Wondering if anyone else has this issue also:2016 AF1150 mounted on a 2016 F350. After about 15000 miles with camper, I noticed stress cracks in the bed, at back corners. At 65000 miles, it's just still getting worse.I have a bed mat since new. I've tried .75 plywood, but took it out again after it didn't help. There is also a slight crowning of the truck's bed. Maybe about .5" to .75", most noticable right in front of the factory pin hitch location in the bed. I think the AF is bending the truck badly. I don't drive like a dope. This is my 2nd camper, and my 6th rv.

I haven’t heard of it. Are your springs almost bottomed out and do you tow?

I’m not sure about the 2016’s but on previous years Ford 1ton dually’s had a bad issue of frame flex - there was a clip on youtube about this but I can’t recall what years...3 tons

My 2004 f350 did that. All the weight of the camper is on the two side rails. The space on the bottom of the camper in between is not weight bearing. The truck bed was not designed to handle that long linear twin load and as a result in buckles up in the middle. Plywood helped fix my problem but it was not a perfect solution. My 2019 F350 seems to handle that weight a little better, perhaps by design...Rick

2013 dually here. Truck has been hauling 1150’s its whole life. Nothing visible at this point.

Arctic Fox 1150 is breaking my 2016 Ford 350 dually

brholt
Explorer II
May 12, 2021
I finally took my1150 off. Checked my bed. On my 2013 the bed still looks flat.

Brad
Grit_dog
Navigator
Apr 20, 2021
I noticed the crown in the bed rails in your previous pics. Gonna say that’s not by design Have had a couple of that era super duty’s and the bed rails were straight. I’d notice that kind of thing. But I never checked the bed floors for a crown.
mellow
Explorer
Apr 20, 2021
Not hard to switch out beds in these trucks if it gets to that point. The longest part is getting out the bolts that hold it down to the frame if they are rusted. Took me about 3 hours to get my bed off, but that was due to having to cut the bolts off. Putting the new bed on with a lift took about an hour, this is for a DRW.
Avid_Fox
Explorer
Apr 20, 2021
brholt wrote:
I will take a look at the bed on my 2013 DRW next time I take the camper off, in a week or so. I’ I haven’t seen any issues with the bed or frame. I do see a fair amount of “flex” and I have always had “creaking” sounds with the windows down at low speeds on some “bumps” over the 9 years as I have carried a 1150. I have always assumed they were normal and have never been able to figure out where they are coming from. .

Thank you. This is the kind of thing you can look for, but maybe they're just made this way. IDK. The bed rails are show similar crowning. But no obvious stress buckles. It's odd. I'm thinking they are this way from new in that model.

Doesn't explain the stress cracks at the rear, but the crowning is another issue that allows for too much rocking. Argh.
brholt
Explorer II
Apr 19, 2021
I will take a look at the bed on my 2013 DRW next time I take the camper off, in a week or so. I’ I haven’t seen any issues with the bed or frame. I do see a fair amount of “flex” and I have always had “creaking” sounds with the windows down at low speeds on some “bumps” over the 9 years as I have carried a 1150. I have always assumed they were normal and have never been able to figure out where they are coming from. .
Hemi_Joel
Explorer
Apr 19, 2021
The newer trucks are made of tin foil. I have a 2017 ram that dents if you breathe on it. That's one of the reasons why I'm sticking with my old 93 one ton.
rickjo
Explorer
Apr 19, 2021
3 tons wrote:
Aluminum is kinda brittle and has no grain...Makes me kinda wonder if this would've happened with a steel bed - I donno??

3 tons

Nope. I do know. Read my earlier post on this thread.

rick
3_tons
Explorer III
Apr 18, 2021
Aluminum is kinda brittle and has no grain...Makes me kinda wonder if this would've happened with a steel bed - I donno??

3 tons
Avid_Fox
Explorer
Apr 18, 2021
Kayteg1 wrote:
StirCrazy wrote:
Kayteg1 wrote:
Torklift article sounds like written by 3rd grader.
They talk about "bed frame"
Have never seen such animal.
All truck beds I have seen are resting on truck frame.
Somebody missed his classes.

go look under your truck, there is the bed resting on a subframe (or crossmembers if you like) that is on the truck frame.

Steve

Sounds like we are saying the same thing?
Only I don't consider cross members a frame.

I don't either...

As the OP here, thanks for all the input. Some good and thoughtful as usual for this type of forum, some off base also as usual, but all interesting all the same.

Going on a trip next week. I'll follow up after some mods.

Cheers.
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Apr 18, 2021
StirCrazy wrote:
Kayteg1 wrote:
Torklift article sounds like written by 3rd grader.
They talk about "bed frame"
Have never seen such animal.
All truck beds I have seen are resting on truck frame.
Somebody missed his classes.

go look under your truck, there is the bed resting on a subframe (or crossmembers if you like) that is on the truck frame.

Steve

Sounds like we are saying the same thing?
Only I don't consider cross members a frame.