Sport Trac Bed Limitations

[Jaymez]

My GF has an 05 Sport Trac that I find myself using more and more rather than taking my own truck because hers gets considerably better fuel economy. Anyway, I got to thinking about the limitations that the composite bed might have over the traditional steel beds that I am used to working with.

Is it possible to shock the bed so that it cracks? Are there certain chemicals that might give me an extra headache if they get spilled back there? Are the beds prone to failure? Obviously, I am not going to drop a load of soil or rocks from 15ft in the air like some lame Chevy commercial from the 90's or even a Toyota commercial from last week.

Clearly, I am not a complete dummy as I am well aware of the cargo capacity issues when compared to a full size. I just want to know in advance if there are any chances I might have to explain damage to her truck.

 

[superds]

I'd say go ahead and treat it like it's a commercial. Ford does their homework and I think it'll be plenty strong.

My dad has an '07ish Sport Trac and he's hauled rocks, dirt, sand and lumber in it without problems.

 

[adsm08]

Nah, go ahead and beat the crap outta it. Those beds are pretty strong.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

For the average user, it's probably plenty tough enough.

Me? Well, I'm not an average truck user. A steel bed and hard plastic bedliner are pretty much required equipment for the way I use a truck.

 

[Jaymez]

For the average user, it's probably plenty tough enough.

Me? Well, I'm not an average truck user. A steel bed and hard plastic bedliner are pretty much required equipment for the way I use a truck.

Typically, this is how I would describe myself when I actually use my truck AS a truck although I prefer spray in liners.

Still, I'd hate like hell to take her truck for a motor pull out, drop/place the new motor in the back and the damn bed break/crack because it was shocked somehow. Not only would I feel guilty for damaging someone else's vehicle, but, she'd never let me forget it. Not to mention laugh like a crazy woman as she pulled away in my Sierra.

 

[wahlstrom1]

I rock a steel bed a plywood bedliner and still cause damage..... My sister's and mom's plastic bed work fine in their tacoma/sport trac's though, lol.

In reality I can't see damaging the plastic bed in normal use, it is however slippery as HELL, way worse then my frosty plywood bed liner in winter.

 

[adsm08]

For the average user, it's probably plenty tough enough.

Me? Well, I'm not an average truck user. A steel bed and hard plastic bedliner are pretty much required equipment for the way I use a truck.

Yeah, but you are a contractor who chucks houses into the bed.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

I've hauled rock and all kinds of junk in mine...no issues at all.

 

[xnickitynickx]

Yeah, but you are a contractor who chucks houses into the bed.

Quoted for truthfulness

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yeah, but you are a contractor who chucks houses into the bed.

You forgot about the trucks I've hauled in the bed... my Ranger hauled home a stripped out BII (everything but the frame and body panels that don't unbolt) and a stripped out Explorer. My Choptop hauled home a stripped out Ranger (now THAT was an interesting stack job to make it fit, lol).

Bear in mind, I do take care of my trucks. When I go to pick up materials I'm always careful in how they load the truck since I don't want it scratched up or dented. And I always tie things down well enough that it the stuff probably wouldn't come out even if you rolled the truck. But I will load the truck down and work the hell out of it, lol.

 

[JohnnyO]

It'll haul close to a ton of dirt.

Only thing, if you load it too heavily it will bend a little and you can't open the tailgate (if it's closed) or close the tailgate (if it's open). I'm on my second Trac, I use mine as an actual truck, and the beds are pretty impervious to damage although the bed in my '08 marks up a lot easier than the bed in my old '05. Between that and being much slipperier, I finally got a bed mat this year. Didn't cost much.

 

[Jaymez]

Only thing, if you load it too heavily it will bend a little and you can't open the tailgate (if it's closed) or close the tailgate (if it's open).

Did the bed rebound once you removed some of the weight?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

lol, I forgot about how JohnnyO uses a truck....

I need to dig out the one picture I have of his '05 when it still had the new car smell inside and post it up...

 

[Mac]

That's why to use a small cheap trailer for the real heavy, nasty stuff. Easier to load and unload also.
Dave

 

[JohnnyO]

Did the bed rebound once you removed some of the weight?

Yes. People have cracked them, but that was by getting silly with dense stuff like sand and pea gravel.

lol, I forgot about how JohnnyO uses a truck....

I need to dig out the one picture I have of his '05 when it still had the new car smell inside and post it up...

This one?