AC, is the owners group open to used cradle skid purchasers?
Absolutely!
AC
Thank you, AC. In the meantime, the truck is no longer available. Heh, that's because I bought it!
There are some pros and some cons. The truck used to be used by Terminix, and there is still lettering on the sides I need to remove. Any advice on this will be appreciated.
There are at least a dozen holes drilled into the bed. Would you recommend a store bought bed liners to cover, or should I design the new layout around them (use the holes wherever possible)??
There are some extra wires to the front battery. There is some kind of light on top, I think. Not sure but there is plastic cover there and on the inside of the cab, the bottom says "Truck Lite."
The truck beeps when the transmission is in reverse! The inside of the cab is very clean (one tear in drivers' seat), but bare bones basic.
The handle for the hood release is broke off, and the passenger side rear light cover is going to need replacing, but other than that she's a charm!!
Can I get any advice on how to correct these things and some ideas on how to set it all up?
Vic-
Not sure what that is on the top,but it may be a gps tracking system that way they could see where the guys were and how long at each job...
Remove that hitch thing in the bed and I would just make your own holes to make everything in the right spot how you want. Either way you have to put some kind of liner in the bed.. You want want to think about just getting a slide in liner ( they are about a half inch thick of plastic and they seem to do much better than the spray in liner) and they are cheap! Look on craigslist.. As far as the lettering gunk on the side, get some gunk-off or goo-be-gone from walmart or autozone and put some elbow grease into it (pretty much the only way I know, maybe someone else will chime in)
Otherwise it looks like you will have a nice setup there!
For the lettering(ghosting) try easy off oven cleaner. Do a small area first to see if it works. Years ago when I lived in New York City I used to buy and sell vans and we used it to remove the the ghosting. Paints have changed since then so be careful. Do it outside as the fumes are terrible.
Hank
-- Edited by Hank Timmermann on Saturday 1st of February 2014 02:05:44 PM
and what is that powder power? spray in bed liner?
Thank you, Lee. GPS makes as much sense as anything I think of. I mean why would they take the lens off of a perfectly good light? Whatever that is, it keeps the water from getting into the cab. :)
I'm glad you asked about the Power Powder! That is 4 boxes from Leslies Pool Supplies that I ordered the day before I left for Softwashapolooza. Each box has 6 packages of CH pool shock! I threw that in because I told Pat Clark I had ordered it, but couldn't quite remember the price. Item #14678 and the price was $67.49 for 24 1 lb. bags (including shipping).
I've been thinking of ways to stir it. Everything from washing machine agitators to putting a propeller on a drill. May use my 205 gallon tank for making CH at home (leave off the truck).
Check on price for spray lining bed. Before you put much money into truck I would have mechanic check out engine and transmission and maybe that will give you an idea if it is worth spending money on lining the bed or just using the truck with idea that it is short term. I am in same boat with my 2003 F150. Looks good but it has high miles. I'm unsure what I'm doing.
1. Pull everything out of the bed to factory.
2. Sand blast the bed.
3. Use a poly ureia based spray in bed liner.
4. Before spraying the bed (have done professionally) silver foil tape any holes closed and use windshield calk (poly ureia) to seal in the bed seams, especially between the back of the bed and the floor. NO WATER OR CHEMS SHOULD EXIT THE TRUCK ANYWHERE EXCEPT THE TAILGATE AREA.
5. Compound and wax the entire trucks paint job.
6. Degrease and pressure wash the underside and engine.
7. Put Amsoil in everything. Engine, Rear dif, and do a transmission service / flush and convert to Amsoil.
8. Get rid of the GPS puck and silver foil tape the holes closed.
9. Go to a sign shop and have them cover the entire roof in vinyl so that the aluminum ladders dont corrode the roof. Make sure the vinyl goes off the roof covering the windshield gasket and down onto the glass.
10. Get Turtle Shell's black trim restorer and restore all of the trim.
11. Detail the cab and use the black trim restorer on all vinyl.
12. Get some new mud bucket floor mats. (dont black trim restore these...lol...slippery)
13. Enjoy your now like new higher millage truck.
PS. Lowes sells a great ladder rack system for about $275.00
again that is too much money for the bed linner and all... take that bolt hitch out, leave the holes and buy this thing today.. Its right by you and its 100$!!!
