Bed Bolts?
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,101
Likes: 40
From: Pa
Yep 8 total. Good luck getting them all out if you have to. My truck is an 04' and 3 bolts are seized fast and a 800 ft.lb impact couldn't break them loose. Put a 24" breaker bar on just keep snapping torx bits off. I'm going to have to try some heat and hammering. The least the morons at ford could do is use a dab of lati-seize at assembly time.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,082
Likes: 93
From: VA/NH
Originally Posted by dkf
Yep 8 total. Good luck getting them all out if you have to. My truck is an 04' and 3 bolts are seized fast and a 800 ft.lb impact couldn't break them loose. Put a 24" breaker bar on just keep snapping torx bits off. I'm going to have to try some heat and hammering. The least the morons at ford could do is use a dab of lati-seize at assembly time.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 186
Likes: 1
From: New Mexico
That's interesting, mine came right out. I had the bed off of the truck within 72 hours of signing on the dotted line with no issues. Didn't make Mama very happy, to come home to see the new pride and joy dismantled, but hey, after nearly 19 years of marriage she's come to expect such things!
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 11,286
Likes: 263
From: North of Greenville
I'm getting ready to remove my short box bed as well, and have talked with a lot of body repair palces about this same issue. What's been recommended most commonly is to use a penetrating oil (PB Blaster comes highly recommended), and soak the bolts as much as possible form every direction for at least 24 hours. Personally, I'm planning on soaking them down daily for about a week before I try to remove them. This is supposed to make it a bit easier.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,101
Likes: 40
From: Pa
Soaked all the bolts 2 days prior with PB Blaster and again before I tried to take em out. The problem is try to get to the front most bed bolt on the drivers side from underneath and spray it, you can't the gas tank is in the way. (Thats one bolt thats stuck)
The nuts are the clip on type like used on the fender liners and etc and they are junk.
If my 3 bolts break I'm just going to use Grade 8 bolts in place of the stock bolts and machine them if I have to. Then I'll have a nice heavy hex to get them out again when needed.
I would have gotten them out if the bolts weren't Torx, you just don't have anything good to handle the torque necessary. I think to heat the bolts I am going to use a very large soldering iron instead of the acetylene torch.
If they still don't come loose I'm going to slot the heads the whole way across and use a 1/2" drive drag-link socket and lean on it.
The nuts are the clip on type like used on the fender liners and etc and they are junk.
If my 3 bolts break I'm just going to use Grade 8 bolts in place of the stock bolts and machine them if I have to. Then I'll have a nice heavy hex to get them out again when needed.
I would have gotten them out if the bolts weren't Torx, you just don't have anything good to handle the torque necessary. I think to heat the bolts I am going to use a very large soldering iron instead of the acetylene torch.
If they still don't come loose I'm going to slot the heads the whole way across and use a 1/2" drive drag-link socket and lean on it.
Trending Topics
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
They are semi self taping lock nuts that are intergrated with the clip that goes over the top part of the C chanel frame. I have taken several of them outwhen I was working at the body shop for 8 years. With my expirences it ends up breaking the nut clip on the frame and new bolts and nut clips are needed.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
and burn it.