Looking to remove my bed off my 71' Highboy. Is this really as simple as disconnected the tail lights, unbolting, and lifting it off the frame? I want to get under it and POR15 it and undercoat it. Can I remove it with just a few guys lifting it?

 

Mine is a shortbox; two of us removed the bed, and carried it around the shop without even stopping to rest. Just unplugged the lights, took out the bolts, and packed it off. Watch that you clear the bumper.

 

There are two hidden bolts back by the bumper. They only go through the lower rail of the bed frame, not all the way through the floor.
Otherwise, just unbolt, unplug, and pack it off.

 

You don't need "just a few guys" I have removed them by my self.

You can roll them over on their sides, stand them on their ends and it doesn't hurt them. Crashes is what bends them, not gentle ground touching. Stand one on it's cab end tilt it and get one of these little dollies under it and you can roll it anywhere you want on a floor.

Just be easy with it and you will be surprised.




John

 

Okay, thanks guys....Then its a no brainer. Its definitely worth doing then. Do you guys recommend POR15 plus an undercoating or is a couple coats of POR good enough?

 

I need a new bed as well do you need to spay them with some pb blaster to help get the bolts off or no im guessing cause over 40 years they are probably rusted?

 

A little heat would also help a lot.

 

I sprayed the bolts on my F100 with PB and they spun right off, but it was a WA truck and had very little rust.
On edit: I see that's probably a similar situation for you-

 

I removed 2 of these beds to do a swap from a donor truck last Friday. Half of the bolts broke off, a few actually came loose without breaking and the rest were cut off with a cutting wheel on a 4" angle grinder.

 

i use brake fluid for rusts

 

I took it off today by myself. It wasn't too bad, Jowilker was right. Just did it slow and easy and had no problems. Now putting it on might be a little tougher, but i'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Now I'm just cleaning up the frame and bed and then some POR.

 

Goes back about the same as it comes off.






John

 

is por15 better then rust bullet?

 

I cut the 4 sides off a WM shopping cart, put a 13" piece of 4x4 post under the front and laid a few 2x4's longways (front to back). Makes a great cart for moving it around and keeps it up off the ground pretty good too.

 

If the bolts brake were can i get replacment ones a hardwear store?