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So I got a solid used bed. I must remove it from the trailer that it is bolted to. There is a solid 8ft sheet of 3/16 steel welded to the bed floor, which is hiding the bolt heads. The bolts underneath are very rusty, and will break off if I try to remove them.
Any ideas or suggestione on how to get the bolts out and re drill for the re installation?
What does the bed floor look like because that 3/16th metal looks rotted.
Also is that 3/16 metal only tacked welded in place and if so I would grind the tacks and remove the sheet.
Then I would not even try and undo the stock bolts just cut them off. If you try and undo them you may round out the bed hole and you would still need to cut the bolt off. Also the new bolts will not have anything to keep from turning when going back together.
Is that a rust hole in the front left corner?
just my .02
Dave ----
Yeah, that's a rust hole in the header. Yes, 3/16 sheet metal rusted through at the end. Welcome to northeast PA where it's cold and damp 8 months out of the year and salt is dumped on the roads for everything from snow to fog and even big rigs rust in half in record time. The replacement bed is rusty, but nowhere near as bad. As the one that's on the truck now.......so looks like I'll be cutting the bed floor out. Damn. Gotta be a better way. Like a torch and a stick of dynamite lol
Not trying to burst your bubble ........but .......if that 3/16" plate is rusted thru......I would bet there is nothing left of the original bed floor......can probably just lift the bed off............
Not trying to burst your bubble ........but .......if that 3/16" plate is rusted thru......I would bet there is nothing left of the original bed floor......can probably just lift the bed off............
No, it's solid and fairly rust free until the last foot to the tailgate. And the header panel is rotten.2/3 of the Bed floor, cross braces, wheel houses, fender wells and wheel lips all pretty good.
It ain't great, but 85 pct better than what's on my truck now.
Not trying to burst your bubble ........but .......if that 3/16" plate is rusted thru......I would bet there is nothing left of the original bed floor......can probably just lift the bed off............
No, it's solid and fairly rust free until the last foot to the tailgate. And the header panel is rotten.2/3 of the Bed floor, cross braces, wheel houses, fender wells and wheel lips all pretty good.
It ain't great, but 85 pct better than what's on my truck now.
Or use your old bed to layout the bolt locations and use a hole saw to cut the plate from around the bolt heads. Make it a large enough hole to grind the heads off.
I always seem to burn the heck out off myself when the torch comes out. Although, I'm now comfortable with that.
X2 on grind the 3/16 plate welds and remove the plate to get access to the bolt heads. And then just torch off the nuts from the underside.
Careful you do not want to strip the bed bolt square (carriage bolt) holes. Get new bolts, or get new bed bolts with a allen wrench head and tack weld the nuts in place on the frame.
X2 on grind the 3/16 plate welds and remove the plate to get access to the bolt heads. And then just torch off the nuts from the underside.
Careful you do not want to strip the bed bolt square (carriage bolt) holes. Get new bolts, or get new bed bolts with a allen wrench head and tack weld the nuts in place on the frame.
X2 on tack welding the nuts, not that we a take our best off alot, but when you its alot easier.
Tack welding the nuts will be fine....unless the frame is as rusty as the floor. I'm sure there is enough space to get a grinder in there to clean the nut and frame a bit.
I sure don't remember the bed bolts being hex head. Pretty dang sure they are carriage...at least originally. That's why I suggested grinding the heads off. No need to tack or hold onto the nuts...period.
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