Hey there y'all! I'm new here, just found this site off a Google search. I'm looking for tips and info on replacing the bed on my 2006 Ford Ranger Sport. Bought it a couple weeks ago. Mechanically, the truck is in great shape. It's sporting a nee alternator, good battery, and good suspension. However, the bed's front mount has been completely rotted away. It's just gone. It's still attacked on the back mount, and it doesn't shake or bounce when I drive, but no mechanic will certify the truck with the bed off a mount.

i don't want to sell this truck, as I got it fairly cheap (and I love the ranger lol) so I'm curious if it would be possibly to remount this bed somehow (maybe reweld it with new steel?) Or can I just find a new bed and swap it out? Like I said before, the frame mount for the bed is 100% gone. I've never had to do a repair like this before, so I'm totally lost. I would greatly appreciate any and all advice on this issue

 

Either find a replacement bed or build a flatbed, I would go flatbed as that's what serves me best. Either way, start with buying a sheet of 11guage steel or 14 guage if you wanna go lighter and see where you end up. You'll have steel to take it both ways - patched or begin the flatbed...

 

Check Facebook marketplace for someone parting out a ranger in your area. Swap it over. The wiring for the taillights might need to be swapped from original bed depending on the year of the donor.

 

The wiring for the lights run from the truck and are just attached to the bed with push clips. Junkyards usually just cut the harness when removing the bed from the old truck. You'd just remove the cut wiring and run your original in there.
I just got a very nice shape stepside bed from a junkyard 30 min away for $350, they originally were asking $450 for it. My bed was rotted near that same spot as well. Figured getting a bed from a yard was less hassle than trying to repair mine.