Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

I am getting ready to remove my bed for the following reasons:

1. Clean up the back of the frame.
2. Add my new poly tank conversion
3. Add my NOS wood floor (old one was rotted)
4. Add new wheel wells
5. Add new E-brake cables and lines
6. Add my bumper with brackets (maybe a hitch if I find one)

Any thing else that I should do while it's off? Any advice, I plan to replae the cross sills as well during this so I might as well remove the bedside and front piece. The link below has pics of it...thanks in advance:metal:

http://picasaweb.google.com/hawkdriver2002

For those of you that have troubles with pictures or want something like "photobucket" that others use on here try this link... It's a new service that is free from google (I think that they are taking over the world!).

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

I just took one apart. The bedside bolts are easier to take off if you tighten them and they snap off, rather than trying to loosen then as they spin. I found this after I took on side off the hard way.

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

how about the new bolts for the bedside to wheel well? Were they easy? snapping off bolts is what i'm good at!!

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

That is definity the way. Snap them off and be done with it

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

Let's see some pics. I will be doing this same thing in the spring.

Tim

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

What kind of poly tank? A blazer? With the tank empty it may be a good time to mock up what you want to do with a filler neck, etc before you take the bed off (also to make sure you don't have clearance issues) if it's a blazer tank you won't.... Here's what I did.

You can check my "build thread" in my sig for lots of pics of my tank install and I welded a 96 silverado fuel door in my stepside fender.

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

Where did you find NOS wood? Did the dealers used to stock wood?

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

I like the straps:lol:

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

Yeah, I didn't have money for the real ones. These snapped after the first tank of gas. I had to use bailing wire and duct tape to get home. I've done some real stupid crap in my time :lol:

They were just easy to do the "mock up" with :D

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

I used a rubber bungee cord to hold up an exhaust pipe once. I works great for a little while.

I need to put a gas tank in my 65 c10 stepside.You think that one would work in mine?

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

WD-40 everything, then try to loosen the nuts to see if the carriage bolt square shank will hold in the bedsides. If they turn some before seizing up you can get a pair of vice grips onto the head of the carriage bolt. If that don't work try grinding the heads off. I used a 4" grinder. There are (2)welds and the back of the rear sill and (1) on top of it also on each side if you are removing the bedsides. Good luck

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

I noticed the welds on the rear cross sill, I have a new (used) one so I have been cutting the old one out.

My NOS wood came with the truck. The PO had purchased it from the local Chevy Dealer some time ago and never installed it though.

My poly tank is from Truck shop (out of TN) that I bought for $225 at Carlisle, nice guys too. I will work on pics as I go. Here is my link to my web album and you can see the before and during pics of the wood removal... I plan on pulling the rest of the bed apart this weekend and starting to mock the tank up. Still not sure on the filler options since I don't own a welder or many fabricating skills! I may just keep it simple and put a nice door in the rear corner of the wood for access to the filler neck.

www.picasaweb.google.com/hawkdriver2002

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

Nice pics, nice truck. I like the look. I can say I've had quite a few piles of crap under my truck since I started, but you might win the crap pile contest haha.
Looks like it is going to be a great truck when it's finished, I agree with the money pit, but working the classified has saved me money!!

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

Working Ebay has saved me a ton and everything was like new, that combined with the carshows @ Carlisle. I agree on the crap pile, I better clean it up before my neighbors get upset. That was most of the bed and what was left of the bed strips after my SAWZALL took care of it! The wife coined the name for the truck! go figure....

She does say that it's better than the $400 a month I was paying for a new Dodge Ram, I sold it two months ago...

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

They have a rare insight, don't they. Gotta love em.
I haven't went on E-bay, guess i just don't trust people I don't know. Maybe someday! Go luck with your project, presently working on floorboard, hopefully my last pile of crap. Jim

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

If the rear rubber brake like needs replaced, or if it never has been replaced, now would be a good time. They usually seize onto the steel line, in the frame, well actually the flare nut rusts to line making it impossible to turn. If that happens, cut the rubber line and unscrew it from the metal line and don't bother trying to get the flare to turn on the line, it will ruin your day. Anyway it is much easier to get to now.

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

thanks...I am planning on a total brake replacement. (lines,mc, add a booster, wheel cylinders etc...)

I got the entire bed off now, updated photos on my album.

www.picasaweb.google.com/hawkdriver2002

Re: Advice before I take the bed apart?
 

replace any bushings & their respective bolts you encounter. I am slowly and eventaully conveting to polyurethane.
I would also clean up and spray the frame with that stuff that looks like LineX/Rhino liner kind of stuff that you buy in can. I also sprayed that under the new wheel wells I installed. (i never relmoved the bed for this)