I have an idea, but want to see if anybody else agrees.
my bed bolts are spinning, the previous owner must have run into this problem because 1 bolt didnt even have a nut on it and popped right out, and the other five are so loose that only a couple threads caught before the bolt started spinning freely I assume, but on there enough so i cant get them off.

what if I got a metal cutting hole saw that was just a little bigger than the heads of the bolts and cut thru the floor of the bed and then just installed a big washer on the new bolts. Once i have the bed off i can sawzall or cut off wheel the old bolts. Any reason why this wouldnt work? I dont have a welder, and i dont want to angle grind because its too loud for my neighbors to put up with

 

NO NO NO. There is a sleeve inside the crossmember so drilling through the bed floor will do no good, other than ruin your bed

Go to a welder and have him Weld a nut to the head of the bolt so you can hold it with a wrench(I like 3/4") so you can weld the INSIDE and not get wld splatter on the bed floor.

Then you can use regular bolts with washers when you bolt it back down

 

You can also cut the bolt heads off with a grinder if you have a steady hand

 

I took a hunk of bar stock, 1" x 6" by 3/16 and welded it, on edge, to the bolt head. Then a crescent wrench or vise grip will work well. Worked for me. Larry

 

There are captive nuts on the these that clip around the edge of the frame and I suspect the captive part has twisted off so there is nothing holding them now. If the bed bolts are original the only solution to getting these out is to get a wrench on those nuts, and that is only possible with the midship gas tank removed IIRC. Grinding the heads off the bolts will do nothing because they have a shoulder on them that pinches the frame of the bed to the chassis, the only other solution is to literally cut sections out of the bed around each bolt.

 

ok, its probably best not to mess with the bed. I was hoping I could quickly remove the bed to get to the gas tanks. but if i have to remove the gas tanks first to get to the bottom side of the bolts i guess ill have to (they're empty). I don't currently drive the truck so i'm not looking for a quick fix. , i'm tearing it down to the frame to fix rust and anything else I find while i'm in there. I think the bed support rails are junk too and i'll replace those...

...will aftermarket bed rails include the oval insert that keeps new bolts from spinning or will I need a clip or something?

to everyone that replied, thanks for your input

 

It is a lot easier to just to carefully cut the heads off the bolts. I removed a bed with two guys and 2-3 hours. You can replace the bolts with originals from junkyard or 1973-79 truck repops, or adapt some universal or just use double nutted grade 8 bolts and washers as I do.

 

Dont drill the bed, not necessary. good thinking, but not the best idea.

They have nuts on the bottom, I just went through this a couple months ago. 1996 F250. I think its the newer styles that drive from the top and have anchor nuts that clip to the frame. These anchor at the top, in the bed. Same as a carriage bolt, the forward and aft are oval shaped.

Mine were so rusty that there was no way of getting the nuts off.
I ground the head off. almost to the bed, just a sliver left. used a small chisel to chisel the rest of the head off. then used a punch to drive them down through.

The bolts pulled though the bed when i lifted it off, they were pretty much driven down to the frame at that point. I had to help one through as i lifted. i think i just lifted up by hand on the one corner and helped it through by jostling the bed around slightly, i was using an engine hoist to lift it off by myself.

Anyway, This is what i did and it worked for me hope this helps you out.

Edit: For some reason i was assuming you had the same style/year as mine. The grinding you see on the bed floor around the bolt holes was just enough to clean up the edges and the rust. very little was taken off. I plan on using grade 8 or better bolts and large washers to reassemble.

Bolts - youll see they are not round - they are oval, they work the same as a carriage bolt.



Ground down to just a sliver left, then chisel the remainder of the head.



Then i used a punch to drive it down. it pulled through as i lifted the bed.



Heres a few pictures after i removed the box with the bolts still in the frame.


midship - carriage style square

midship

midship

aft Oval style

aft

aft

aft

 

mine's a 93 f150 8ft bed. The pictures were very helpful, thanks. this is the route i will most likely take. and i will use the cherry picker to get it off too

 

Take an angle grinder and cut a vertical flat spot on 2 sides of the of the carriage bolt head. Then you can hold it with a adjustable wrench or the like. Works like a charm. May need to saturate the other end with some sort of penetrating spray to make it easier to come off also. I think I let mine soak overnight with some spray. Had to break some loose with a pull handle then used a impact wrench to do the rest. You will need someone to hold the wrench...

Broncobasher

 

Personally, I would grab the bolt with a vice grips (or double nut) on the end down below and attempt to twist off the nuts. It likely will not go, but hopefully doing this you can shear the bolt clean off. I don't like using angle grinders (except with a wire wheel) under the truck because they shoot sparks everywhere. A sawzall or porta-band may work better if you can get the blade to ride along the frame without gouging it.

 

Weld nuts to the top of the bolt. Then use super duty bed bolts when you put it back together.

 

Oh and never use an impact on the nuts, that's a sure fire way to make them spin

 

Just to be sure you've got enough input, here's my 2 bits: When I pulled my box last fall for a goose hitch install I wanted to figure out a way to keep the fender arches from rotting thru. Pressure washer thru the center stake pocket won't do it. I cut open the side of my '90 and here's what I found. I then cut 2 1" holes on either side of the stake pocket where my pressure washer can be stuck in and blast. I plug them with 1" plastic body plugs, NAPA, National Bushing etc carry. Very happy with this. Larry

Showing the pocket that collects dirt, turns to mud and never dries out. Salty mud in MN

1" clean out holes

I pulled the bed from this southern truck to install a goose hitch and generally clean and inspect.

My "system"

 

Hey, those holes are a good idea. I’ve always reached up and sprayed them with oil every year. Even a couple of times a year to really get it good and soaked. A garden hose flushes them out fairly well from the bottom, but never really cleans them out.

I’ve had good luck with it in that area. There is so much salt used where I am, it’s a necessity every spring to do it in those areas. I have so much dirt and oil up in there now all stuck and preserving, I don’t really want to pressure wash, just rinse out as much salt as I can, and keep it soaked with more oil.

good tip, thanks. I think I’ll do that myself for easier access. Funny how you never think of the simplest things.