Aaron-71, thank you very much for that bit of info. I will be trying the brake fluid tonight as I still have the stuff on my fingers. I ordered the Dorman bed bolts 924-311 to try. They should be here by Tuesday. I will let you all know how well they work.

 

No Problem man!

Not to mother you, but wash your hands super well after you're done with DOT3.

I washed mine about 4 times to get the smell/greasy feeling off my hands.

 

I kid you not, I worked with an old man that had the softest hand for being a career diesel mechanic. He would literally rub ATF on his hands at the end of the day, every day, then wash them with Dawn dish soap. Always clean and always soft, even in the winter. Crazy, I know, but it worked.

 

There is a lot of detergent in ATF. ATF and diesel leak clean parts, oil leaks gather grime. Want to clean your tools? Rebuild an automatic transmission.

 

Sorry wrong post area.

 

Errr. Tell that to the *literally* 2 inch thick crust of filth we had to scrape off the frame and gearbox because of the power steering gearbox leaks I finally fixed! (running ATF in the power steering).

 

But the inside is clean as a whistle!

 

 

I bet the area around the actual leak was clean with a trail leading to it.

 

I finally finished the bed and installed it.Before install, I bought the professional grade Rustoleum Bed Liner and rolled it on. I installed the Dorman bed bolts and they all fit. I did have some problems along the way and I will post pics and talk about it later. Got go to work now.

 

I covered as much as possible with the Chassis Saver while I could, including brake and fuel lines.


I tried to sand blast the inside of the bed, but the pos blaster from HF that I borrowed from a friend didn't work for crap. So I got busy with my DA sander and a wire wheel on my angle grinder. Then used the rest of my Rust Mort to wipe down the entire bed. Used the rest of my primer in the back of the bed.



I then used the Rustoleum Bed Liner for the inside bed.








After that dried over night and into the middle of the next day, I tidied up around the frame and installed the clamp nuts for the new bed bolts (Dorman 924-311). I did have to grind down the frame a little on the two holes 3 down from the front, just forward of the aft gas tank.







Grabbed a couple neighbors to help place the bed back down on the truck and bolted it down. FROM THE TOP!!! But, I got to the last bolt and the dang threads gulled up when I was literally 1/8th of and inch to the bottom. It's always the last bolt that gives me crap. But I don't care, bed is installed. And now the search is on for a replacement bumper, until then, the old rusty bent bumper will do.




I will write up all my lessons learned later when I have time and post more pics. I still got to do little odds and ends, but my truck is back to driving condition and I couldn't be more relieved.

 

Ya I love the No Chrome Look,

 

Get some VHT cast aluminum for that bumper. It doesn't give the crappy look chrome paint or silver paint does.

 

I've thought about it, but there is a couple big dents on that bumper. I guess it would look a little better than the rust.

 

So what kind of bolts and clips did you use for mounting the bed? Sorry if I missed it.Cause I,m pulling mine off this winter also.