Common Box/bed issues Ford Ranger questions?

[SlugStang8997]

I have box issues with my truck. I at first suspected frame damage. But had 2 shops tell me it is just a box issue. 2001 Ford Ranger xlt double cab.
I went to a regular auto body shop/dealership and they look my truck over and said that my box is bowed and my frame is fine my mounts are good.
I already posted some of this in another post and discussed it. But i wanted to post again to see what other box issues there could be.
My truck has had 6 owners so there is definitely some damage. The truck looks like it has been rear ended and the bed/box has been overloaded.
The bed was bowed long ways And sticking up

I replaced the bed/box with another box and kept my fenders. But then there was a large gap between the bed and the cab witch may be a install issue. But it spooked me again and i went to another auto body collision shop that has a frame machine. They looked my truck over and concluded that i just have a box issue again. They didn't want to put my truck on the frame machine because they thought it would be a waste of time.

The truck drives straight and does not pull in any direction. The guy at the collision center said that the gap was a box install issue because if there were that big of gap because of frame damage the truck would pull for sure and not drive straight. He drove my truck, climbed beneath the truck, pulled on my truck, he looked all around beneath my truck over and over again. He said it takes a very hard hit to bend the frame of the truck. That the frame is strong or very strong. But i am left wondering if they just didn't want to do the work for me. Did he really believe the frame is fine or just didn't want to go through the trouble of strapping the truck to the frame machine and hanging the targets and checking the frame.

My bed/box sticks up a little on both sides near the cab. The bed doesn't lay flat the way it is supposed 2. I didn't get photos when i had the bed put on under there.
So i don't know what to do. I guess i could just leave it the way it is. It isn't hurting anything.
I will post some photos later. I got to upload them on to my computer.

I am wondering if the bed mounts can be bent up with the frame being fine? Cause of a overloaded bed/box

I could go back to the collision center and demand that they put my truck on the frame machine and check it out. But i don't know if that is needed.
But i am left wondering what if my frame is bent.

My doors go ajar sometimes and stick sometimes but that could just be a symptom of an 23 year old truck.

It is not free to check the frame out. It will cost about 400-600-700$ And take 4-6 hours.

And in the end it could just be a box issue again. Cause the truck drives straight and the tires wear evenly.

So if you were me what would you do?
What other box issues could there be? That would make my box stick up a little besides frame damage.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Pictures would be helpful. If you posted pictures before in another thread of yours... not sure why you thought starting another thread would be helpful?

Do the side body lines line up between the cab and bed? Do you have the correct insulators between the bed and frame? Did you try loosening the bed and shifting it a bit forward to close the gap?

 

[Lefty]

Photos might help us, but the problem seems to be more than a bed. I would do exactly what you suggested. Have a body and fender shop look at it and see if it needs some sort of frame adjustment

 

[Uncle Gump]

The body mounts are also 23 years old. While they might look okay... they could be height deteriorated.

 

[SlugStang8997]

Here are some current photos of the bed and body line. I have not done anything to adjust the bed yet myself. I would need help to do that. You can see that it sticks up and is back a little to far so there is a gap.

 

[SlugStang8997]

If you saw this truck you would definitely suspect frame damage

 

[Uncle Gump]

If you saw this truck you would definitely suspect frame damage

I see it and suspect it has a body lift gone wrong. At least that's make first thought.

I say body lift... because the gap between the bed and bumper tells so.

Got pictures of the cab mounts?

 

[Uncle Gump]

Also pictures of the bed mounts...

 

[SlugStang8997]

I will take some photos of the bed mounts. I have some photos of the bottom the truck i will upload them later. The Cab looks lifted up at the back. Wondering if the cab mounts are a problem. How would i get a photo of the cab mounts do i have to take apart the cab or are they beneath the carpet or are they sticking up out of the carpet

 

[Uncle Gump]

No... just pics from the bottom side.

As many of them as you can clearly see.

 

[bobbywalter]

very possible a bushing mismatch.

 

[bobbywalter]

so .... this is the v8 conversion truck?


highly likely it has a custom body lift. generally for exhaust clearance reasons.

i prefer them. but detailed pics for sure of the actual mounts and bracketry in case they moved or modified that.

 

[SlugStang8997]

I will get some more photos of the truck later on today but im going to wait till my neighbor gets home and ask for some help he knows more about trucks then i do. I really think i am in over my head with this truck i bought. Looking at the bed mounts the front seems sunken in like the other bed was. I will at least post of pictures of that. The cabin looks lifted up especially when you open the doors up. The rear doors open up in this truck. I asked the mechanic who put the v8 in and they said that they did not do a body lift to the truck. They also did not modify the mounts or bracketry.

I would be so happy if the bushings were off at this point. Again i went to a frame straightener and frame checker guy who has a frame machine. He seemed like he just didn't want to deal with my truck. He kinda complained and explained that he would have to take it apart, strap the truck to frame machine and hang targets from it. He said it would take a while and its expensive to me. He also said he didn't want to waist his time on it if the truck is fine. So idk. He is right down the street from my house. Otherwise i have to drive a ways to get the frame checked. In fact i wouldn't know were else to go.

I am still thinking of asking to have the frame check again. Could a frame machine harm my truck though if the frame is healthy. I don't know anything about frame machines. I do know that only a few people in my area have them

All i know for sure is something is wrong with the truck and i would like it fixed whatever it is.

 

[pjtoledo]

when it was brand new my 2001 had the same miss match at the front of the bed, the drivers side was higher.
it's still that way.
to check the bed for straightness run two strings between opposite corners forming a big X.
get them real tight, they should touch in the center.
try it both ways, that is alternate which string is on top.

you can check the floor too, run the strings on identical blocks, extra helping hands preferred.

a frame machine is a big & precise rack. the truck is placed on the rack at specific factory mounting locations.
the rack needs setup for each specific vehicle, it's time consuming.
then measurements are taken and compared to published factory numbers..
if needed big chains & jacks are used to bend the frame back into specs.

try for some pics at the front of the rear springs, that's where the front & rear frame sections are joined.
yes, that year Ranger has 2 distinct frame sections, front & rear. they are held together by rivets at the front spring hanger.

just crawling underneath with a carpenters level may reveal what's going on. Park on flat 'n level pavement.

 

[SlugStang8997]

On Monday i am getting an exhaust leak fixed at the Manifold at an exhaust shop. Tuesday i am getting an oil change done and having some pulleys checked for a squealing.

I could snap some photos of the truck on a lift then. I have some photos of the exhaust setup but no clear photos of the mounts.

Could someone link me to a bushing and body mount kit? A good one please and thank you.

I was going to buy one of each then take the truck back to the frame guy and tell him to fix whats wrong with my truck if the frame is truly not bent. If my frame isn't bent as he believes he should be able to fix my truck. But i am skeptical of this shop because they usually handle insurance claims with inflated prices getting paid by insurance companies.