Bed bolt question

[slow_90firebird]

Ok one of the projects I wanted to tackle before winter was taking the bed off and finding a new way to secure it down to the frame. And also make some spacers to adjust the way it sits on the frame.

After reading the other thread on here called "flexed out bed" i realized that i am not alone in having all kinds of factory shims and the bed is still not straight. I would rather use blocks with holes than body shims though because shims fall out eventually.

Last year I tried to loosen the bed bolts near the rear and three broke clean off in the bed. So I am driving around with 5 now.

I wouldnt mind taking out the bed liner and running big 1/2" bolts and washers from the top down... but how would I know where to drill the holes?

I cant be the only one who has had these dinky little stock bolts break off, what have you guys done?

[Richie O]

As rusty as my 93 was every bolt came out. I used washers for shims so they would not fall out if it rattled loose. I ended up with a ton of washers twords the rear of bed. I guess just break them off, flip the bed over and drill from the underside right through the bolt, then on through the bed. The older chevys had the long carriage bolt and that would work fine. I saw a guy once with a rusted out chevy bed that had saw blades for washers because the bolt hole was rotted pretty big.

[slow_90firebird]

Sounds like alot of work... Did you keep the 5/16 bolts or go up a size? I really don't wanna flip it over I have helped flip a 6' bed it's no fun even with 8 ppl.

I need to look again but I was thinking along the lines of drilling holes straight down before I take the bed off, but drill them in a different spot forward or rear

[BobS]

A couple of years ago I bought a bed from AZ which was installed on a local PA truck for about a year. Two of the bed bolts were broken off. One had about half an inch exposed so that one got a nut welded on and removed it. The other one was just about flush. I took a grinder with a wire wheel and cleaned the stub end, then I took a centering prick punch and gave it a center whack. Next step was to take the mig welder and carefully multi weld a gob of weld to the center of the bolt. This created heat and a stubby glob to grab onto which permitted removal. This method works provided you do not acidentally weld the broken bolt to the bed.

The bed is designed to flex at a reduced rate with the flex of the truck frame. If you bolt it rigidly to the frame it is forced to flex more than what it was designed to do. I have a truck here that somebody installed an aluminum tool box behind the cab. The areas around the tool box mounting bolt holes in the bottom of the bed are cracked because it is bolted rigidly to the frame.

[dazedandconfused]

I really don't wanna flip it over I have helped flip a 6' bed it's no fun even with 8

It took 8 of you to flip a 6' bed? It took 2 people to pull mine off. It only takes 3 of us to pull a 8' bed.

[Mark Nixon]

I really don't wanna flip it over I have helped flip a 6' bed it's no fun even with 8

It took 8 of you to flip a 6' bed? It took 2 people to pull mine off. It only takes 3 of us to pull a 8' bed.

Huh, you guys actually have people who like to help you?
I R&R them, cabs and engines by myself usually.
Lately, my steel "friend", in the form of an IH tractor lift, has been an immense help.

Around here, either I do it myself or get extremely lucky and find an extra hand.

But mostly I do it on my own.

Mark.

[dazedandconfused]

My dad or brother usually help.