose they went to “8 bolt beds” to give more structure to the frame, 6 is plenty, hell 4 should be enough on a shortbed.

 

[scotts90ranger]

This is all I know of. Some time during Gen4 they went from 6 bed bolts to 8, but as stated, the original six holes are still in the same spots.

That's kinda funny... if I'm remembering right the 7' beds used to have 8 bolts but then they took out two at one point but then they went back to 8? Not that I've ever owned a 7' bed Ranger but over the last 19.5 years I've been on the forums I've read some things... I've also heard the inner bed was the same for all Rangers just the little changes like number of bolts and at one point they added the tiedowns.

Just to add to this, I've seen a Ranger that was a long bed frame with a short bed on it, looked kinda goofy with 6" between the bed and cab, I think they lobbed off the back of the frame but it was driving so I don't remember exactly.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I remember back in the late 90s there used to be a truck that ran around town with a late 70s dodge cab, an early 80s chevy front clip, and an late 80s ford 8ftbox.

I admired the guys dedication. Never got a chance to talk to him but i would guess it originally started life as a dodge.

 

[adsm08]

I used to regularly drive past an S-10 with a Ranger bed on it.

I would refer to it as a StRanger.

 

[19Walt93]

I have a 7' box 93 Ranger that uses 6 bed bolts, though the frame has holes for 8. My 8' box F150 had 6 bed bolts. Only 6 bolts hold the cab to the frame.
If it has straight steel side panels it's a styleside and if it has fiberglass fenders that bulge out it's a flareside, fleetside and step side are GM truck bodies.
If there's extra space behind the seat it's a Supercab, Ford never made extended cabs.
That black car with gold stripes in my garage is a Mustang and it has an aggressive Auburn Pro in the rear end, not a posi. The posi rear end is what the GM guys with some power replace with a Ford rear end after it breaks.
Let's call stuff what it is.