Bed wood, square nuts, need your help

[hairdog]

I am a bit confounded, so I'd appreciate your help. The bed wood rails are held on by 3/8"bolts with square nuts. The nuts are, of course, inside the bed frame rails, underneath, which means a crescent or box end wrench will not reach. That leaves me with sockets.

A 9/16" socket (6 or 12 point) is too big to gain purchase on the square but. A 1/2" socket (6 or 12 point) is too small.

I can't find square nut sockets.

I need some guidance from my fellow truck owners, please.

[oem4me]

I seem to remember finding a socket that fit. it's been awhile, so right now I can't tell you what size, whether six or twelve point, SAE or metric, but one of them fits well enough to get it done. Also, vice grips or a crescent wrench can work if you grab the nut end-wise. You'll probably find most of the bed bolts are going to snap off anyway, so getting a little brutal with them is ok.
Be patient. This particular job is a chore, but the new deck will be worth it. Good luck!

[Getter-Done]

When I go to yard sales and flea markets,
I keep an eye out for those 8 point sockets.

They are available but kinda High price for no more than they are used.

I cannot remember which size is needed for the bed bolts.
Here's a link to some.

Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Urrea-7424S-2...01&sr=8-2&th=1

[61hawk]

If you're just trying to remove them, there's always a chisel and hammer method.

[oem4me]

I just checked. 12 point, 13mm is your size.

[hairdog]

Originally Posted by oem4me

I just checked. 12 point, 13mm is your size.

Yep. That does the trick. Thanks so much... Now I just need to repeat this about 100 times.

[jayoldschool]

I removed all mine with a sawzall.

[hairdog]

Originally Posted by jayoldschool

I removed all mine with a sawzall.

I'm trying to avoid that, but if I had to resort to it, how did you cut the bolt when it's recessed into those rails (assuming you cut from underneath)?

[franken]

If they're rusty tighten the nuts and shear the bolts off. Way less pain than loosening them.

[AcampoDave]

If you're not going to keep the wood, you just cut/smash/break it out of there and the bolts are easy to get at with the tool of your choice.

[jayoldschool]

Originally Posted by AcampoDave

If you're not going to keep the wood, you just cut/smash/break it out of there and the bolts are easy to get at with the tool of your choice.

This is exactly what I did. My uninstall tools were 3lb sledge, impact driver to tighten/break bolts, and the sawzall. Nothing was reused. New wood/strips/hardware.

[jzorn94]

Try ebay for 8 point sockets. Craftsman used to make an 8 point set. I picked a new set last year for about $40. There are also people selling the individual sockets if you know the size.

[hairdog]

Originally Posted by jzorn94

Try ebay for 8 point sockets. Craftsman used to make an 8 point set. I picked a new set last year for about $40. There are also people selling the individual sockets if you know the size.

Thanks. So far the 12 point 13mm seems to be working.

[hairdog]

Well, jayoldschool was right, it turns out. The bolts either snapped or just turned and turned as a unit. I've decided to attack then from the top of the bed with a hammer and a reciprocating saw.

[jayoldschool]

Here was my "before"

[hairdog]

Originally Posted by jayoldschool

Here was my "before"

That looks very much like mine.

[vince1]

I just changed a board because it had started to rot out. The rest still look OK but I'll be masking the steel strips and pouring the paint to them. They don't last if not protected when the truck sits outside all year.

[hairdog]

I just completed the old bed removal. I was hoping to reuse the steel strips but some are rusted through. Guess I'll buy new ones soon.

[jayoldschool]

I used unpolished stainless. You could do the same, and paint black if you want the stock look.

[hairdog]

Originally Posted by jayoldschool

I used unpolished stainless. You could do the same, and paint black if you want the stock look.

Where did you get yours from? There's several I've found, large difference in price. Also, same with bolt kits.

[jayoldschool]

Originally Posted by hairdog

Where did you get yours from? There's several I've found, large difference in price. Also, same with bolt kits.

Hmm, I think Classic Industries?

[hairdog]

Okay, I'm at the installation stage. I ordered the unpolished stainless rails and stainless bolt kit. My question today is about the bolts and washers. I have some 5/16" x 1-1/2" bolts. I have more 1/4" x 1-1/4" bolts. I have fender washers with 5/16" holes. I have regular washers with 5/16" holes. I have both sizes of lock washers.

My main questions:
Do the 5/16 bolts go in the holes around the edge and the 1/4 bolts go through the rails? Where do the fender washers go?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[cwcarpenter98]

5/16 bolts for the bedsides and wheel tubs, 1/4" for the strips. The fender washers probably go on the strips over the axle where there's no cross sills to run a bolt through. At least, that's how mine was done by the previous owner when he replaced the wood. But that was probably in the late 80s, early 90s because it rotted out again by the time I got it

[hairdog]

Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98

5/16 bolts for the bedsides and wheel tubs, 1/4" for the strips. The fender washers probably go on the strips over the axle where there's no cross sills to run a bolt through. At least, that's how mine was done by the previous owner when he replaced the wood. But that was probably in the late 80s, early 90s because it rotted out again by the time I got it

Thanks for the confirmation. I'm not sure why they gave me so many fender washers but I'm just using them when I have the room to do so.

[Chevy Fleetside]

I ran the truck for 8 years with plywood on top of my bed strips. There was very little original bed wood left. I basically used a cut off wheel and sawsall to get my old strips off. about 5 year prior to that I bought wood from Home Depot and cut my bed strips myself. I used plain steel strips and reg bolts. I was going for the original look and of course an access door was not original but My gas tank is back there.