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I'm looking for the proper running board hardware for my '46. After searching, I've come to the conclusion they may be unobtainium. I can most likely make something work, but have to ask the gurus here, does anyone reproduce the factory style bolts for the running boards?
I have the standard boards used on the half ton pickups. The boards are attached to the mounting brackets with a specially designed 5/16" fine thread carriage "style" bolt. The difference between it and a standard carriage bolt is the factory bolt is designed with an area under the anti rotation square, approx. 5/16" thick, that acts as a spacer to keep from crushing the top of the board into the mounting bracket.
I'll most likely have to use a proper length carriage bolt with an added spacer to make it work if these aren't reproduced. Was just hoping to find a source for them so I don't have to hassle with something for spacers.
If you have under mount running boards like the ones here a carriage bolt would work. You probably have the type where the bolt goes through the top and the square part of the bolt has to fit into the channel below the running board. Here is a pickup bed bolt from a '95 Ford. I think that it could be modified to work to attach the running boards. ^ yes east west
Thanks for the input guys. I have checked with McMaster-Carr and the best I could come up with is a sleeve bushing to use as a standoff on a carriage bolt. Unfortunately the bushings are $4.65 each. I think I'll do something similar, but use a 5/16" nut with the hex points ground off to make them somewhat rounded, thread them onto the carriage bolt and call it good enough. K.I.S.S.
That light colored truck is a thing of beauty. The Tacoma Cream trim really makes the color work....beautifully!
The bolts on my running boards go in from the top of the board and use a standoff built into the bolt intended to tighten against the stiffener attached to the bottom of the board. The standoff is the proper length to compensate for the distance between the top of the board and the stiffener, so as not the crush the top of the board when tightened onto the brace. If I thread a modified nut onto the carriage bolt before installing it, the width of the nut (and how far it's threaded on) should provide enough of a standoff to be able to tighten the bolt against the stiffener and to the brace without crushing the top of the board. I'll make it work.
Thanks again for the help.
I know, I really need to work at getting some pics
In my shop, I would take the hardware store bolts, spin a nut or two on for the proper length of the square shank, weld them down and grind to the square. Probably polish the head markings off on the flap wheel.
In my shop, I would take the hardware store bolts, spin a nut or two on for the proper length of the square shank, weld them down and grind to the square. Probably polish the head markings off on the flap wheel.
That is a good idea; You could also use square nuts and and pre grind the thickness of one of them for the total depth.
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