Alright ive been reading on this and i know its been talked about a ton already but i cant exactly find the answer im looking for. I replaced the bed on my 01 250 and i had to cut the orignal bolts. Im going to use 5/8x 4" carriage bolts and ive read alot of people have done this aswell, but my question is, how are they tightening down the two on the driver side by the gas tank because you can't get to the nuts without dropping the gas tank and I'm not doing that. I have a few ideas but im just wonderin what other people did.. thanks fellas

 

go to ford and get the speed clip type and slip them on and your done. instead of using the nuts. thats the easiest way.

 

The common Dorman aftermarket bolts have an internal hex on the head, while the bolts from the Ford dealer have a torx head.

Either design will solve the problem of how do you tighten a common carriage bolt.

 

I really dont want to use those clips cause there pretty much one use only. Once u run a bolt in them your not getting them out

 

I did look at the dorman kit but i dont want to pay or wait for it to get here. The carriage bolts will work really well except for those two once I figure that out I'll be fine

 

Your only option at this point is to use the factory setup or weld a blind nut onto the frame and thread a hex bolt down in there. Make sure you use antiseize and throw primer or Fluid Film on the nuts and the welds or else they'll rot out and spin.

I'm removing a 4 year old bed and I'm needing to blaze the nuts off the bottom with a torch, I don't blame you for looking for ways other than the factory setup.

 

I use the nut plates and bolts but I tap them...Good to go after that..they come with no threads if I remember.

 

Allrighty then then future google searchers that run acrost this, this is what i did. 6 of the 8 bolts i used 5/8 by 4" carriage bolts with three-quarter inch washers so they fit around the square parts of the Carriage Bolts. And i could get to the nuts underneath with a impact to tighten up. The 2 closest to the front of the bed i bought reg hex bolts 5/8 x5" and took my cut off wheel to the heads of them, cutting the head thickness about in half so they dont stick up to proud of the ribs in the bed. On the passenger side i could have used a carriage bolt but the hex bolts came in pairs so i used them both. Now the ticky one is the one on the driver side closest to the cab because of the gas tank. you cant get your hand or tools in there to tighten the nut. So i put the nut in my open end wrench and taped it in with masking tape making sure to leave one side open so the bolt can thread in. Then i taped the wrench to a rusty piece of brake line i had in the scrap pile, while i was in the bed looking into the hole my friend fed the taped together pieces over the top of the gas tank till i seen the nut from up top. I put the bolt in a few threads then put the impact on it and done... all 8 bolts in tight. Sure i wish i would have gotten a washer on it but ill take it. Beats spendin tge money for the proper ford bolts or droping the tank and i dident have to wait for them to get shipped here.