Have any of you guys experienced this before? When I look down the bedside to check on body 'straightness', I can't help feeling that my bedsides look bowed-out a bit. More than they should.

But I can't imagine how that could even happen. There's no rust on the truck, the outer panels are in good shape, and the inside of the bed is used but not beat to a pulp or anything. Anyone see this before?

 

Post a pic. Let's see what ya got...

 

Do you have the dent side chrome strip with the black strip inside that? Put a metal straight edge on it and above and below (a 4 ft level works great) and see if it is straight.

 

You could take a string and tape it to the very front of the box between the box and cab.Once the string is taped to the front gap bring it around the outside corner to the outside of the box and over a small hunk of board (3/4"). Pull the string the whole length of the side,nice and tight, and pull it over another 3/4 little piece of wood (or whatever thickness... just do the same front and back) and wrap around the tail light area and tape it good and tight. Now a good visual and an easy measure from the string to the body all the way down thru'. gary

 

That string idea sound like an old carpentry trick I used to use! It would probably be useful.
And yes, I do have the black plastic strip, however, the trim is a bit loose and is probably not helping the situation visually.
I didn't have an extra hand to take pics, but I did my best to hold a 6' straight edge against the upper body line, and measure the gap. The passenger side is definitely out a bit more than the other 3 I measured. (I compared both sides and also compared the measurements with another 6' bed I have)

I'm gonna have to get help to get accurate measurements though, its pretty tricky and inaccurate with only one person juggling everything. I'll reply back and report what I find. Thanks for the ideas guys...

 

"I'm gonna have to get help to get accurate measurements though, its pretty tricky and inaccurate with only one person juggling everything."

That is why the string measurement suggestion was given.1 man,1 string 10 minutes,equals an accurate diagnosis. A string is used many times in my body shop for finding wheel base problems,frame measurements,body/rear bed alignments,etc.etc. A tight string doesn't lie.

 

Oh man. Your right Gary, it just never clicked in my head that the string thing only requires one person. That is the route I'm gonna try. Thanks again for the tip!

 

I just noticed a similar bedside situation on another post, here is a crop of a different truck that looks like mine does... (no disrespect meant to the owner, this truck is beautiful)

It may be nothing. But I could swear that I have seen dentsides that had bedsides were significantly straighter. (?)

 

The wheel arches often rust on these (mine did). Depending on repair technique it may cause some bulge at that location. Agree a string would help a lot in figuring it out.

 

Yes, I could see that as being a culprit for sure, but in this case, the truck has never had any rust.

Could anyone produce a pic of a straight (no bow out) 6' outer bed side (one with the same dent molding as the one I posted above)? Because then we would know that over time something happens to these bedsides to bow them out...

 

i don't think anything would change over time in your situation. Some trucks do have bowed out box sides. The one in the picture is a little extreme. Any pictures of yours? This is my truck sides are straight.

 

Wow loui, that is one nice straight truck you have there. I suspect that if pristine bedsides like yours look like that, then that's what they should look like. I see only a slight gradual curve to the pass side, and the driver's side looks even straighter. But light and angles surely plays a part in that (my acessment). I would have to say that mine does bow out compared to yours. (curiously though, my drivers side looks straighter than my pass side also)

I would snap a pic of mine, but it's a no go due to it being packed in the garage like sardines at the moment (overstuffed garage syndrome), which is why I threw up the pic of the other truck when I happened upon it...