AirplaneDoc

I know there are companies out there doing the long bed conversion but I was wondering if anybody has done there own conversion and how it turned,
out, I want to do my own.

Dieseljunkie

If you can weld, and feel comfortable extending the hyrdo formed frame, it shouldn't be TOO hard... Just have to extend some lines for the gas tank and such, and find a long bed.
Scott

cbrahs

there is more to it than that.

20" longer
extensions fabbed at end of frame rails for bumper to mount
longer drive shafts
extenstion of wiring
brake lines
e-brake cable
rear cab mount
front bed mount
longer fuel lines

I am in the middle of gathering pieces to do mine. Have the bed and have everything else fingered out. Now is a waiting game for tax money to come back and be without a truck for about a week to get everything done and back on the road.

If you are not able to lay down a killer weld, then I would not attempt it. It is the foundation of your truck and it would suck to be driving down the road and have it come apart on you.

Sevir

bugger welds wont work?

Clane

Have you calc'd the difference in price between what conversion companies are charging and what it's going to cost you to do it yourself?...

cbrahs

they are a rip off. $6500 for what they are doing is HUGE profit margin. I had a big rig frame guy tell me he would do the fab work on mine (2 guys labor $865 total) plus materials. materials he said would be less than $400 and that was stretching it and buying the 50,000 kpa steel to match our frames. My frame guy said he and another guy can do the job in a day, 1.5 days MAX. Both have done semi frames for years and are DOT certified for frame work.

I got a quote from a company here in town (later to find out that they did their own megacab 3 times before they got it right) and was quoted $5000 to JUST DO THE FRAME! I told them that I was going to do fuel, brake, electrical etc... all i wanted them to do was the frame. Then I asked them what they would charge for a complete job and dude tells me $6500.
HOW do you get only $1500 more for the bed, electrical, fuel, brake etc? I have the bed (given to me and it is even same color as my truck)

Driveshaft is going to cost about $400
electrical- going to wrecking yard and cutting 30 inches out of a wrecked truck same year so all wires are color for color
brake line does not have to be touched. the rubber line from the frame to the rear end can be extended (am going to have a steel braided one made for less than $100)
steel materials - $400 max
brake cable for e-brake- still need quote from local shop
fuel lines- can splice rubber lines since I am only using stock lines for the return fuel from CP3 once I get the Airdog installed
you can find a bed from most body outfitters for around $1100-$1500


so here is my cost so far

bed= free
labor for fab work= $865
Materials= $400
Wire from wrecked truck= FREE
flexible brake line= $100
drive shaft= $400
rubber fuel line=$15

total so far =$1780

big savings if you ask me but I did get the bed for free.

MegaTony06

Very interested in this myself. Just can't find the cajones to actually cut up my truck that gives me zero problems. But the long-bed is on my want list.

Can't fit my truck in the garage as it is.

If going with a turn-key conversion, what about the KS Conversion, LLC guys (via Benny Boyd Dodge in Lampasas, Texas)? IIRC they have been doing them for quite a while now. Experience level should be pretty high.

I don't weld well enough.

cbrahs

going with a company that has done a large number of them is a good thing. I just don't see how they can make that kind of profit margin and sleep at night. I was told by a company in cali that he could do it in a day and a half BY HIMSELF. I would love to have him do it (cause he quoted me a killer price) but just can't swing that kind of cash right now plus my son is headed to the ragbox in April to hunt terrorists. Need to save money to see him before he leaves for 9+ months.

AirplaneDoc

How are you going to fabricate the frame rail sections and why do you have to extend the back of the frame is the bed longer in the back, are you going to stretch it under the cab or in back? I just started doing my research I bought my mega cab in August and I am going to do the conversion my biggest problem right now is my wife. My brother owns a body shop and he said he would do the labor for free I just need to get the materials, there is a splice in the frame under the mega cab that measures 36 inches in length the single cab trucks have a splice there also I an going to find out how long that splice is and may try to use that.

RowJ

I believe the conversion company prices also include full repaint.

RJ

cbrahs

the bed in longer in both directions. front to center of wheel well and center of well to rear (about 6 inches in the rear). I am doing mine under the cab where the factory splice is. above the rear axle is not the recommended place to do it.

cbrahs

yes it does but they only paint the bed to colormatch, not the full truck.

Tyler_02

i think some JB Weld and some Duct Tape should be enough

Dave88LX

I thought I read on one of the sites, that they take your short bed and trade it in towards the cost of an already factory painted long bed? Unless I misread.

Scotty

Fabbing yourself is a good idea if you do your homework.
When I got mine done...$5K for everything plus a spray in bedliner, one piece custom wiring with no splicing, steel brake lines custom bent/fuel lines, hand made frame extensions that I watched them build, driveshaft, exhaust and they had a bit of extra work with the bed...it was from an 04 and the truck is an 07...not a lot of work but a little bit of drilling for the tail lights. I supplied and they installed the Reese hitch rails, slip tank and air bags/compressor and in cab controller, front and rear Bilstein shocks. DOT certified inspection. Took the truck in on a Thursday at noon and was on the road Sat by 2.

For me the time I saved with them doing it in that short of time...saved me a lot of my own time and money. Not one issue with the surgery and its nearly 3 yrs now.

Scotty
yeah they took the short bed and last I talked to them...they still had it...about 2 yrs ago