Bed question

[OrrieG]

Why wouldn't you be able to remove the bed in one unit? All the bed metal bolts to the cross sills, once the nut is off the bottom it all should lift up, a little higher for the bolts to clear the frame. Realigning for reinstall could take a little more time but not impossible...

[Denee007]

Ogre, you're just to creative!

Got started late! I had to go to the chiropractor, my neck was killing me! Darn human bodies sometimes! lol

This is where I am right now~! I have the sills in place, holes drilled and slots made in the wood for draining, and the recessed holes made for the hidden bed to frame.

I had to take a break, really hot! I have the garage door open to be able to get in the truck. A little sweat never hurts; only when it gets in my eyes! ouch! I've already drilled the recessed spots for the heads of the bed to frame, and made some slots in a few locations. I didn't make them very large, the width of the slots in the wood x about 1 1/2" long. That should be enough to drain out what water would ever get in the bed, though it make take a while to drain granted the slits/slots don't get clogged up! which they will.
Next, drop gas tank (gag!), then lay the wood on again with the strips and mark holes for the metal strips. I'm using the "Force" right now to maintain momentum!
I'll be back!

[_Ogre]

orrieg: no way to hold the head of the bolt
i should have welded the head of the bolt to the cross sill

yes the heat sucks for you peoples out west
currently my son is hiking the pacific crest trail,
it was 116* where he was hiking the other day
here in the mitten state we had a high of 65* yesterday

[Denee007]

I'm not finished, I just need some help from my husband for holding 5 or 6 bolts down so I can start the nuts! Darn that was difficult to do alone! I put the gas tank back up and the darned gas fill is off a bit. I must have shifted the bed enough to misalign therefore putting the filler off a bit. It's not the prettiest bed, but it looks good enough for me!
dne'
PS: Thanks to everyone involved for advice!!!!! Ya'll are wonderful!
dne'

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

orrieg: no way to hold the head of the bolt
i should have welded the head of the bolt to the cross sill

My plan was to square up the hole to use a carriage bolt or run a nut up from the bottom to pull it tight to the cross sill. I thought about welding but was concerned I might eliminate some adjustment.

Denee, looks pretty darn nice to me, maybe a little Linex on the sides and end panel it the future, I know there is one brand you can tint to match your paint.

[_Ogre]

orrieg, i see the difference, you plan, i shoot from the hip
i also got to that point and said ''ogre, there is no way your ever going to take this truk apart''

looks good denee
and yes, i am wonderful

[OrrieG]

I don't intend on taking mine apart either, but don't want to make it too difficult for my kids, they will be deciding which nursing home to dump me in. BTW I do NOT believe you when you say you do not plan...

[solidaxel]

Originally Posted by Denee007

Ogre, you're just to creative!

Got started late! I had to go to the chiropractor, my neck was killing me! Darn human bodies sometimes! lol

This is where I am right now~! I have the sills in place, holes drilled and slots made in the wood for draining, and the recessed holes made for the hidden bed to frame.

I had to take a break, really hot! I have the garage door open to be able to get in the truck. A little sweat never hurts; only when it gets in my eyes! ouch! I've already drilled the recessed spots for the heads of the bed to frame, and made some slots in a few locations. I didn't make them very large, the width of the slots in the wood x about 1 1/2" long. That should be enough to drain out what water would ever get in the bed, though it make take a while to drain granted the slits/slots don't get clogged up! which they will.
Next, drop gas tank (gag!), then lay the wood on again with the strips and mark holes for the metal strips. I'm using the "Force" right now to maintain momentum!
I'll be back!

Yes you are right it has been a bit hot down here in the cactus patch 31 days with 100*+, but as they say "It's a DRY HEAT",
I think my Inferred is sick, but it checked out OK
Inside the house and the West wall outside the house and the West wall of the garage

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

Yes you are right it has been a bit hot down here in the cactus patch 31 days with 100*+, but as they say "It's a DRY HEAT",
I think my Inferred is sick, but it checked out OK
Inside the house and the West wall outside the house and the West wall of the garage

A friend of mine in Williams AZ (near Flagstaff and Winslow) posted pictures of snow in his yard today and flooding in Flagstaff. Hottest I ever saw was 119 in Tempe around 1977.

[Dan in Pasadena]

About 5-6 years ago I parked my black Ram 4x4 near the river in Laughlin. When I got back the overhead readout in the cab showed 134 degrees!!!! Now obviously it was not THAT hot...but it was probably over 120 - still STOOPID hot. "It'll-KILL-you-hot." I could never live in Arizona...for a lot of reasons but especially for the heat.

[1project2many]

I'm not finished, I just need some help from my husband for holding 5 or 6 bolts down so I can start the nuts! Darn that was difficult to do alone!

Haha!! I won't forget installing the bed in my truck. The three year restoration was almost complete. The bed is painted and installed. I need to put the boards in and bolt down the strips. It's 3:00 am on Dec 21st and when the sun comes up I am hooking this truck to a rented trailer full of my mechanics tools and some spare parts and driving from MT back east to MA to join my girlfriend and the rest of my stuff which has been there since October. The pressure was on and I needed to put the bolts in. I had bought carriage bolts and square nuts like original. Everything was new so it should spin together with no problem. Except it doesn't. The dang bolts kept popping up out of the bed strips. And the paint was just applied about 8hrs before so it's still a bit soft. Grease won't hold them down. Silicone sealer wouldn't cure fast enough. There's no way to hold the bolt with my hands then start the nut. I can't get sockets on all the bolts. I can't get my hands up there to start the nuts. I can't lean over the bed sides for fear of scratching something. Finally I figured out a method. I set a rag on the bolt head and the head of a sledgehammer on the rag. On the other end of the sledge I clamped vice grips to the handle to form a Tee so the hammer couldn't roll. Then I tore some pipe insulation off the pipes in the shop and slipped it over the vice grip handles to protect the bed. It worked! I'd install a bolt, set up the hammer, then slide under the truck and install and tighten the nut. Back out to do the next one. One at a time, each bolt, until they were all done. Long beds seem to go on forever when doing this. and it was all done while fighting sleep since I'd been up almost 30 hrs straight putting the truck together. So yes, it is hard to put the bolts in alone.

[Denee007]

1project2many- clever, now i know the pain of working alone! Gary's home now and I can get him to hold the last three! Lol. I was so wore out after yesterday! However I should have the truck back on the ground very soon!woohoo!
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[_Ogre]

great googly moogly solidaxle, that is freaking hot
as much as i hate the cold, i couldn't live where you do