problems in bed.....
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old and in the way
Joined: Jul 1997
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From: Lovely Hueytown Alabama
bobby,
rear c.m. sllides into bedsides where the rear stake pockets are... and the tailgate hinge and tail light bolts hold it in place. No way to move it... it's backside is flush with the bed end and the roll pan mounts to it on that side...
Sam... never thought of that... duh ? My rear c.m. has no holes in the top like yours but then again I bought it a looooong time ago...
notching the orig will solve the problem of getting nuts up in there to hold down the rear cover angle for sure
but thinking about notching the orig... the rear c.m. really helps support the bed sides and the wood right ??? I don't want to weaken it, do I ... that's why I thought of the tubing... my c.m. is a three sided thingy with the bottom open... think adding the notches would make it weak enough to cause a problem ???
see... that's why I ask you guys these questions... you get all the cobwebs out of my head...
rear c.m. sllides into bedsides where the rear stake pockets are... and the tailgate hinge and tail light bolts hold it in place. No way to move it... it's backside is flush with the bed end and the roll pan mounts to it on that side...
Sam... never thought of that... duh ? My rear c.m. has no holes in the top like yours but then again I bought it a looooong time ago...
notching the orig will solve the problem of getting nuts up in there to hold down the rear cover angle for sure
but thinking about notching the orig... the rear c.m. really helps support the bed sides and the wood right ??? I don't want to weaken it, do I ... that's why I thought of the tubing... my c.m. is a three sided thingy with the bottom open... think adding the notches would make it weak enough to cause a problem ???
see... that's why I ask you guys these questions... you get all the cobwebs out of my head...
Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 22,014
Likes: 9,957
From: Rio Rancho, NM
John,
I was afraid of that. I knew it sounded to simple.
You could try notching the original. If it seemed too wimbly-wambly after poking holes in it you could possible add a few cross pieces across the open bottom end of it to stiffen it back up.
....or.....if you do decide to fabricate a new rear x-member you might be able to fab it out of 1" wide tubing instead of 2" wide, thereby eliminating the need to spend all the time notching it.
...just tossing crap out there.....
Bobby
I was afraid of that. I knew it sounded to simple.
You could try notching the original. If it seemed too wimbly-wambly after poking holes in it you could possible add a few cross pieces across the open bottom end of it to stiffen it back up.
....or.....if you do decide to fabricate a new rear x-member you might be able to fab it out of 1" wide tubing instead of 2" wide, thereby eliminating the need to spend all the time notching it.
...just tossing crap out there.....
Bobby
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From: Lovely Hueytown Alabama
well you got me thinking Bob...
instead of cutouts... why not just wack a corner off the 2x4 tube the full length???
sorry the drawing is a little sketchy... was in a hurry
still have plenty of meat for strength and a slot to get the nuts into for the bedwood and the rear sill ???... by george... I think we have a solution...
Bob, you're not nearly as dim as Penn Dick says you are...
j
but thinking a little further.... leave the ends intact... so it would fill the stake pocket properly and just notch out the whole "inside bed" part !!! but I'm not trying to sketch that... it's late
instead of cutouts... why not just wack a corner off the 2x4 tube the full length???
sorry the drawing is a little sketchy... was in a hurry
still have plenty of meat for strength and a slot to get the nuts into for the bedwood and the rear sill ???... by george... I think we have a solution...
Bob, you're not nearly as dim as Penn Dick says you are...
j
but thinking a little further.... leave the ends intact... so it would fill the stake pocket properly and just notch out the whole "inside bed" part !!! but I'm not trying to sketch that... it's late
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,591
Likes: 14
From: Pflugerville, tx
I would make 6 half moon cuts in the ecm, and fold that edge UP, level with the top of the cross member..
then drill hole for bolt thru that new flange.
this will hold the boards DOWN (don't need much strength here), and the cross member will still support the weight.. you gonna haul a bedload of rock? in your pretty bed?..
most thats been in mine is me, cleaning the bed floor.
to do what you want you have to completely disassemble the bed.. mine is remove the wood. (yes it would be easier using a drill press to make the cuts)
then drill hole for bolt thru that new flange.
this will hold the boards DOWN (don't need much strength here), and the cross member will still support the weight.. you gonna haul a bedload of rock? in your pretty bed?..
most thats been in mine is me, cleaning the bed floor.
to do what you want you have to completely disassemble the bed.. mine is remove the wood. (yes it would be easier using a drill press to make the cuts)
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old and in the way
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From: Lovely Hueytown Alabama
I would make 6 half moon cuts in the ecm, and fold that edge UP, level with the top of the cross member..
