I'm looking to replace the bed bolts on my 73 F-100 and am looking for potential replacements. I grabbed a bed bolt from the newer F-150s/250s, but they are round bolts vs. the carriage bolts that are standard for the 70s. Is there another manufacturer/year that utilizes a carriage bolt that would transfer over easily?

I realize I could jsut round out the carriage bolt holes in the bed, but I would rather not do that if I had to.

JLS

 

I think most of us just use standard Grade 8 bolts with a lock-nut or go to the newer style bolts with the captured nut on the frame.

The old style carriage bolt arrangment is a pain the ****...

Josh

 

I have always used carage bolts from the local hardware store,1/2" by what ever length you need. They can be found in plain steel or galvanised.

 

LMC sell a bed bolt kit

 

Dennis Carpenter sells the correct bolt for the bed. The DC bolt is on the lower left.

 

On that Dennis Carpenter bolt, is the head a normal carriage bolt, or does it have a Torx or hex head?

 

The DC bolt has the standard carriage bolt head. It has a long square shank that fits the square hole in the bed.

 

I think a lot of people just use hex head bolts since they are so much easier to deal with. I was thinking I might use hex head bolts and once I have the bed mounted, tack the nuts to the frame so I never have to deal with em again!

 

That's my thought on the matter. Besides that, the square holes in the bed of my truck are more oblong and egged shaped after 36 years.

Tacking the nuts to frame is a good idea. I like how the newest trucks come with u-nuts or captured nuts that clamp onto the frame which makes the process a one-man job.

However, I had my buddy help re-install the bed so since he was there he was able to tighten the bolts from the top and I could use a standard wrench from the bottom.

But, if a person is going for concourse-de-elegance' then that won't work...
Josh

 

Yep! But if thats the case they wouldn't wanna upgrade to newer ones, either. It'd be nice if someone made with flat heads and a big torx or hex insert into them like someone mentioned above.

 

I'd say a good specialty bolt and screw store should have some button "smooth" headed torx or allen style 1/2" bolts. I didn't check when I did mine. I just used grade 8 hex heads with flat washers, lock nuts with nylon inserts and anti sieze since I use a rubber mat anyway. They came off real easy with a friend up top with the air wrench and me under the bottom when I swapped chassis. Much easier then doing the offset grinder boogie like on the originals.

I use to go to Knoxville Bolt & Screw here in East TN to get specialty bolts for machines at work. Seems like they always had nearly any style, size and length you wanted. Might be worth looking around before settling for a dreaded carriage bolt that might just end up spinning on you for some good swearing affects.

 

These are the bed bolts for newer Super Duties... if I were to do mine over again I would go this route with the u-nuts on the frame. They are torx head bolts.

Josh

 

Yea, Their's them smooth headed torxer's. Good deal, I figured there was such an animal around close by. That would be a great way to go.

Josh, I really like the looks of your FE Dual Quad setup. Makes me think of the older Mercurys and such. Steve McQueen would be proud of you.

Sometimes I think of my 77 highboy as an F250 Lincoln by it having a 460 out of a 78 Lincoln aboard. Usually when I go to Advance or Autozone parts counter, to simplify things when they say what vehicle, I just say a 78 Lincoln Continenital.

 

Oh man, don't get me started on that! Especially now, 1974 truck, with 90s alternator, 90s electric fan, 80s intermittent wiper switch, modern headlights with relays, late 70s duraspark, late 60s engine, early 70s tranny, early 60s carbs and intake YADDA YADDA YADDA....

I pretty much look up my part numbers at home before I go...

Josh

 

When I had my 94 nissan 240sx done, I had a 96 240sx hubs and differential, 96 300zx brakes and rear spindles and shocks, the motor was a JDM motor that took some parts off a 92 Sentra and some off an 88 200sx... it got hard to keep things straight. I actually had a spreadsheet I made for it!

And now my truck is a 77 F150 body on a 78 F250 frame with axles out of a 79 F350 and a 92 F250, a lincoln motor (actually my 460 might be out of a truck, its got the saginaw box?), and transfer cases out of who even knows what years (203/205 doubled)...

Front 1 ton ford brakes, rear 1 ton chevy brakes....
I'm so not forward to having to keep all this straight as I get everything together and doubtless will need lots of small pieces. And even worse a few years down the road as I'm maintaining it.