Question: For Those Who Have Installed Polished Angle Strips

[Dan in Pasadena]

No, NOT for those that put covers over your stock factory angle strips.

QUESTION:

Did you bolt your new angles strips through the bed boards AND the bedsides, or only the bed boards? Final paint is done so, no I won’t be welding the angle strips back on.

I’m now finalizing the re-install and putting carriage bolts through the wood with the angle strips tight against the bedsides. We don’t intend to put ANY bolts through the angle strips into the bedsides. Is this how you did yours?

I COULD put bolts and they’d be hidden by the rear fenders and stake pockets but since there are no bolts on the side when stock, I thought i’d not use any.

Your thoughts?

[DransportGarage]

I got my angle strips from Mar-K with holes for both the bed sides and the wood. I will be using both. It seems to me that if the angle strips aren't attached to the bed sides you're going to get relative movement that will trash your paint.

[Black_Sheep]

I asked the same question the other day in the 'what did you do to your truck today?' thread.

Drilling holes in fresh paint is not an option. I'm leaning towards using a commercial grade adhesive sealant to bond the strip to the box side. Probably Manus 65-A

http://www.manus.net/products/neoprene/65-a/

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by Black_Sheep

I asked the same question the other day in the 'what did you do to your truck today?' thread.

Drilling holes in fresh paint is not an option. I'm leaning towards using a commercial grade adhesive sealant to bond the strip to the box side. Probably Manus 65-A

http://www.manus.net/products/neoprene/65-a/

That might work. Be sure to rough up both the painted surface and the stainless. Realize that the bond between the paint and the bedside might be the weak link in the adhesion chain. Personally, I'd drill the holes, then coat them with epoxy primer using a brush.

[_Ogre]

other than the 2 bolts in the rear sill, the bed angle are the only thing holding the bed on your truck
cross sills are bolted to bed wood and the frame, bed angle is bolted/welded to the bed sides
i'd reconsider your choices

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hmm, I had originally intended to bolt the angle strips to the bedsides but then I thought, “Why?” The appearance isn’t stock if it has bolts there.

I understand the concern about the un-bolted strips damaging the paint but since they will be tightly bolted and the bed will never carry a load it seems unlikely there’ll be much movement. I will definitely keep an eye on the edge of the strips and WILL reconsider if it shows the slightest damage once I start driving it. Thanks guys.

[Russell Ashley]

Dan, I would definitely re-think that idea of not bolting the angle strips to the sides. The sides are just flat metal with no flange along the bottom except where the steps bolt up. I think the sides would move some without the stiffening that the angle strips would provide. You might get by with using panel adhesive but I'd rather see you use stainless screws.

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

Dan, I would definitely re-think that idea of not bolting the angle strips to the sides. The sides are just flat metal with no flange along the bottom except where the steps bolt up. I think the sides would move some without the stiffening that the angle strips would provide. You might get by with using panel adhesive but I'd rather see you use stainless screws.

X2. I was going to comment again before Russell did, but now I'm just going to pile on to save you some grief. You might as well drill now, because you're going to have to. I wouldn't worry too much about originality, what with the LQ4, IFS, etc.