I have searched extensively through this forums past posts for info on the above, but can't find difinative answers.

Many state the bed bolts are actually carriage bolts. Some state carriage bolts with the square part being extended.

I just cut/ground the nut off from the bottom because it had rounded off while trying to remove the forward passenger side bolt.

After removing the bolt, it's not really a carriage bolt of the standard variety with about 1/4 inch of square 1/2 x 1/2 stock immediately below the head.

It has instead an oval section .650" x .750" about an inch long and my bed has an elongated slot to accomadate it.

I have a 1994 Ext Cab with a seven foot bed.

Does anyone know which years had these types of bolts ??

Does anyone know if I grind off the head, does the crossmember attached to the bed that sits above the rail also have an elongated slot so that I can just lift the bed off. ??

I don't want to cut or grind off the nut above the gas tank, just too many sparks and not enough room

 

Most people around here just put regular carriage bolts back on. Hey I live in rust belt and those stock bolts are $ new and impossible to find used and trashed on removal of bed. And the beds stay on.
Some one will pipe in with real info. Good luck

 

If you grind the heads completely off the bed will lift over the bolt body... had to do this to get my old bed off last year when I replaced it. I bought new bolts from Ford, but be advised you have to buy the whole set, can't buy just 1. Carriage bolts may work, but there's no way to hold the bolt and stop it from spinning later if you want to remove the bed again. The new Ford bolts have a large Torx socket in the head and come with captive nuts.

 

I took my bed off to weld in some floor patch panels and all i did was grind the heads off the bolt, then got a screw driver and beat them through the floor. After that i was able to lift the bed right off. I put a body lift on while doing so and the bolts that came with it were just regular hex head bolts. Cant remember what grade they are, but after that just held a wrench on top and had someone under the truck tightening the bolts up. Its held up so far.

 

I know all that stuff guys, but thanks.
What I'm looking to know is

#1 Which year trucks had the .650" x .750" oval carriage shoulders on them ??
#2 Does the bed rail below the hole in the bed have an oval slot also ??

 

My 95 have the oval and it seems like the hole when deeper than the bed tin but not 100% sure.

 

Thanks sub

 

Question #1. Can't say difinitively, but I do see alot of them with the oval sleeved bolts on the 80 - 86 dual tank beds and the same with the 87 up dual tank beds. Also it is interesting that the 73 - 79 with the dual tanks used a round top round sleeved bolt with a phillips slot in the top and a giant fender nut on the frame. So maybe these odd bolts are a dual tank phenom?

Except that theory falls apart when I look at this bed that has your oval sleeves up front and "round head - round sleeves" in the rear...go figure?!?!

Question #2. Yes and No. The bottom holes in the cross sills of the bed are round but they are all oversized enough to let all sleeves on all type bolts to slid right thru the bed. So yes, you can grind the tops off and lift the bed. (I just walked around a loose bed and checked this for you). The only thing is the sleeves might catch the edge of the hole coming thru and you would have to wiggle the bed around to uncatch the sleeves, but they will fit thru there.

But I can't say if that is the case with the holes in the truck frame as well. I would assume there is enough clearance to get the sleeves thru but it is fine either way as you can just cut the sleeve off and drive them out. (Carefull of your frame wires and lines!)

 

Thanks Mike......I really appreciate the extra effort.