Bed bolt specs for '79 SWB?

[brossow]

Anyone have the specs for the bolts that hold the bed to the frame for a '79 shortbed fleetside? (My '79 came with the bed unbolted or else I'd just measure what I already had.) I can't help but think I could find what I need at the local hardware store rather than paying the inflated prices + shipping to buy a bolt kit from one of the usual vendors or eBay. Don't need anything fancy, just something to hold it on while I move it around and work on it, and figured it would be easier to ask here than go the trial-and-error route.

Thanks,
Brent

[brossow]

GMCPaul came through for me via email less than half an hour after I sent them a message -- not bad for a Friday evening! Here they are in case anyone comes across this thread in the future looking for the same info:

Qty-8 1/2" - 13 X 4 1/2" Carriage bolts, flat washer, lock washer & nut.

[brossow]

I'm following up to say I think those specs are slightly wrong. Should be (on my '79 at least) six of the 4.5" carriage bolts and two 10.5" carriage bolts. Just crawled under my truck to verify, because I had seen several kits with two longer bolts, and the second bolt back (starting nearest the bad) on each side apparently goes through a tube in the frame and comes all the way out on the bottom, whereas the other six bolts only need to extend to the top of the frame. Since the frame is 6" tall, I figure the two longer bolts need to be 10.5" or thereabouts. So to recap, actual bolt specs should be:

(6) 1/2-13 x 4.5" carriage bolts + flat washer, lock washer & nut
(2) 1/2-13 x 10.5" carriage bolts + flat washer, lock washer & nut

[85gmcguy]

You don't necessarily have to use the longer bolts if you can get your hand far enough into the tight space to get washers and nuts installed. It's not easy.

I got stainless carriage bolts/washers/nuts from Grainger fairly cheap.

[brossow]

Originally Posted by 85gmcguy

You don't necessarily have to use the longer bolts if you can get your hand far enough into the tight space to get washers and nuts installed. It's not easy.

I got stainless carriage bolts/washers/nuts from Grainger fairly cheap.

Maybe for some years? I felt around up there to see if that was possible and in my frame it's a solid tube from to to bottom and unless that tube comes out (didn't try to pull on it) there's no way to avoid passing a long bolt all the way through the frame.

[brossow]

FWIW, I ended up going with six 4.5" bolts and two 12" bolts. The 10" bolts I brought home were just a bit too short (10.5" would truly have been perfect) and I couldn't find another size between 10" and 12" locally. The 12" ones are no big deal -- the extra length doesn't interfere with anything and they're not visible unless you're crawling under the truck, so they're plenty good for my current needs. If I ever do the truck up right I may buy the correct bolts, but in the meantime the bed is secured, which is more than I've been able to say since the truck arrived in 2010.