Should I put the bed back together
 

Hello i have a 1968 c10 swb that i bought a new steel floor for after i got in a wreck and is not lining up with the frame im going to have the frame fixed soon. Question is Should I but the bed back together before i take it to the shop Or build it after it is fixed ?

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

It depends on how much help you have to set it back on the frame after it is all together. If you have plenty of help I would bolt it together but not tighten anything up completely until you have it set back on the frame. If you don't have enough help to do that easily put it together piece by piece on the frame.

LockDoc
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Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

I would ask the frame shop what they want. Personally you should only need the bed floor for any alignment issue. I really don't think they need it on, but since you are paying them from the work, ask what they prefer.

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

Why not tighten the bolts up before mounting to the frame?

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

So you have some movement in the whole assembly, mainly for cab to bed alignment.

LockDoc

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

You mean the bed mounting bolts or literally all the bolts holding the bedsides/front panel to the bed floor?

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

All of the bolts. And don't tack weld the back stake pockets to the floor until everything is tightened up and the tailgate is installed.

LockDoc

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

I mean the bed floor bolts don't line up

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

I understood that part, but if you have the frame straightened it should take care of that. You didn't say how bad the wreck was or post any pictures. If the damage was really bad you may want to consider replacing the frame. Did you have any trouble removing the bolts from the old floor?

I would think it would be easier for the frame shop to straighten and check the frame with the bed off.

I have never used a replacement floor so I don't know if there is any problems with the bolt hole placements on them or not. Maybe someone who has used one will chime in....

LockDoc

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

no trouble the last bedfloor was wood i was hit in the frontend i was spun around .the last 4 bolts are off about 1.5 ''

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

I'm not that familiar on the differences with the steel to wood floor. Are you sure that the steel floor bolt holes are not in different locations than the wood floor ones?

LockDoc

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

The only thing that is different is the front panel all the bolts locations are the same

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

I would just see what the frame shop has to say as Palf70Step mentioned in his post above. Be sure and tell them about the bolts not lining up.

Sounds like the frame is jacked up pretty good.....

LockDoc

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

All things considered, I'd wait until the truck comes back from the frame shop and put it together on the truck a piece at a time. You'll know pretty quick if the new floor sub assembly matches the re-bent frame.

If you can't wait that long and need to make progress, assemble the bed loosely as LockDoc says so that it can be "flexed" if need be to align it. Doing it this way merely risks having to take it back apart, or partially apart, to make modifications to get holes to line up.

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

Which shop are you using? You should ask how they want the bed.

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

[QUOTE=Ol Blue K20;9035500]Which shop are you using? You should ask how they want the bed.[/ I HAVE TWO IM MIND I REALLY DONT KNOW WERE TO TAKE IT IM IN THE EAST BAY

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

I don't know the shops in Concord. But, Just across the bridge is Fairfield with a good one and couple more in Vacaville.

Re: Should I put the bed back together
 

If it's a good shop they will have every measurement of the frame . We had paper manuals and measuring tapes and gauges but now it's all computers and lasers. If your bed dont fit after the straightening it's one of two things either they screwed up (unlikely) or the parts are off . And we all know how well aftermarket parts fit .

My opinion is I would rather tweak the parts to fit than tweak the frame to fit the parts