HOW TO: Install/ Remove your bed by yourself

[EasySteve]

Step 1: Jack up the rear of the bed, roll a cherry picker under.


Step 2: Attach straps to the center of the arm, and to each of the four corners.


Step 3: Jack away!


Step 4: Back the truck under the bed.


Step 5: VERY CAREFULLY AND SLOWLY lower the bed while controlling it's position by holding on to the side.


YOU'RE DONE! Bolt her on and you're ready to go. Don't forget to put your straps away neatly.

Removal is done in reverse order!

[INSIDIOUS '86]

C'mon man your engine hoist is huge

[Palf70Step]

Cherry Pickers work great

I used some 2" angle and a couple 2x4s to slip under the lip of my 70's fleetside. I came in from the side with mine.

Nice job with yours.
I never thought about coming from he rear on mine, probably because I had room from the side though.
I was nervous about using strap on mine as I thought it would twist the bed sides some, so I came up with the braces.

[LONGHAIR]

Yeah, I don't know that I would trust the hooks in the stake pockets like that. I'm not sure about the weight holding ability of tie-down straps either?
I have however used a unit that looks rather like the one in Palf70step's pics.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by LONGHAIR

Yeah, I don't know that I would trust the hooks in the stake pockets like that. I'm not sure about the weight holding ability of tie-down straps either?
I have however used a unit that looks rather like the one in Palf70step's pics.

Decent tie downs can be found @ 750# ea & up. One @ each corner for the purpose of lifting a bed will work fine (just don't use cheap ones). If a guy were to have to do the work time after time, ss cable built to length would work too.

The prob I've found using the engine hoist is the boom typically is just barely long enough so you have to be careful. Dually beds are even worse.

[ssapach]

This is how I did it for my dually:

[Sabaka454]

Best Method:

1)Fridge full of beer

3)Thirsty Friends

[rs74]

Originally Posted by EasySteve

Step 1: Jack up the rear of the bed, roll a cherry picker under.


Step 2: Attach straps to the center of the arm, and to each of the four corners.


Step 3: Jack away!


Step 4: Back the truck under the bed.


Step 5: VERY CAREFULLY AND SLOWLY lower the bed while controlling it's position by holding on to the side.


YOU'RE DONE! Bolt her on and you're ready to go. Don't forget to put your straps away neatly.

Removal is done in reverse order!

I done the exact same thing twice using the same method. The only difference is that I only used two straps instead of four. Worked like a charm. One on a short bed and the other a long bed.

[Keith Seymore]

I used the 2x4 approach, but came in from the rear.

We had a 5th wheel hitch in our '75; we would always pick it up from the hitch using the chain fall on a trolley in the rafters.

K

[BigBlocksRule]

You guys spend way too much effort.
Buy an 18-pack and invite 4 buddies over. Give 'em all a beer, shoot the breeze a while, SUPERVISE as they do the bed, give 'em each another beer, then tell 'em you have to go. Tell 'em thanks for their help.
You have your bed work done and 10 beers for yourself.

[cadillac_al]

I use the 4 straps at the corners hooked to my chain hoist. Piece of cake, one man operation and I get to keep all the beers to myself.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by BigBlocksRule

You guys spend way too much effort.
Buy an 18-pack and invite 4 buddies over. Give 'em all a beer, shoot the breeze a while, SUPERVISE as they do the bed, give 'em each another beer, then tell 'em you have to go. Tell 'em thanks for their help.
You have your bed work done and 10 beers for yourself.

Getting 4 different guys together when you're ready to move the bed around is not always easy so an alternative that's allows doing it solo is worth knowing.

[BigBlocksRule]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Getting 4 different guys together when you're ready to move the bed around is not always easy.

Mistake you're making is telling them what they're coming over for. Just say "Beer" and leave the work part out, most of 'em will come running.

I built me a contraption that uses 2 - 2x4's (across front and back) and a 4x4 that bolts to those two and my Hazard Frought cherry picker. I even had a pneumatic/hydraulic ram on the cherry picker so I don't have to jack it, just push the air control and up she goes.

If you're going to do it yourself, have a line tied to one corner so you can spin/swivel it as needed.

[cory d]

stepside bed, i do it myself

[Wasted Income]

Nice.

This is how I do it by myself. Works great for pickup beds AND blazer tubs.

[cory d]

he wins, dang it

[PAWS 72]

Done mine with 2 2x4's stacked together.

Bunch of show offs with nice shops and trucks. I'm jealous of ya'll.


NO HARSH SMARTNESS INTENDED GUYS.

[83GMCK2500]

Perks of my father and I both standing over 6' tall, we just grab the bed at the bottom of each side of the wheel opening and stand up. Good methods listed here, they all work. Most important thing is to double & triple-check that everything is disconnected.

[Rich84]

Originally Posted by cory d

stepside bed, i do it myself

How??

[cory d]

my bed floor is removable. that lightens it up a bit. slide it, lift it and stand it up on the tailgate.

[tgh117]

I used a very similar method to get the cab off my parts truck back in the day. 2 straps on the front door hinge bolts, and 2 straps on the rear on the door striker posts, lifted away, then rolled the frame out from under it. worked like a champ! My straps I was using were rated for 1500lbs each, so I wasn't worried about it at all.