Cant get bed bolts off.
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Elder User
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Central Florida
Cant get bed bolts off.
Hey guys, spent all day trying to get the damn bed bolts off so I could remove my truck bed, and nothing. I PB blasted used a heat gun and nothing. Is there a tool I can use to break the nut loose or anything? Thanks.
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Joined: Jul 2010
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Easiest way is to grind them or snap them off...you can buy the bolts for like 3 bucks a piece and the caged bolts about 2 bucks a piece.... If you put to much fork on the bolt you will snap the caged bolt and the bolt will just spin... So use a grinder and grind the heads off... Pull the box and change out the caged nuts...
Good luck
Good luck
Fleet Owner
Joined: May 2009
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From: Gilbert, PA
but if the nuts are on that tight you will most likely make the bolt spin in the bed. Then you will have to weld nuts to the heads of the bolts to be able to put a wrench on them
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Elder User
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From: Central Florida
So you'd grind from inside the bed? Thanks for all the input guys.
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From: Virginia
Yes, climb up in the bed and grind away. It's a dirty noisy job, but the only way I know how to get them out. Sometimes they still won't come out because they used weird bolts that are 1/2-13 thread on one end, and some other large size on the top part. But the bed will pull up and off, and then you can easily deal with the rest of the bolt after that.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: May 2009
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From: Gilbert, PA
LMC sell the bed bolts.
As fot grinding the heads off....... Not really gonna help w the FACTORY shouldered bolt. The head will be gone but the shoulder will NOT pull thru thr bed. If it is just a carrage bolt then grinding the head will work, but not on a FACTORY bolt
As fot grinding the heads off....... Not really gonna help w the FACTORY shouldered bolt. The head will be gone but the shoulder will NOT pull thru thr bed. If it is just a carrage bolt then grinding the head will work, but not on a FACTORY bolt
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I got told by several people that grinding would not work, because the bolts are tapered.
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From: Central Florida
Yea it would be pretty hard to grind my factory bolts like Diesel_Brad said as they are rounded on the top side. So I shall try the torch and impact gun if that fails I might try and grind the nuts out from under the bed.
Fleet Owner
Joined: May 2009
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From: Gilbert, PA
Here is why grinding the heads off WILL NOT WORK
87-96 Ford Truck OEM Bed Bolts with Nuts - eBay (item 110630475376 end time Jan-07-11 05:28:50 PST)
Once you grind the head off you will still have the shoulder of the bolt that will NOT pull thru the bed.
Use a torch to heat the nut and a impact gun to take it off. MOST likely the bolt will spin in bed because it is only sheet metal. If that is the case....................
WELD A NUT THE THE HEAD OFF THE BOLT. so some one can then hold the head of the bolt with a wrench or they can spin the bolt while you hold the nut.
BUT once the bilt spins, you can no longer use regualar bed bolts or carrage bolts. the hole will be rounded and the bolt will spin. Then you will have to use regular hex head bolts.
so if you dont want to use hex head bolts i would suggest welding nuts to the heads of the bolts and hold them while taking the nuts off from underneith. Then go to the link above and buy those bolts, antiseaze then well and put those in
87-96 Ford Truck OEM Bed Bolts with Nuts - eBay (item 110630475376 end time Jan-07-11 05:28:50 PST)
Once you grind the head off you will still have the shoulder of the bolt that will NOT pull thru the bed.
Use a torch to heat the nut and a impact gun to take it off. MOST likely the bolt will spin in bed because it is only sheet metal. If that is the case....................
WELD A NUT THE THE HEAD OFF THE BOLT. so some one can then hold the head of the bolt with a wrench or they can spin the bolt while you hold the nut.
BUT once the bilt spins, you can no longer use regualar bed bolts or carrage bolts. the hole will be rounded and the bolt will spin. Then you will have to use regular hex head bolts.
so if you dont want to use hex head bolts i would suggest welding nuts to the heads of the bolts and hold them while taking the nuts off from underneith. Then go to the link above and buy those bolts, antiseaze then well and put those in