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what type of tool for bed bolts


4x4junkie

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I told you it was a T50, I am a body tech by trade and probably take a ford bed off in average once every two weeks.

For those of you that said T55, you need to not give out advise unless you are positive of what you're talking about. All ford beds from the ranger up to the f350 are held in by T50s and have been for years.



Must not take the later ones off much I'm guessing?
 


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Must not take the later ones off much I'm guessing?
What year is that? I have never encountered a t55 from the 83 ranger all the way up to an 08.
 

4x4junkie

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Both the '94 and '98 sitting in my driveway use that bit (my buddy's '93 also, just had the bed off his a couple months ago)
 
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Loanranger

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Very interesting. In general, Most of the trucks that I repair at work are 2000 and newer.And all have been t50. The rangers I've had personally were 83, 86, 88, and 89. And all were t50. So they must have changed them through the 90s and back again.
 

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My 93 used t55 when I took its bed off. My 03 uses t55, I had its bed off a week and a half ago and my friends 2000 uses t55. wonder why some trucks are t50 and others are t55
 

Mark_88

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Probably something to do with where the vehicles were made...

Or, perhaps, they ran out of T55 or T50 at some point and couldn't get the part they wanted...happens quite often...sorta like running out of 3" deck screws and only finding 3½" at the store where you go...
 

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My bed was off a few months ago and it took a T55. It was from a 97 Supercab regular bed. Also they never snapped at all. Then again the lack of rust in the south probably had something to do with that.
 

4x4junkie

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T-50 really seems small to me for a bed bolt. The T-55 was already deflecting the bit close to the breaking point while fighting with the bolts and the Loctite Ford uses on them (yeah, I used heat too. Still a PITA). I'll have to pay attention to this next time I see an older Ranger, although I tend to believe they're all T-55s (a T-50 bit will fit in the T55 bolt, although quite sloppily).
 

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Ok, I checked it out at work today, and I will admit I was wrong about one thing. It seems as though the cutoff year between t50 and t55 was 93. 93 being the first year of the t55, with everything before being t50. This is on Rangers only. With the f150 up to f350, it is still a t50. Strange that they would do this, but it's true. The difference between a t50 and t55 is unmistakable, a t50 will fit into a t55 bolt, but will just ever so barely grab the edges, the first time you turn it, it will either take out the bolt or the bit. The t55 won't fit into a t50 bolt, no matter how big of a hammer you try to persuade it with.
This is a picture of a t50 in a 99 f350 bedbolt, ordered new from ford. These same bolts I used to replace the ones I cut on my dads 88 Ranger.


This is an 06 f150. T50


I also tested an 01 Ranger, but didn't get a pic cause my camera was full. It was indeed a t55.

If anyone can find a ranger between the 93 model year, and current, that is t50, please take a pic with bit in it, and post it up, I will do the same. I am curious to see if they changed back to t50 after 93.
 
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ejholmgren

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my '93 had T55 bed bolts
 

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my 93 super cab is a t 55 and when i did my body lift only one bolt snapped right inside of that clip...so i cut the clip off and got a longer bolt to go through the frame and put a washer and locknut on there and called it a day..works fine
 

4x4junkie

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Those bolts definitely do look different than the ones on mine. Very strange indeed. :icon_confused:


Ford at it again I guess :rolleyes:
 

Himecraig

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Torx size for my 94

For all those that are searching to remove bed to replace fuel filler assembly...it is a T55 from osh cost 4.99...a few shots of WD40 on top and on bottom...and a 1/2" drive electric dewallt or other electric impact. Not scary at all.
Now time for a b and a few calls to my buds to help lift.
 

Rainarussell

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So for a 1989 ranger I need t50 or t55 to take the bed off
 

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I would recommend T55
 

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