Bed hardware

[57chevyman]

Hey y'all . Does anyone here have a parts list for the nuts and bolts needed to assemble a stepside bed . The kits on the internet seem pricey ? My fenders and steps are already attached to the bedsides , so I just need the specs on the nuts and bolts to assemble the rest of the bed together

[octanejunkie]

I used SS hardware from my local hw store. They are onr of the few last real stores that actuality stocks pretty much everything.
I used pan head hex in lieu of clutch head for the fenders, etc and carriage bolts for the bed and bed wood.

I over bought everything so I don't have an exact count of each bolt.

[Nsanehotrodz]

Originally Posted by 57chevyman

Hey y'all . Does anyone here have a parts list for the nuts and bolts needed to assemble a stepside bed . The kits on the internet seem pricey ? My fenders and steps are already attached to the bedsides , so I just need the specs on the nuts and bolts to assemble the rest of the bed together

Give us a call Monday. We carry everything you need to take the guess work out of assembling your bed!

[_Ogre]

i bought boxes of 100 stainless bolts for the bed wood/strips
i counted holes to figure out what else i needed, use truss head bolts for fenders
cost was less than half of what vendors charge for set


boltdepot.com

[57chevyman]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

i bought boxes of 100 stainless bolts for the bed wood/strips
i counted holes to figure out what else i needed, use truss head bolts for fenders
cost was less than half of what vendors charge for set


boltdepot.com

I saw in another thread that the bed to frame bolts are 3/8 x 4" carriage bolts
And the bolts to assemble the front panel to the bedsides are 5/16 x 3/4" bolts. Not sure if those are supposed to be carriage bolts or regular ones. Then there dozens of the bolts to assemble bed wood- what size are those carriage bolts ?

[57chevyman]

I don't know about the 5/16 size . The holes that are drilled in my rear sill to attach to bedside calls for a 3/8 bolt.
Are the holes in the front panel drilled smaller , or do they also use 3/8 bolts ? I don't have my front panel yet

[OrrieG]

I got the bed strip bolts with serreted part below the head from local Fastenal store. Even with shipping was much less then vendors. I cleaned and will reuse all the factory 5/16 shoulder bolts. Bed attachment are SS from the rails to frame, not thru the wood, from local hardware store. The aftermarket places buy from the same wholesalers and charge a hefty price for figuring out (once) what is needed and packaging it up. Most ACE or True Value associated stores have a comprehensive bolt selection. Locally Fastenal and Tacoma Hardware too. If you live in a rural farm belt region try local tractor supply type stores. Also, Catepiller dealers have grade 8 stuff for a good price if you don't mind the Cat logo on the head and painting them (they come black oxide).

[57chevyman]

^ I have two ace hardwares, three Home Depots , and three lowes , all within a 10-15 min drive. I don't mind picking out nuts n bolts. Actually enjoy the trip to the store .
So 5/16 is the right size to bolt together the box ? (Bolt together the two bedsides , the front panel, and rear sill? What size are the bolts that go thru the strips between the wood boards ? I'm waiting for someone to say - you need 8 of this, 20 of this , etc.
I have nothing against vendors . I just can't see spending $200 on nuts and bolts for the convenience of saving a trip to the store and picking out what I need
My fenders and steps are already attached to my bedsides
So the hardware I'll need is everything else to assemble the bed including a wood floor with strips and angles and I have four sills including the rear one
Correct me if I'm wrong --- it's all carriage bolts that face down thru the floor of the bed , and the other bolts that hold the bed together are regular hex ones?

[_Ogre]

no one repops the 5/16'' bolts that holds 70% of our trucks together
if you buy the kits they come with a standard 5/16 bolt and washer
i reused 80% of my body bolts

i believe a short bed needs 68- 1/4''x1.25 carriage bolts, but buying boxes of 100 costs as much as buying 68 individual bolts
i have 6 home depots withing a 15 mile radius of my house, 2 that are 4 miles away and on my way every where
i made many hundreds of trips in to buy a handful of this and that, between remodeling truk, house and shop
i'd hate to see my home depot cost over the past 15 years, probably $100k

[Donaldo]

"" from local Fastenal store.""

I used to get supplies from Fastenal until I saw they were just middle manning them from McMaster-Carr, cut the costs almost in half !

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by 57chevyman

I'm waiting for someone to say - you need 8 of this, 20 of this , etc.

Guess you might need to go out to the shop and count the holes in the bed and strips. I reused all my 5/16 bed bolts so did not count, I have a fleetside and good guess would be 25-30 for side to front, side to fender and 4 rear sill to side. Think I bought 100 1/4 strip bolts.

[57chevyman]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

no one repops the 5/16'' bolts that holds 70% of our trucks together
if you buy the kits they come with a standard 5/16 bolt and washer
i reused 80% of my body bolts

i believe a short bed needs 68- 1/4''x1.25 carriage bolts, but buying boxes of 100 costs as much as buying 68 individual bolts

The 68 bolts - that's for everything other than the longer ones to attach bed to frame ? 1/4" seems like a skinny bolt to attach the bedsides to the rear sill ? 5/16 fits loosely , and 3/8 also fits with no wiggle room .
I don't have a front panel yet , I'm just looking at the holes in my new rear sill

[57chevyman]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Guess you might need to go out to the shop and count the holes in the bed and strips. I reused all my 5/16 bed bolts so did not count, I have a fleetside and good guess would be 25-30 for side to front, side to fender and 4 rear sill to side. Think I bought 100 1/4 strip bolts.

