anyone who purchased a new bed or bedsides, did you have to cut out this little section to get the tailgate to fit?

 

The bed kit I got is different than yours. Mine is almost flush with the rear cross member. Yours appears to extend all the way to the end of the flange. I don't think your tailgate will fit like that.

I did have to cut the tailgate itself where the hinges fit. It was too wide so I cut it to fit.

 

The simple answer is that the flange should be as long as the bed wood...the end of the flange should stop at the same point as the end of the board. Bed boards are 78 inches in length.

 

Well my side panel is measuring 78 5/8"
and that's just the side panel flange. i'm at a loss of words here....

 

No words needed...trim the flange to 78 inches and you're good.

 

1953/56: Two different tailgates:

6 1/2' bed: 49 13/16" long.

8' & 9' beds: 54 13/16" long.

 

Are re you talking about width of tailgate? I have 49 13/16"

 

... ...

 

thanks, got it on. fits good now.

 

Whose bedsides did you buy?

How did you trim it? That wouldn't be easy to get it cut really straight.

 

So you fixed it? Good. From your pictures it looked !Ike the bed sides were too long too.

 

Bought them from LMC. bedsides are 78 3/4". Notched it out with a grinder

 

Having an issue with the tailgate now. One side closes perfect, the other side falls short of closing about 1/2". It feels like it's hitting on something. I've looked everywhere. I'll post pics when I get home. It feels like it's binding because the other side is already closed. I've measured diagonally and I'm pretty close to perfect. Just over 1/8" off. Kinda feels like my tailgate is twisted or something....

 

If it is binding at the bottom put some shims or washers on the hi be bolts to bring it out a bit.

 

Hi abe,
what are hi be bolts?


here is the good drivers side





not so good passenger side..