Yes, the bed is about 9 feet after cutting. If I still had the truck I'd get precise measurements, but sadly about a year ago this time my wife was faced with losing her job so this was one of the first things to go....
As for the troop seat posts, mine were metal. Wood will work, however, wood when wet has a tendency to expand, which will result in them getting stuck in the bed. There's always guys getting rid of troop seats, so just keep an eye out for them.