Bed Bolts
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,101
Likes: 40
From: Pa
I used a T50 bits on my 04' and went through a lot of them. I still had to cut off 3 of the bolts. I had an impact with 800ft lbs reverse torque on them and the 3 didn't budge. I then switched to a large 1/2" breaker bar and just shattered bits left and right. I was using SK and the autozone brand torx bits. Truck was only 3 YO when I went to remove the bolts and the underside of the truck was mint. I even drenched the bolts/nuts with PB blaster several times.
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: Rochester
When I removed the bed on my truck I broke 5 bits and three ratchets. I even welded nuts to the top of the bolts trying to remove with out the torch. In the end it was smarter to cut the bolts off with the torch than break any more T50 sockets and ratchets.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,881
Likes: 84
From: Wake Forest, NC
You guys must be talented with the torch to not destroy the bed too! I'm pretty good, but may have been careless too on my trashed bed when i cut it off.
Those bolts are pretty beefy, but I don't understand only using a t50 on them. Should be much larger.
Those bolts are pretty beefy, but I don't understand only using a t50 on them. Should be much larger.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,101
Likes: 40
From: Pa
I actually cut the head off the frontmost drivers side bolt and drilled and tapped the existing bolt 5/16-18 because I couldn't get at it from underneath.(Gas tank in the way)T50 is ridiculous. I would have used a 5/8" hex or a 1/2" square drive you could get a ratchet on.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 758
Likes: 0
From: Texas
We use an air impact wrench and take bed bolts out almost everyday. There's sort of a trick not to break the Torx bits. If you press down and let up too much as the bolt rises, you will cause the Torx bit threads to spin inside the bolt's head and that will break the bit. Try to keep the bit's threads fully engaged inside the bolt's head. We break one every once and a while. Go buy a Sears Craftsmen Torx bit. If you break it, they will replace it for free.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,881
Likes: 84
From: Wake Forest, NC
I've broken lots of different bits, from lisle to snap on, impacted to hand driven. Gave up and torched them. I know the new trucks the linex guys zip the bolts out, but must be on the new trucks.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,060
Likes: 7
From: Burnsville, MN
Here's a suggestion that was provided to me previously that worked really well. The suggestion was to get a brass hammer and hit the bed bolts about three serious blows and it will free them up. Seemed to work well for me!
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 170
Likes: 0
From: Alberta, Canada
I broke 3 or 4 bits when I went to take mine out, and still had none out on my 01, so I got a 1" nut, set it on top of the bolt head,put a cutoff disk in my grinder and cut the bolt heads so that they were a 1" hex head, then used a 1" impact socket with a breaker bar and 3 ft snipe. I worked good, but it was a 6 beer job.
More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 561
Likes: 2
From: Indianapolis, IN
Apply PB Blaster to the bolts immediately and then again before you pull them (from both top and bottom). We apply anti-seize before putting it all back together.
We keep both sizes of bits since they changed back to the smaller size in '08.
We keep both sizes of bits since they changed back to the smaller size in '08.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: ky
the main problem is if you look at the clips the bolts go into when they are new is, the threads aren't completely cut. they are made, it seems, to be a one time deal. on older trucks i usually use a cut-off wheel to cut a tic-tac-toe grid with the torx whole in the middle, then with a chisel break all the little pieces off upwardly. try one bolt then go either way! i broke every imaginable brand bit before developing this method.
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