then drill hole for bolt thru that new flange.
this will hold the boards DOWN (don't need much strength here), and the cross member will still support the weight.. you gonna haul a bedload of rock? in your pretty bed?..
most thats been in mine is me, cleaning the bed floor.
to do what you want you have to completely disassemble the bed.. mine is remove the wood. (yes it would be easier using a drill press to make the cuts)
then drill hole for bolt thru that new flange.
this will hold the boards DOWN (don't need much strength here), and the cross member will still support the weight.. you gonna haul a bedload of rock? in your pretty bed?..
most thats been in mine is me, cleaning the bed floor.
to do what you want you have to completely disassemble the bed.. mine is remove the wood. (yes it would be easier using a drill press to make the cuts)
this what you mean ???
my bed will be like yours in weight carrying !!!
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,292
Likes: 8
From: sparta ky.
John, are you sure the front cross member is in correctly, it is offset so maybe it needs to be swapped end to end .
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Thread Starter
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old and in the way
Joined: Jul 1997
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From: Lovely Hueytown Alabama
Well Sam... you know me well.... there is always that possiblity... I've been bassackwards before
but I don't think so... here's a pic of the front crossmember attached to the bed... if it were backwards (spun around on the wrong axis) the mounting tubes for the bed bolts would be outside the bed and wouldn't line up with the bed brackets that are mounted outside the frame rails... would it ???
and here's Mid-50s pic
but I don't think so... here's a pic of the front crossmember attached to the bed... if it were backwards (spun around on the wrong axis) the mounting tubes for the bed bolts would be outside the bed and wouldn't line up with the bed brackets that are mounted outside the frame rails... would it ???
and here's Mid-50s pic
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,591
Likes: 14
From: Pflugerville, tx
Well Sam... you know me well.... there is always that possiblity... I've been bassackwards before
but I don't think so... here's a pic of the front crossmember attached to the bed... if it were backwards (spun around on the wrong axis) the mounting tubes for the bed bolts would be outside the bed and wouldn't line up with the bed brackets that are mounted outside the frame rails... would it ???
and here's Mid-50s pic
but I don't think so... here's a pic of the front crossmember attached to the bed... if it were backwards (spun around on the wrong axis) the mounting tubes for the bed bolts would be outside the bed and wouldn't line up with the bed brackets that are mounted outside the frame rails... would it ???
and here's Mid-50s pic
Sam
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,757
Likes: 138
From: Alberta Canada
Woes in bed
John;
I'm having some of the same issues in bed as you; I originally thought it was attributed to age, but I think fitment on the cross member comes into play as well. :0)
I will have to remove my gas tank in order to get the nuts on the carriage bolts at the back of the bed; as well my cross member seems to be lower than the frame crossmembers. I will need to shim the back to have the boards level with the rest of the bed. I am goiing to use a s/s end trim across the back of the bed, so having the gas tank off will make this install easier.
When I installed my bed boards, I did not layout the whole bed prior to fastening them down, so I ended up with a gap that is wider than the last board. I will have to "fill the void" with wood or metal . The spacing between boards compounds as the centre is reached. I was going to have to make some adjustments to the bed anyway, as I will be routing in a fuel door to cover my gas filler cap.
Thread Starter
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old and in the way
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From: Lovely Hueytown Alabama
so here's an afternoon's work...
first I took the 2x4 tubing and added 5 in or so to it to get the right length
I started cutting out notches with a hole saw... and didn't like that... then tried using Metabo with cut off wheel and making square notches... didn't like that... gawd I'm picky... then I cut the whole corner of the tube out with my plasma cutter, dressed it slightly and added the mounting angles on the inside (bedside of truck)
then I slid it into place for fit (sorry, some of the pictures are a little busy, but I wasn't gonna move all that crap... zoom in !
[IMG]http://jniolon.classicpickup.com\bedassembly\crossmember3 .jpg[/IMG
so, Sam, Bobby, et all..... watcha think
john
first I took the 2x4 tubing and added 5 in or so to it to get the right length
I started cutting out notches with a hole saw... and didn't like that... then tried using Metabo with cut off wheel and making square notches... didn't like that... gawd I'm picky... then I cut the whole corner of the tube out with my plasma cutter, dressed it slightly and added the mounting angles on the inside (bedside of truck)
then I slid it into place for fit (sorry, some of the pictures are a little busy, but I wasn't gonna move all that crap... zoom in !
[IMG]http://jniolon.classicpickup.com\bedassembly\crossmember3 .jpg[/IMG
so, Sam, Bobby, et all..... watcha think
john