Bought a Butler haybed

[fnfarms1]

Neighbor wrecked his truck, 2yr old hay bed was fairly untouched. I've been shopping for a used spike bed, happened onto this used arm bed for same cost of new spike. Not really a need in my case, more a want.
Does anyone know how the 2000ish ford f250 spare tire is released? It's still using the factory spare carrier underneath, truck has 3 blown tires. Need the spare to put on it. Plus need to clean all the hay out before I torch bolts loose. Plan to move this bed over to my dodge. F250 was short single wheel same as my dodge. He's to busy to remove bed so agreed I can have the crownline feed box for doing it myself. Which I'll sell to recoup some cost.

 

[4hfarms]

2 piece rod with the change kit inside. Saw one under the hood on other years. Mine was under the rear seat. Hole to unwind is next to the rear plate In the bumper.

 

[4hfarms]

Rear of the flat bed may cover the plastic tube that leads to the bumper..... or where it was.

 

[Rmc]

Depending on year may have a key that needs to go in the end of rod to lower it. Worse come to worse take a sawzall or cutting disc lay under the truck and cut both sides of cross piece holding it up.

 

[fnfarms1]

Rear of the flat bed may cover the plastic tube that leads to the bumper..... or where it was.

Yeah that was my issue. Flat bed being on there I doubt it has a hole for the spare. But with these suggestions I'll get it down. Torch the cable but can't get to it. Kids are home from college, so be few days before I get to it

 

[Lucky]

Flat beds are fairly easy to remove most of the time so you may be able to take it off without moving the rig. Most places bolt them on in the front and back, connect a fuel filler, and the lights are quick connect. The easiet way we've found to take one off is to put a couple 6' pieces of pipe on the hay forks and strap them down tight to the bed then just lift it off. Be sure to have the tractor behind the truck not to the side. Good luck and you'll be wondering why you didn't get one sooner. I'd try using the feeder before you sell it, I wouldn't wanna be without one.

Edit: I've torched a few off but it seems to be way easier to just wrench the bolts off. If you can get your hands a a cordless impact they seem to work the best. A little penetrating oil goes along way.

 

[cfpinz]

Is the truck a stick or automatic?

 

[fnfarms1]

Is the truck a stick or automatic?

Auto.

Flat beds are fairly easy to remove most of the time so you may be able to take it off without moving the rig. Most places bolt them on in the front and back, connect a fuel filler, and the lights are quick connect. The easiet way we've found to take one off is to put a couple 6' pieces of pipe on the hay forks and strap them down tight to the bed then just lift it off. Be sure to have the tractor behind the truck not to the side. Good luck and you'll be wondering why you didn't get one sooner. I'd try using the feeder before you sell it, I wouldn't wanna be without one.

Edit: I've torched a few off but it seems to be way easier to just wrench the bolts off. If you can get your hands a a cordless impact they seem to work the best. A little penetrating oil goes along way.

yeah the way they had it mounted I couldn't get to the bolt heads. But I got it torched off. Started pulling my box bed last night, but previous owner had a transfer pump mounted up in the fender. Wires and hoses to disconnect, I stopped because it was late, I was tired. Finish pulling it tonite and mock up the flatbed. Tomorrows my day off work, I do some early before the heat

Oh and I have a Dewalt cordless impact, love that thing

 

[fnfarms1]

Imagine if you will my mounting setup. 3 pieces of 2x2 3/16 tubing, these run perpendicular to the frame. 5/8 grade8 bolt inside tubing through into the frame. Planning to weld the nut/washer to the tubing since it is inside the tubing and hard to get to much less once bed is on top of it. Any issues with welded nuts? Bolts will still be accessible from below.
Pics would have been great but I didn't take any. There will be an additional bracket but bed has to be on it to fit it up. Be 8 grade 8 bolts holding it on. Lol

 

[fnfarms1]

Flat beds are fairly easy to remove most of the time so you may be able to take it off without moving the rig. Most places bolt them on in the front and back, connect a fuel filler, and the lights are quick connect. The easiet way we've found to take one off is to put a couple 6' pieces of pipe on the hay forks and strap them down tight to the bed then just lift it off. Be sure to have the tractor behind the truck not to the side. Good luck and you'll be wondering why you didn't get one sooner. I'd try using the feeder before you sell it, I wouldn't wanna be without one.

