Hey everyone. I need to make a patch for my truck bed. It needs to have a sq. hole for one of carriage bolts that hold bed to frame. I thought about welding together two pieces with L cuts to make a square, but it seems like a lot of work. Is there an easier way?

Edit: I should have checked YouTube before I posted. Here is the info I needed: https://www.google.com/search?q=how+...kPIP2vGR-AY_42

 

That's pretty nifty. I'd have spent three hours with a file doing it,

 

Great information for the future! Thanks for posting the follow up.

 

Typicaly, I just drill a slightly larger round hole, and use a carriage bolt and nut, and maybe washers. Nut pulls the carriage bolt in place. I use a drill gage to check for a hole that will still bite in the round hole. Example, 5/16" hole works for a 1/4" carriage bolt. If it's thin sheet metal, a washer helps so the nut will draw up tight. If it's thicker steel, a small file will easily make the 4 corners.

 

get some good files. Sheet metal? Takes a few minutes.

 

I was more referring to my meticulous, OCD nature. It's the main reason the back half of my truck is still disassembled from October 2020. I'm a bit of a perfectionist unfortunately, can't leave well enough alone.

 

I have used a triangular file to square a round hole many times. It doesn't take that long but this is a good alternative if you have the right sized chisels and a great anvil. What I have wished for but haven't yet found is a fixture for my pneumatic chisel that holds a file allowing me to exert pressure on both ends as it reciprocates back and forth at higher than my arm speed. It would need to reinforce the backside of the file lest I break all my files in half. Why hasn't this been invented yet or have I missed it?

 

The legend of the file says to use it one direction only. I use files a ton, finesse and patience. They make pretty quick work and leave perfection.

 

What do you do when the part can't fit in a vice

On my flare side bed side panel bolt lips before I welded them to the sides I drilled holes just the thread would fit through.
I then took a jigsaw to square off the holes using the bolt to test fit so it wouldn't be to big.
Dave ----

 

Seen this? https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post17604608
Get the bed bolt kit that uses a allen wrench to hold the bolt head and then no need for the square to be cut.

"A little thread info thanks to SlickWillie about using the Ford bed bolts for a Superduty on our trucks.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ob-thread.html
Screw- N806251-S103 Nut- N803334-S439 The nut is/should be already pre threaded, or make sure you get them that way.
From Ford the screw is $19.60 EACH the nut is $13.20 EACH. OUCH
Or ck out Doreman kit #924-311
https://www.dormanproducts.com/itemd...SEName=924-311
From Summit $45
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/r...waAuqQEALw_wcB"

 

Right, the gizmo I imagined would have to work that way too.

 

good opportunity to throw some cargo anchors under the bolts as well.

 

Heck ya smart thinking, until you need to flat shovel any thing out of it. Like dirt, gravel, sand, mulch, trash, sawdust, ect...

And put these in the corners/sides.

 

I throw a tarp down, shovel it out until you can pull the tarp and leave it nice and fresh.

 

I do than when I haul leaves in my farm truck, that makes for quick unload. And then detail clean it with elec leaf blower.