Repairing pickp bed

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Ive got a 05 f350 short bed.  The crossmembers are pretty bad.  The front one has actually started to crush and the cab and bed panels don't line up anymore on the passenger side.  I run a system one rack and boxes on the bed.  I was thinking about taking the bed off, grinding or drilling off the cross members, and just replacing the crossmembers with tube steel and appropriate spacers.  I know I could get everything lined up with spacers, but I'm wondering if I could get a shop to bend up some u shaped pieces with varying leg lengths, so all I would have to do is weld a piece of flat stock or tube stock up to 3" wide with up to 2" leg.  Can 3/16" be bent, or is 1/8" about it?  Thanks, Nick.
Reply:Anything can be bent. It's just a matter of having the right equipment to bend it. You could easily get 1/4 bent as most steel yards are capable of it on a small scale. (few inches wide) there are press brakes out there that will bend 3-4 inch thick steel plate, but that's shipyard type stuff, your not going to find that at the local steel yard.Offering CNC Plasma cutting and welding projects.Follow me on facebook https://www.facebook.com/nobigdeal.fabSupport those that support WW.
Reply:Doesn't make sense to bend such thick steel. get a sheet metal shop to bend you up some box sections in 18 or 16 gauge, the same as the originals, punch holes for button hole spots and weld with mig. Use sheet metal screws to hold panels together then remove screws after repair and weld holes up.Your best alternative may be to find a used box if you have the money.I am doing a similar job right now on a chevy pickup that was sent into the bush new by an oil co. and only has 40,000 kms on it, the co. assets changed and the truck as sold of to an employee who is now repairing it.But it isn't going to be a cheap repair.