Push My 73 bed back just enough
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
From: Thomasville, Georgia
Push My 73 bed back just enough
Hey Guys, I am about to start the bodywork on the 73 Ranger XLT and I was wondering some things about loosening my bed up so I can get to that hard to reach area right below the back window. I don't want to remove my bed just loosen it enough so I can push it back enough to step in to sand back there. How many bolts am I looking at? I searched the forum and found some threads for bed removal on a 76 but none on any 73's. Also it is a lwb truck so i just wanna make sure I am getting all the bolts. Thanks
Elder User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 947
Likes: 0
From: Spokane, Washington
There are 8, and for the life of me I dont remember the size of the nut. Depending on if you have dual tanks or not, the front left one (standing at the rear of the truck looking at the back window) is a big phillips head bit, I personally drilled it out because mine was so rusted out and stuck there was no way in heaven or hell I was moving that thing, and I wasnt going to remove the gas tank to try (but Idk if you can remove the gas tank without the bed) In some cases ( i have seen it on 3 truck beds) your bolt right across from the phillips head one you'll have another phillips head one or not.
does that make sense lol?
does that make sense lol?
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,593
Likes: 2
From: Prairieville, La
It 's been a while since i pulled my bed off. I don't remember any philips heads. my shortbed has 8 bolts. The long bed should have ten. There are the carriage bolts that you see in the bed and two small ones at the very back under the bed floor bolted to the frame. If the bed has been pulled before they might not be there. If you go through that you may as well set the bed onto some sawhorses depending on how long it is going to be apart.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 6,948
Likes: 44
The bed is not heavy, and the amount of effort is required to remove the bed, as it is to just move it back.
You will still have to disconnect the wires, and grounds, as well as any fuel fillers.
Removing the bed might actually be a good thing. You can inspect, and perhaps even clean / paint the frame while the bed is off.
Painting the underside of the bed is easy once it is off too.
You will still have to disconnect the wires, and grounds, as well as any fuel fillers.
Removing the bed might actually be a good thing. You can inspect, and perhaps even clean / paint the frame while the bed is off.
Painting the underside of the bed is easy once it is off too.
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,329
Likes: 0
From: WY
I removed mine a few months back and IIRC all 4 "sets" of bolts were different lengths. Just something to keep in mind as you go to put the box back in place.
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2008
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Epic. haha
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Senior User
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 262
Likes: 0
do your self a favor, find a cut off tool, grinder ect... cut off the bolt heads or if your brave and sure you have no gas tank leaks get under the truck and cutt the bolts off and get new bolts. i tried saving mu old bolts but 30 yrs of rust won the battle in the end the grinder won the war
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,061
Likes: 2
From: London, Ontario Canada
best advice is to remove the bed, just get some chain and some ring bolts? can't think if the name of the bolts withe the bent ring head? then put the bolts through the bed bolt holes then connect the chain to a small engine crane and bingo the box is off!! easy as pie, just make sure you have even lengths of chain and remove the tailgat to aviod denting it on the crane! and you have to add weight to balence it out when the tail gate is off or it will tip forward!, this is what i did on my trucks resto, plus its a good time to check on the mounts for rust. and replace them if needed, its really not that hard, and that is one crazy picture, thats a cheby for ya! rusty frames! that frame snapped like a twig! that would be a interesting position to be in! i wonder how the driver go out? back window! thats when you pray the rusty frame holds! lol
