I think there was a huge shift in truck bed dimensions around 07/08. (I know from experience that 07 and 1/2 was the big change in GMC/Chevs) I had a 2005 GM 2500 short box which my small Bigfoot fit perfectly into, especially as you refer to, in the critical area of narrowing of the box at the tail gate. I next bought a 2014 GM short box and the same Bigfoot barely fit through tailgate opening and only after an inch and a half of bed mat. My Kodiak (probably the same floor profile as yours) would not fit the 2014. I also tried to help a friend move an older 8'4 NL and it also would not fit my newer GM.
Some genius at GM decided that the area at the tail gate should be narrower at the bottom than at the top. I had to grind a triangular chunk out of both sides and then welded in some light sheet metal to square off the edge and fill the hole. It is still tight with the Kodiak but at least the sides are vertical. I sold the first 8'3'' Kodiak that I worked on to my broinlaw who has a late model F350 and it fit like a glove. Any Ford I have looked at seems to have a much more practical vertical (and wider) entrance to the box bed. I Don't know about Dodges though.
I just made the guards out of 2mm hard flexible sheet plastic I scrounged from an abandoned municipal surface water storage reservoir.[/QUOTE]
Thanks the reply. You’re right, tailgates have become narrower The guy I bought it from in the Kootenys had it in a newer ford. He had a bit more room than me, but not much.
I’ll see what I can fabricate up for those spots.
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Some genius at GM decided that the area at the tail gate should be narrower at the bottom than at the top. I had to grind a triangular chunk out of both sides and then welded in some light sheet metal to square off the edge and fill the hole. It is still tight with the Kodiak but at least the sides are vertical. I sold the first 8'3'' Kodiak that I worked on to my broinlaw who has a late model F350 and it fit like a glove. Any Ford I have looked at seems to have a much more practical vertical (and wider) entrance to the box bed. I Don't know about Dodges though.
I just made the guards out of 2mm hard flexible sheet plastic I scrounged from an abandoned municipal surface water storage reservoir.[/QUOTE]
Thanks the reply. You’re right, tailgates have become narrower The guy I bought it from in the Kootenys had it in a newer ford. He had a bit more room than me, but not much.
I’ll see what I can fabricate up for those spots.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
