Used Truck Beds: A Buyer's Guide
A complete bed is the biggest single component you can buy used, and it needs the most planning.
The short answer
When buying a used truck bed, match the bed length and the generation first, then check the wiring and lighting provision, the condition of the floor and inner wheel arches, and how you are going to receive and fit it. A bed ships freight on a pallet or a flatbed, needs machinery to move, and is a two-person job at minimum to fit. Bed length is decided by the truck, not by the badge: an eight foot bed is an eight foot bed, but the mounting points and wiring differ between generations.
Get the length right first
Everything else is secondary. Bed lengths are broadly short, standard and long, and the exact figures vary by
manufacturer and generation. Measure the bed currently on your truck from the inside of the bulkhead to the inside
of the closed tailgate, and work from that measurement rather than from what the truck is called.
Single rear wheel or dual
A dually bed is wider over the arches and is not interchangeable with a single rear wheel bed. This sounds
obvious and it still catches people out on listings that do not state it. If a listing says SRW, it means single
rear wheel.
What to check
- The floor. Look for dents, distortion and corrosion, especially at the front bulkhead corners
where water collects. - Inner wheel arches. A common rot point and awkward to repair.
- Mounting points. The bed bolts to the frame at several points. All of them need to be sound.
- Wiring loom. Ask whether the rear lighting loom is included and intact.
- Fuel filler. Position and provision vary. It has to line up with the truck.
- Tailgate. Ask whether one is included. Frequently it is not.
How a bed is delivered
It is the largest thing we ship. It goes freight, on a pallet or a flatbed, and it will need machinery at your end
to get it off the truck. Do not plan to do this with two people and enthusiasm. Read
freight versus parcel before you order, and tell us if access at the
delivery address is restricted.
Fitting
Removing and replacing a bed means disconnecting the rear lighting and the fuel filler, removing the bed bolts,
and lifting the whole assembly clear of the frame. It is genuinely a workshop job with a hoist or several people. It
is not a driveway afternoon.
Paint
A bed is the largest painted surface on the truck after the cab. A mismatch is extremely visible. Factor
refinishing into the budget unless the color genuinely matches and both panels have weathered similarly.
People also ask
What is a standard truck bed length?
It varies by manufacturer and generation. Measure the bed on your truck from the inside of the bulkhead to the inside of the closed tailgate and work from that figure rather than the model name.
Does a bed come with the tailgate?
Often not. Always ask before you assume, because a tailgate is a significant additional cost.
Can I fit a bed myself?
Not really. It needs lifting equipment or several people, and the lighting and fuel filler have to be disconnected and reconnected properly.
Related guides and parts
Freight versus parcel
How the largest parts get delivered.
What used parts cost
Beds are four figures.
Shop truck beds
Complete take-off beds.