Wood Bed Cross Braces - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

mygmctruck · 11-27-2012, 08:53 PM

Well , I now have my new wood stained and ready for the truck bed . How ever it's been yrs since I dismantled everything and am now having a problem figuring out where the middle brace goes . It's the 1' brace.
When I put it where it's suppossed to go , the bed is center high .

the truck is a 68 1/2 ton step side short box

JimKshortstep4x4 · 11-27-2012, 08:59 PM

I cannot answer why you have this problem but I had the issue on my 71 4x4.

My solution was to make a cross brace out of 1"x1" angle and cut a section of the "leg" out on both sides for frame clearance.

This made the center height good and it has worked for the last 9 years with no problems.

Jim

**TBONE1964** · 11-27-2012, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mygmctruck

Well , I now have my new wood stained and ready for the truck bed . How ever it's been yrs since I dismantled everything and am now having a problem figuring out where the middle brace goes . It's the 1' brace.
When I put it where it's suppossed to go , the bed is center high .

the truck is a 68 1/2 ton step side short box

Are you working with the factory braces or are they from a kit. I bought a kit from Mar-K about ten yrs ago for a 70 SWB and everything worked great. I want to say if I remember the shortest brace goes in the middle. The front and rear are easy because they are made for front and rear. Is there 5 total braces? One front, one rear and three in the middle?

mygmctruck · 11-28-2012, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBONE1964

Are you working with the factory braces or are they from a kit. I bought a kit from Mar-K about ten yrs ago for a 70 SWB and everything worked great. I want to say if I remember the shortest brace goes in the middle. The front and rear are easy because they are made for front and rear. Is there 5 total braces? One front, one rear and three in the middle?

Factory braces .

**TBONE1964** · 11-27-2012, 10:47 PM

http://www.mar-k.com/Catalog/catalog.aspx

This may help. Good Luck

midniteblues · 11-27-2012, 10:59 PM

I dont believe the short strip is located dead center in the bed. I'm pretty sure its located slightly forward where the frame starts turning down

SS Tim · 11-27-2012, 11:40 PM

This should help anyone with a stepside or a fenderside, it is a little more accurate than Mar-K's. :-)

mygmctruck · 11-28-2012, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS Tim

This should help anyone with a stepside or a fenderside, it is a little more accurate than Mar-K's. :-)

This is exactly what I am looking for , can you tell me where you got this info ? I can not seem to print this sketch and it'as some what hard to read.

Thanks

Gary

SS Tim · 11-28-2012, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mygmctruck

This is exactly what I am looking for , can you tell me where you got this info ? I can not seem to print this sketch and it'as some what hard to read.

Thanks

Gary

It is from an expensive and hard to find book. The original pages are thin and do not scan well. So there are a couple of things you could do.

First would be to enlarge the screen image. Due to limitations by the board the image sizes are limited. Holding "Control" key and punching the "+" key should step it up. "Control" & "-" bring it back down.

Saving it by right clicking and save as a picture should allow you to make a poster of it if you want.

For now I have reposted the drawings notated for the shortbed specs.

mygmctruck · 11-28-2012, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBONE1964

http://www.mar-k.com/Catalog/catalog.aspx

This may help. Good Luck

Thank you . I alread have this and it shows only 4 bed supports . so that won't help.

mygmctruck · 11-28-2012, 12:15 PM

This morning I took a level and put it on the rails , The front two are out of level about
and 1" or more . Are there suppossed to be some wood spacers under those front two rails ? Seems to me I have seen those listed in lmc and others magizines.

DorianB · 11-28-2012, 02:46 PM

I don't think I had removed any braces at this point.

SS Tim · 11-28-2012, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DorianB

...I don't think I had removed any braces at this point.

Looks right to me and appears to match the dimensioned drawing other than the somewhat skewed front crossmember.

Portmod7 · 11-28-2012, 05:27 PM

I'm not sure if you've concluded this already or not, but I don't think the middle of the bed directly over the high spot on the frame gets a brace, or else the brace sits up on top of the frame, and the bed doesn't contact the bed mounts on the frame (like what you are describing).

The middle set of holes get large flat washers on the bottom side to bridge the gaps between the wood and allow you to tighten the bolts. Or at least that's how I put mine together.

mygmctruck · 11-30-2012, 09:25 AM

I think I have solved the probelm , correct me here if I am barking up the wrong tree !
I believe the pre punched wear strips will tell me where at the support braces go , in other words , I will have to put the support braces where the bolt holes are.

