Hello guys, along with the other things to do, I will be removing the bed of the truck in the future so I can do bottom rear corner cab repairs. Any tips about removing the bed? At some point in time, someone welded extruded (?) sheet metal for the bed insteed of replacing the wood floor. I was thinking about unbolting what I can, not detaching the rear fenders, then lifting the bed with fenders up off the frame with a hoist.

Thanks, Monte

 

If you have a hoist, I would center that over the bed, use four straps with hooks on both ends, attach one end to the hoist and the other ends into the stake pockets. It should lift off ok. The other thing to do, is just get a couple friends and lift it off. Or, lift it up, use some long 2x4's and some jack stands, lift the back end of the bed up with your hoist, and put the 2x4 underneath the back and place it on the jack stands and set the back of the bed on the 2x4. Do the same with the front of the bed....then just push the truck out from underneath the bed.

I must say, I've seen and heard of many beds that had a metal plate welded or bolted over the wood. The wood must not have been very good for its intended purpose.

 

Same thing was done to mine. The big question is, did they weld the plate over the wood with holes cut out for the 6 hold-down bolts, that go into the frame?! If there are no holes, you'll have no way to hold the head of the bolts to disconnect it from the frame. Ask me how I know......

 

Thanks for the in put. The wood was removed and it appears that a spacer was placed between the steel floor and the cross members. The floor was though welded to the sides of the bed with angle iron installed along the side walls. If I were to go back to the wood bed, the angle iron would have to be removed. Thanks again, Monte