Yes , I need to start with what size for what part , then I can count how many I need

So it's 1/4" carriage bolts for bed strips. What length?
5/16 x 3/4 bolts to attach the bedsides, front panel and rear sill together
And eights 3/8 x 4" carriage bolts to attach to frame?

I also have another question -
The inside side of my bedsides have angle strips that are rusted and partly rotted away.can I cut it off and replace with a new angle strip? There's no angle strip that goes under the wood board right ? My crappy rusted angle strip is what you see in the edge of the bed right on top of the wood ?

[Russell Ashley]

My bed sides were in great shape but like yours, the side strips had rusted away, and the PO had put some angle iron there to replace them. I removed them along with the steel floor that was there and replaced it with a more stock looking wood bed. I got unpolished stainless strips from Mar-K and used stainless button head 1/4 inch screws spaced six inches apart to attach them. I used the wood board to space the strip in the correct place before drilling the holes. If you place them like my pic they will not show from outside as they are either under the fender or inside the stake pockets.



The rest of my floor is straight forward and built to GMC Paul's specs and painted black.



You can count the number of bolts that you will need from my pic. Each of the strip bolts have a flat washer, a lock washer, and a nut. I bought the stainless bolt kit from Mar-K.

[57chevyman]

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

My bed sides were in great shape but like yours, the side strips had rusted away, and the PO had put some angle iron there to replace them. I removed them along with the steel floor that was there and replaced it with a more stock looking wood bed. I got unpolished stainless strips from Mar-K and used stainless button head 1/4 inch screws spaced six inches apart to attach them. I used the wood board to space the strip in the correct place before drilling the holes. If you place them like my pic they will not show from outside as they are either under the fender or inside the stake pockets.



The rest of my floor is straight forward and built to GMC Paul's specs and painted black.



You can count the number of bolts that you will need from my pic. Each of the strip bolts have a flat washer, a lock washer, and a nut. I bought the stainless bolt kit from Mar-K.

Thanks for the pics. What's the length on those 1/4" bolts?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Russ,

How'd you remove the side angles from the bed sides without messing up the bed side? I'd like to do what you've done. Looks great, thanks for posting such good photos.

PS: "... Built to GMC Paul's specs..." Does this mean you cut your own wood?

[Russell Ashley]

The 1/4 inch bolts are 3/4 inch long if I remember correctly. They are just long enough to reach the end of the nuts on the outside. I painted the bed sides before bolting on the strips so there is no bare metal under them. I have a new front panel that I will install this spring when I have the bed off for a rear suspension upgrade.

I did cut my own boards. They are pine from Home Depot with a couple of coats of Rustoleum black paint on them to stay with the original look. I use my truck so didn't want to make it too fancy.

[57chevyman]

Thanks Russ , your bed looks great.

[57chevyman]

Here's a pic of hardware for bedstrips angle strips , and bed to frame .

[Rude Dude]

Hey Dan not to hi jack this post but what I did was first used a black sharpe to mark the top and bottom of angle strip. Very carefully cut the rusty angle strips out with a metal blade die grinder, they are spot welded in as long as you do not cut into the bed your okay. Once they are removed you can drill the spot welds and drill holes for welding from outside the panel most welds will be cover by the fender and very few are exposed on outside bed panel. I ground down all mine didn't need too just me. Angle strips can be bought bolt- in or weld-in. I purchased mine from Mar-K in Oklahoma very happy with them.

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Russ,

How'd you remove the side angles from the bed sides without messing up the bed side? I'd like to do what you've done. Looks great, thanks for posting such good photos.

PS: "... Built to GMC Paul's specs..." Does this mean you cut your own wood?

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

How'd you remove the side angles from the bed sides without messing up the bed side?

use a grinder

[Rude Dude]

I bought a hundred of these elevator bolts 1/4 (20) x 1 1/2 long on Ebay for $25 dollars and plan on spot welding them to the no hole bed strips here what they look like. I plan on powder coating after welding is done.

[Russell Ashley]

When I got my truck the PO had already removed the original side strips and replaced them with angle iron. Apparently he had ground the spotwelds from the inside as there was no damage to the bed sides. I didn't want to weld the new strips on because I didn't want to discolor the stainless so I used stainless screws to attach them. They suggest spot welds every six inches so that's how I spaced my screws, other than at the front where it would have shown on the outside.
I purchased the unpolished stainless strips from Mar-k and was surprised at how shiney they were when I opened them. I even wondered if they sent polished by accident.

[57chevyman]

Originally Posted by Rude Dude

Hey Dan not to hi jack this post but what I did was first used a black sharpe to mark the top and bottom of angle strip. Very carefully cut the rusty angle strips out with a metal blade die grinder, they are spot welded in as long as you do not cut into the bed your okay. Once they are removed you can drill the spot welds and drill holes for welding from outside the panel most welds will be cover by the fender and very few are exposed on outside bed panel. I ground down all mine didn't need too just me. Angle strips can be bought bolt- in or weld-in. I purchased mine from Mar-K in Oklahoma very happy with them.

I'm confused. Is there an angle strip under the wood board as well as a decorative one on top?

[Rude Dude]

Angle strip's are welded to bed sides and are not decorative there is nothing below the strips except cross sills in other direction.

Originally Posted by 57chevyman

I'm confused. Is there an angle strip under the wood board as well as a decorative one on top?