What I find interesting is , I have a complete Chevy / GMC 67-72 assembly manual and they show nothing regarding this issue ? But there are several hundrend pg's and no index or numbers to identify a sec. I think I thumbed every pg and found nothing.

11-27-2012, 08:53 PM	#1
mygmctruck Registered User Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Munising , mi Posts: 144	Wood Bed Cross Braces Well , I now have my new wood stained and ready for the truck bed . How ever it's been yrs since I dismantled everything and am now having a problem figuring out where the middle brace goes . It's the 1' brace. When I put it where it's suppossed to go , the bed is center high . the truck is a 68 1/2 ton step side short box

11-27-2012, 08:59 PM	#2
JimKshortstep4x4 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Muskegon,MI,USA Posts: 6,026	Re: Wood Bed Cross Braces I cannot answer why you have this problem but I had the issue on my 71 4x4. My solution was to make a cross brace out of 1"x1" angle and cut a section of the "leg" out on both sides for frame clearance. This made the center height good and it has worked for the last 9 years with no problems. Jim __________________ 1971 Shortbox step side 4x4, 350 sbc, 3:07 rear end 1965 Impala SS 400 sbc, Muncie rock crusher 1966 Impala SS 396 bbc, TH 400 1969 El Camino, 350 sbc, TH 350 1971 Snowplow built on a Blazer frame 1972 GMC Short bed, stepside, TH 400, 427 BBC

11-27-2012, 10:47 PM	#5
TBONE1964 Cluster King Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Junction City, OR Posts: 5,263	Re: Wood Bed Cross Braces http://www.mar-k.com/Catalog/catalog.aspx This may help. Good Luck

11-27-2012, 10:59 PM	#6
midniteblues Registered User Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: strausstown pa Posts: 3,394	Re: Wood Bed Cross Braces I dont believe the short strip is located dead center in the bed. I'm pretty sure its located slightly forward where the frame starts turning down __________________ 81 camaro 355 4/spd 342 posi my first love. 67 swb step 454/4spd ott 373 posi 4/7 drop. 2000 s10 zr2 little blue truck that never gets stuck. '74 heald super bronc vt8. tecumseh powered moon rover.

11-27-2012, 11:40 PM	#7
SS Tim Registered User Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Edwards, CA Posts: 7,503	Re: Wood Bed Cross Braces This should help anyone with a stepside or a fenderside, it is a little more accurate than Mar-K's. *:-)* Attached Images __________________ Thanks, Tim * VIN/Model Decoders * Power Team Charts (engine/transmission/gear ratio) * Post Your Pickup SPID Blazer SPID Suburban/Panel SPID * RTFM ... Read The Factory Manuals... download 'em here Highlanders Do you have a 1972 Plaid Pickup? Plaid Blazer ** Plaid Suburban

11-28-2012, 12:15 PM	#11
mygmctruck Registered User Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Munising , mi Posts: 144	Re: Wood Bed Cross Braces This morning I took a level and put it on the rails , The front two are out of level about and 1" or more . Are there suppossed to be some wood spacers under those front two rails ? Seems to me I have seen those listed in lmc and others magizines.

11-28-2012, 02:46 PM	#12
DorianB Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Buford, Ga Posts: 205	Re: Wood Bed Cross Braces I don't think I had removed any braces at this point. __________________ In my opinion, it works best to have the seat out so you have room to flop your body around while standing on your head. -ashx2

11-28-2012, 05:27 PM	#14
Portmod7 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Aztec, NM Posts: 388	Re: Wood Bed Cross Braces I'm not sure if you've concluded this already or not, but I don't think the middle of the bed directly over the high spot on the frame gets a brace, or else the brace sits up on top of the frame, and the bed doesn't contact the bed mounts on the frame (like what you are describing). The middle set of holes get large flat washers on the bottom side to bridge the gaps between the wood and allow you to tighten the bolts. Or at least that's how I put mine together. __________________ Super Blue - 1968 C-10 Short Stepside Fastburn 385, 4-Speed Sag. on the Column, Coleman 9" Floater w/Detroit TrueTrac Last edited by Portmod7; 11-28-2012 at 05:38 PM.

11-30-2012, 09:25 AM	#15
mygmctruck Registered User Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Munising , mi Posts: 144	Re: Wood Bed Cross Braces I think I have solved the probelm , correct me here if I am barking up the wrong tree ! I believe the pre punched wear strips will tell me where at the support braces go , in other words , I will have to put the support braces where the bolt holes are. What I find interesting is , I have a complete Chevy / GMC 67-72 assembly manual and they show nothing regarding this issue ? But there are several hundrend pg's and no index or numbers to identify a sec. I think I thumbed every pg and found nothing.



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