Morning Wood?!?
 

Well, I put my long weekend to use. Finally getting around to installing my new bed wood. No store-bought stuff here. 100% pure North Louisiana Red Oak from Beekman, LA (just south of my parents home in southern Arkansas). Started out with 8' X 12" X 1" rough cut planks that we shaved down to 3/4", cut to size, and grooved for the metal strips. Ordered new strips and bolt kit, and finally decided to tackle it.

Below is a before shot of the original bed wood. Just like other board members advised, those rusty bolts don't give up without a fight. Ended up cutting around the 8 that hold it to the frame, then used a cut off wheel to show them who was running the show!! Got the bed off and removed the tired old wood.

No one ever mentioned that the side 'angle' stips were spot welded every 4" or so the entire length of the bed!

Nothing a chisel and a Saws-all can't fix!! :devil:

New wood, yeah!
 

Here is the wood that went back in..... Not too shabby, huh?

I have to do this soon on my sons truck, Could you explain the "side 'angle' stips were spot welded every 4inches " Thing. Did you have to re-weld ??

I thought at first that they were just 'stuck' in place. But....I found out that they were spot welded in place. I didn't weld them back in place, because I have to remove them again when I paint (the green in the pics is just tinted primer). I haven't decided if I am even going to re-weld them. I might just drill holes in them and use factory-looking bolts.

Looks good! You bringing your truck down to cruising the coast next month?

Great project for the long weekend!

Krue,
I don't think I am. Busy as a one legged cat......I think G-Man (George) is going down just to see the sites. I hate to miss out on it, but maybe next year I will be 'worthy'.

Looks great, and if yours were only 4" consider yourself lucky, when i disassembled mine try about 1 ever 1" and mines a long step so about 100 spot welds per side! I re-welded mine back in.

Wow, I think I would have just said forget that and bought new side panels.

Putter,
Nice work. New wood looks great. :bowtie:

:cool:

Very nice looking! Beautiful wood grain.

Nice job.....

Still don't see anything wrong with the A/C in the old bed...

The only real problem with the original wood was I kept loosing stuff. Ratchet-straps, lengths of chain, etc... all kept slipping out of the holes. I would see all kinds of stuff 'hanging' from under the truck as I walked back from a store. Tried covering up the holes with a gas can, but it kept sliding around, too.