1. Pull everything out of the bed to factory. 2. Sand blast the bed. 3. Use a poly ureia based spray in bed liner. 4. Before spraying the bed (have done professionally) silver foil tape any holes closed and use windshield calk (poly ureia) to seal in the bed seams, especially between the back of the bed and the floor. NO WATER OR CHEMS SHOULD EXIT THE TRUCK ANYWHERE EXCEPT THE TAILGATE AREA. 5. Compound and wax the entire trucks paint job. 6. Degrease and pressure wash the underside and engine. 7. Put Amsoil in everything. Engine, Rear dif, and do a transmission service / flush and convert to Amsoil. 8. Get rid of the GPS puck and silver foil tape the holes closed. 9. Go to a sign shop and have them cover the entire roof in vinyl so that the aluminum ladders dont corrode the roof. Make sure the vinyl goes off the roof covering the windshield gasket and down onto the glass. 10. Get Turtle Shell's black trim restorer and restore all of the trim. 11. Detail the cab and use the black trim restorer on all vinyl. 12. Get some new mud bucket floor mats. (dont black trim restore these...lol...slippery) 13. Enjoy your now like new higher millage truck.
PS. Lowes sells a great ladder rack system for about $275.00
I will be following AC's advice on this one, except I may take my bed off and spray my frame and underside too. I have used a spray in bedliner kit called Raptor that was simple and did the job (requires large air compressor though). It wasn't as resistant to scratches but you can do your whole bed for $128.
I too recently purchased a truck off of craigslist. I searched several major cities for the softwashing truck of my dreams... a F250 super duty super cab long bed. I wanted room to store my tools in a tote behind the seat so I didn't have to have a tool box in the bed of my truck. I found a 2004 F250 SD with 125,000 miles on it and gave $4800 for it. It needs tires and an alignment and a multifuction switch (turn signals aren't working)
I would like to thank Alvin and David for dropping me off to pick it up after sofwashapoolaza.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKDpYIT6VkA (video on Raptor bedliner)
http://www.tptools.com/U-Pol-Raptor-Spray-On-Truck-Bed-Liner-Kit,2600.html (where I got mine from on sale for $109.00 gun and all)
-- Edited by Chad Peal on Saturday 1st of February 2014 12:16:58 PM
again that is too much money for the bed linner and all... take that bolt hitch out, leave the holes and buy this thing today.. Its right by you and its 100$!!!
or this.. http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/pts/4208436354.html
-- Edited by Lee Kendall on Saturday 1st of February 2014 11:18:28 AM
That is a recipe for disaster. Floating bed liners hold moisture and hide the damage beneath. Bleach and other chems will get under it and eat the bed alive!
Vic
I just retired my 02 Ford F250 7.3 diesel. It has been my personal truck for 12 years. I am still crying about that... I replaced it with an 04 F250 8' longbed. It is white and in good shape. We are pulling the bed off the truck and are installing a new all aluminum truck body built by Martin. Just another evolution in our truck design.
At any rate, I completely removed the vinyl lettering & graphics with a heat gun and patience. ,I used an electric buffer, machine compounded the whole truck, followed with polishing step, then waxed it. Shines like a new one!
All that work for someone else!
Only due to inexperience and or running out of umph-- is any of the ghosting still visible.
As far as the bed goes, in one season of use, my old bed had a hole thru it. I actually found on ebay a company that sells 2x4 metal panels to match the ribbing in the beds.
Vic I just retired my 02 Ford F250 7.3 diesel. It has been my personal truck for 12 years. I am still crying about that... I replaced it with an 04 F250 8' longbed. It is white and in good shape. We are pulling the bed off the truck and are installing a new all aluminum truck body built by Martin. Just another evolution in our truck design.
At any rate, I completely removed the vinyl lettering & graphics with a heat gun and patience. ,I used an electric buffer, machine compounded the whole truck, followed with polishing step, then waxed it. Shines like a new one!
All that work for someone else!
Only due to inexperience and or running out of umph-- is any of the ghosting still visible.
As far as the bed goes, in one season of use, my old bed had a hole thru it. I actually found on ebay a company that sells 2x4 metal panels to match the ribbing in the beds.
Thanks for sharing that, Steve. You guys are super, and I really like this community.
I'm curious if it was SH that caused the hole in your bed? Do you rinse it with Bleach Wash after each days work?
I used rubbing compound without a drill, and I think I got all the ghosts. A nice sunny day should reveal all ;))
What are the 2x4 panels for? Spot weld or glue? Is that inches or feet?
I'm also curious what that "all aluminum truck body built by Martin" looks like? What is its' advantage?