Well I’m going to order another new bed for my 88. I had ordered one last year but cancelled the order because I thought I had found a solid used one, but that fell through. First off I have to tell you if I didn’t need a pickup truck for hauling my bikes, lawn crap and so on I would bob the frame and build a custom flat bed. That said I need a real bed! Does any one have a good hook at up Toyota that may be able to get me a price on a new steel bed? I’ve looked at these so far> http://www.bgfiberglassusa.com/pages/707298/index.htm The good thing about these guys is they are only about 2 hours or so from me. I’m a little leery about a fiberglass bed though.. Then there is the "BruzerBox" http://www.actionautowreckers.com/truckbeds.asp They are cool but don’t come assembled, you have to pay shipping from Canada, then have it welded together then paint, then install. I had ordered a B&G "deluxe" bed and probably will go with that again if I can’t find a new Toyota bed. The guy at my local stealership basically told me that they don’t even make them anymore but a friend of my dad just bought a new one for his 86 from somewhere! Let me know what you all think. I figure if I order it now by spring I can get it swapped over. Thanks again and if you know of any other bed types lets see them! Thanks a million, Matt

 

I saw a first gen with a 2nd gen bed once. Actually didn't look bad at all. Just something to consider.

 

Yeah Ive thought about that but the body lines are totally off when you do this, and the bed sticks out past the cab. In a pinch I would but I think I may just go ahead and order the fiberglass bed. I was hoping that I could find an OEM new bed. Anyone?

 

I looked up in an online parts catalog; a bed assembly would run you about $1395...
(At least for an '89) Partznet
For some reason they don't list anything for 86, 87, or 88. Call them and see if they can help out...

 

Thats a good deal and I would order a new steel bed NOW at that price but I need one for an 88 thats how it has been looking for even a solid used bed. I found a few 88 beds, one new one but it was for a long bed, non extra cab truck. I did find one off of an 88 but after hauling my trailer to go get it it was starting to rust on the same seam that rotted out on my bed, so I had to say no thanks. I think I may just go with the economy fiberglass, then for $120 have the bottom brought up to 1" thick and have a few more steel plates installed for $20 each. If you have a lead on a new bed for an 88 ext cab 4x4 let me know please! Matt

 

I plan on doing a full write up on this one once I get it started. I’m going to pull my bed and repaint/ undercoat my entire rear frame. Then I’m going to strip the cab of everything I can and fix all of the dents and dings and repaint it, then line x or undercoat the back of the cab that will be between the bed. I want to fully undercoat the entire new bed, I’m talking over kill. “I undercoated the crap out of the cab at the first sign of bed rust a few years ago and keep my eye on it” Then paint it to match the cab and install, then I’m having a Rhino liner or Line-X liner sprayed in. I was going to buy a new truck all together but for what I have in my 88 and it really doesn’t have any hard miles on the clock I think it will be around for at least another 10 years why not, you don’t see many 2nd gen pickups in my area that don’t look like they’ve been through a war and lost!

 

Man I just thought of something else with my new bed... if I buy a fiberglass bed it will need more protection than a steel bed. I guess I will have to get rid of the cheesy Smitty side tubes for a set of Stubbs sliders, and the stock chrome rear bumper will have to go away with the stock bed to make room for a new ARB or TJM bumper which will then lead to an unbalanced rig, so the front bumper will have to come off too, then my tires wont be big enough so the 31" Revos will have to get swapped out with 33s...To all you newbie’s this is how it starts, watch out, watch out, it gets ugly! Man this is going to get interesting! Does any one know of a fabrication shop that makes bumpers on the east coast? For what shipping on a set of new bumpers runs I could buy my sliders.. Thanks again.Matt

 

They told me that Toyota no longer supports these parts.. WTF. I know I have heard of people buying new beds. I guess Ill be going with the fiberglass. The BruzerBox is cool but Im not a welder....

 

There is a guy that works in the same office complex that has 88 reg cab with 94 bed looks fine.

I'd take a pic but my camera is at home and I won't be back in the office til Thursday.

 

Another idea.............



Available from 4x4 connection

Jake.

 

They don't make them anymore, they haven't for quite some time. 7 years is typical, and on something expensive to ship and not in high demand as a service part they will quit making as soon a the law allows. Anyone who has bought one recently got lucky and found an old one still in stock somewhere, that's all.

You might check with your local body shop. THey usually know exactly where to get things like that.

You might see if you can get the auto wrecker parts locator guys to check with wrecking yards in (Oregon, for example,) where rust is almost unheard of. Maybe use the net to find one outside the rust states and call them and get them to locate and ship one to you?

Meanwhile, fiberglass can take more abuse than steel. It can take the little impacts that ding and dent steel with no problems, and any "big" impacts that would crack 'glass are easy to fix!

 

Eight yrs ago I bought a factory bed for my 86 for $1200. I used DP40 exopy primer , then black enamel paint underneath the bed , thinking this should last way longer than the factory coating. I also coated the whole outside of the bed with PPG'S ureathane primer. The seams started to bubble in one year WTF? I don't know what price fiberglass beds were eight years ago , but I would have bought one then even if $300 more. I've checked out that website since on those FG beds and they look sweet. Good Luck in whatever you do.

 

See I was told that Toyota redesigned the replacement bed assemblies like the 3rd gen pickups "89-95" with one piece sides. Yesterday a guy at the dealership told me the same thing that even the new beds will rust out if you can find one because they are really 4 pieces on each side, the upper side, lower side, inner fender and the floor. The problem areas were where the upper and lower sides were welded, they basically pinched them together and spot welded them, and then put some seam sealer in the crack. Then above the rear wheels where they tacked the inner fender they didn’t seal or even under coat those areas very good. I’m going with the fiberglass bed. The economy bed is $1350 then I’m going to have them add the $120 for the 1" thick floor then $20 each for added steel plates in the tail gate area and I’m going to have them add some steel plates for tie downs in the bed for my motorcycles. I think Ill be in good shape for a long time. I may just go ahead and get the "standard" model it has the thicker side walls. Ill let you all know what I think once I get started on this one! Matt