I searched this thru the old forums and all i could find was that people are using make shift parts from home depot, etc. please advise if anyone else has done this and what they used. Details below.

I am getting ready to paint my 77 f150 and removed all the bed tie down hooks (stock ones with the 2 screws on the outside and gasket underneath). The screws fasten into the bed by the use of a nut or ? that appears to be press fitted into the bed. I can not find a supplier of this nut that is pressed into the 2 holes in the bed. I had to drill out 2 of them and need to replace them. Again, i searched the old forums and did not come up with much.

Please advise if you have came across this and what you did.

Thanks in advance

Rich

 

It sounds like you are talking about nutserts or threaded inserts. They work like pop rivets. You need a special tool to install them, very similar to a pop riveter. Try your local hardware store. If you don't have any luck everything you need is available from Grainger and other industrial suppliers.

 

The assembly is similar to the mirror bolts.

They are screws with threaded inserts.

You will need to improvise.

 

2nd that i have the said tool it works great but i just used # 12 ss screws for the simple reason if you dont get enough clamping force the 1st time you are screwd as the nut will start turning on the back side

 

376903S40 .. Nut / 1/4" -20 x 1/2"

MSRP each: $4.75 // FTEpartsguy.com price each: $2.86

These come on a package of 4. No dealer in KY has any, so you'll have to special order them, or...

GREEN SALES CO. in Cincinnati OH has 103 = 800-543-4959.

(Jermafenser: Illustrated: Section 400, page 1)

 

thanks number dummy, do you need the special nut insert tool to install these as well?

 

No...you don't need any special tool...they just press in...use you fingers.

These are expander type nuts..when you tighten the screw, the nut expands.

You might even find a similar nut at NAPA, or at auto paint supply stores, where body shops buy their hardware.

If the old nuts are stuck in the body...use a pair of needle nose pliers...insert in the nut, expand the pliers...then pull.

 

thanks for the help. much appreciated. Happy Easter

 

Check your Ace Hardware, I noticed just last week the one near me had some. Totally surprised me when I saw it.

Josh

 

We/I used to refer to them as barrel nuts, usually can get them at an auto paint supply warehouse, good quality! I set the barrel nut in place in the truck sheet metal and used a makeshift sleeve, socket, a piece of tubing or stacked washer, kind of like you woulld make up to pull a lug nut stud into an axle flange/hub, and tightened up the bolt, I used a similar thread bolt instead of a screw because of the ease in tightening the barrel nut into place. I did this when I did not have access to the correct tool which just threaded in and you pulled the threaded portion back the same way that a pop rivet gun works

 

 

Perfect. thanks a million