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I can’t seem to find much information on OEM Bed Bolts. I was hoping someone might have a part number. Probably looking for NOS. Doubt these are still made. 75 F100 short bed
I am aware the aftermarket has some available but at a glance they all appear to be cheap grade 5’s. I know I can also simply go with standard hardware. Looking for the exact part that is supposed to be there.
I will reuse cleaned old hardware if NOS are unavailable.
You are correct, most of the "kits" are just 1/2"-13 carriage bolts.
Dennis Carpenter has the correct style bed bolts however, they are all the same length so you'll need to shorten them as needed. https://www.dennis-carpenter.com/en/...t-kit-set-of-8
You are correct, most of the "kits" are just 1/2"-13 carriage bolts.
Dennis Carpenter has the correct style bed bolts however, they are all the same length so you'll need to shorten them as needed. https://www.dennis-carpenter.com/en/...t-kit-set-of-8
I was just looking at those before posting. They don’t appear to be made by DC. Usually DC indicates made in USA and Original Ford Tooling on the parts they make. That kit appears to be the same exact aftermarket set sold everywhere which, judging by the lock washers and non-locking nut, seem to be a ticking time bomb waiting for a bed to fly off a truck somewhere.
Sorry. Feels like I got myself on a little rant there.
If anyone has purchased the aftermarket set, and can speak to the hardness of the bolt, I would be interested to know if they are in fact hardened. I could source my own self-locking nuts.
I was just looking at those before posting. They don’t appear to be made by DC. Usually DC indicates made in USA and Original Ford Tooling on the parts they make. That kit appears to be the same exact aftermarket set sold everywhere which, judging by the lock washers and non-locking nut, seem to be a ticking time bomb waiting for a bed to fly off a truck somewhere.
Sorry. Feels like I got myself on a little rant there.
If anyone has purchased the aftermarket set, and can speak to the hardness of the bolt, I would be interested to know if they are in fact hardened. I could source my own self-locking nuts.
I have a set from LMC and those were just GR 2 carriage bolts, literally the same bolts you can buy from Home Depot. DC's set has the correct large head and square shank as the original bolts. I can't speak to the hardness, don't remember any markings on the heads of either the OEM bolts or the DC set and right now everything is packed away ( I just moved to a different state and won't finish unpacking until the new house is done).
I sourced locking nuts that look original from AMK Products in Winchester, VA. I didn't like the nut and lock washer idea either.
Here are a couple of pictures I found of the bolts, still doesn't show the head but a little bit better than the DC site picture. In the first picture you can also see the flanged self locking nut I'm going to use. It's at the end of the bed bolt.
Thanks for the responses. The bed is subject to lots of vibration hence my concerns with the lock washer/non-self locking nut.
Grade 2 is stupid. Might as well go with zip ties at that rate.
The bolts from DC may just be hardened. I have seen plenty of hardened hardware without the goldish color cadmium finish. The similarities to other unbranded kits such as the one from LMC referenced gives me cause for concern though.
You can buy nylock nuts anywhere. grade 2 is more than enough to hold a pickup bed on . I get the desire for the original look but as far as functionality you couldn't break grade 2 bolts off it you rolled it.
I looked up the P/N for OEM and I was surprised, the catalog shows the bed bolts as all the same length. I could swear they're different.
The catalog shows:
Bolt, 1/2"-13 X 3 3/4" P/N 384865-S40 I couldn't locate any dealer or obsolete parts supplier that had any
Nut, self locking 1/2"-13 P/N 33773-S2 Green Sales, Cincinnati, OH has 90 (800) 543-4959
The catalog says nothing about hardness, neither does the shop manual.
Just a personal opinion. I think you're obsessing a little too much on the hardness. From a strictly technical standpoint six GR 2 would be more than strong enough to hold the bed in place. A GR2 bolt has a minimum tensile yield strength of 74,000 Lbs. A GR8 has 150,000 lbs. This is per square inch of cross section.
Did some quick calculations. The minor diameter of a 1/2"-13 bolt is 0.4041" that equates to 0.13 square inches of cross section. That means a GR2 1/2"-13 bolt has a tensile strength of approximately 9,620 lbs, a GR8 would be approximately 19,500 lbs. That's each bolt.
I looked up the P/N for OEM and I was surprised, the catalog shows the bed bolts as all the same length. I could swear they're different.
The catalog shows:
Bolt, 1/2"-13 X 3 3/4" P/N 384865-S40 I couldn't locate any dealer or obsolete parts supplier that had any
Nut, self locking 1/2"-13 P/N 33773-S2 Green Sales, Cincinnati, OH has 90 (800) 543-4959
The catalog says nothing about hardness, neither does the shop manual.
Just a personal opinion. I think you're obsessing a little too much on the hardness. From a strictly technical standpoint six GR 2 would be more than strong enough to hold the bed in place. A GR2 bolt has a minimum tensile yield strength of 74,000 Lbs. A GR8 has 150,000 lbs. This is per square inch of cross section.
yeah. I am. Trying to do this right. Not interested in some half hearted Chinese crap.
yeah. I am. Trying to do this right. Not interested in some half hearted Chinese crap.
I can fully sympathize with you. I have my own project underway ('73 F100 longbed 2WD 390 C6). I'm shooting for an F100 like I would've like to been able to order in '73. Not 100% dead stock but close.
Here's a link to my build thread: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...with-pics.html
I can fully sympathize with you. I have my own project underway ('73 F100 longbed 2WD 390 C6). I'm shooting for an F100 like I would've like to been able to order in '73. Not 100% dead stock but close.
Here's a link to my build thread: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...with-pics.html
that looks great! I like how you documented your progress. I could never find a good starting point to begin documenting so never did.
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