Edit: I've torched a few off but it seems to be way easier to just wrench the bolts off. If you can get your hands a a cordless impact they seem to work the best. A little penetrating oil goes along way.

All my cows are here by my house. The feeder on the truck wouldn't be used much unless a nice piece of ground were to come up available that wasn't joined to me. Then I could see it's use. I have one that mounts to my fourwheeler, holds 200lbs. I use it spring for breeding cows back and fall with weaned calves. But again it's all close, hence why the bed is really a want because my tractor does most hay duties.

 

[cfpinz]

I had my last Hydrabed installed by a dealer, and instead of the brackets available from Hydrabed they did something really similar to what you're doing. Off the top of my head, they used 2x4 tubing and bolted it to the frame/body mounts front and rear, perp to the frame rails. Then sat the bed down on top of that and welded the bed frame to those crossmembers. After I got home, I rigged up some brackets in the center of the bed frame so there was 3 attachment points per side rather than 2. I believe each of those brackets has either 2 or 3 bolts thru the truck frame, for a total of 4/5 bolts per side.

 

[fnfarms1]

I had my last Hydrabed installed by a dealer, and instead of the brackets available from Hydrabed they did something really similar to what you're doing. Off the top of my head, they used 2x4 tubing and bolted it to the frame/body mounts front and rear, perp to the frame rails. Then sat the bed down on top of that and welded the bed frame to those crossmembers. After I got home, I rigged up some brackets in the center of the bed frame so there was 3 attachment points per side rather than 2. I believe each of those brackets has either 2 or 3 bolts thru the truck frame, for a total of 4/5 bolts per side.

I would say this is a pretty standard setup. I called a local dealer, ended up highly impressed by them because they offered me pics and help over the phone. Said they are backed up since they are a hay equipment dealer with equipment repairs. But one mechanic offered to stop by on his way home if needed. But yeah same general setup. Mine will end up with 4 bolts per side. I worry more about front bolts than the rear

 

[Lucky]

I've got an old Ford that we put an old Hydrabed on. When we did the install I didn't have the correct material to make the attachment points right because the bed rails were 38" and the Frame was 36" if I remember right. We ended up temporarily using the brackets that held the back bumper on. We welded them to the bed frame and bolted them to the truck frame. This was on the front. On the back we had a piece of angle iron with bolts welded on it run across the frame and bolted to the frame rails on each side to adjust the pitch of the bed before we permanently attached it. Well it's been like that for years and probably fed 1,000 rolls. The cube box full off feed might be what keeps the whole thing from coming loose. . We never use it off the ranch or I'd definitely fix it. Maybe I'll make it a fall project to get it right. The old truck is pretty much a water truck now but still needs to have this fixed.

 

[fnfarms1]

Pic didn't take very well showing bolt inside square tubing

 

[fnfarms1]

Light/trailer wiring left to do and fuel filler neck. Be ready to roll

 

[Lucky]

Looks nice

 

[cfpinz]

That'll work!

 

[fnfarms1]

It works.

 

[cfpinz]

Just a suggestion. Buy a couple of hitch pins the same diameter as the rods on your spinners, cut the heads off flat and weld a piece of 1.5-2" flat stock to them about 3 or 4 inches long and weld chain grabs to them. Great for picking up dead cows, equipment, etc.

 

[fnfarms1]

Just a suggestion. Buy a couple of hitch pins the same diameter as the rods on your spinners, cut the heads off flat and weld a piece of 1.5-2" flat stock to them about 3 or 4 inches long and weld chain grabs to them. Great for picking up dead cows, equipment, etc.

I thought that's what the v shaped flat strap was for on the inside of the arms. It is a solid piece that's been bent into Vs about foot long both sides