Installing bed sills...on or off truck??

[airbrushguy]

I removed the bed from my '71 stepside while i was restoring all the rusted out other parts of the truck. While the bed was standing on its cab-side end, I removed all the bedsills and the rotted wood.
Now I'm getting close to putting the bed back on the frame, but should I bolt the bedsills onto the bed before I drop it down or after?
I'm an ornery old fart that doesn't like to ask others to help me, however I will have to get some young bloods to help me with lifting and placing down on frame. I don't want to ask them more than once if I can help it.
If it's already down, the outside edges will need spacers or something to help me install the wood slats between the sill and the edge angles.
Anybody have experienced help as to how you did this?
Thanks

[FirstOwner69]

I rebuilt the entire bed off my 69 fleetside supported on 4 sawhorses with carpeted 2x6s screwed flat to the sawhorses to spread the load. 2 under the front panel and, 2 under the rear crossmember. I had 4 young dudes from the restoration shop lift it onto the chassis while I lay under the truck guiding it into place with the mounting bolts hanging through the holes. Piece of cake. Less than 15 minutes. Standing on end should work great.

[airbrushguy]

Could someone tell me the correct placement as far as corresponding bolt holes for the 5 bed sills and 1 reinforcing strip install on an 8ft longbed stepside?
Should have taken pics.
Thanks

[Fitz]

quote=airbrushguy;6889009]I removed the bed from my '71 stepside while i was restoring all the rusted out other parts of the truck. While the bed was standing on its cab-side end, I removed all the bedsills and the rotted wood.
Now I'm getting close to putting the bed back on the frame, but should I bolt the bedsills onto the bed before I drop it down or after?
I'm an ornery old fart that doesn't like to ask others to help me, however I will have to get some young bloods to help me with lifting and placing down on frame. I don't want to ask them more than once if I can help it.
If it's already down, the outside edges will need spacers or something to help me install the wood slats between the sill and the edge angles.
Anybody have experienced help as to how you did this?
Thanks[/quote]

You and I are both ornery old farts! I had a guy help me just once and the very first thing he did was put a scratch in new paint all the way down to bare metal.
I put my bed together by myself, no helpers and NO scratches! My truck is a stepper so the process is a bit unique. Install all of the sills, then One bedside, the step and brace for that side, the other bedside, and it's step and brace, the forward bulkhead (yes, you can get the fasteners in!) then the wood for the bed floor. I did fenders last but that's a choice, not a mandate. In the pictures you will see the factory assembly manual that shows the size and location of every fastener used and the correct placement of the sills. You can get one from Motorbooks and several other sources for $35.00. Saves more than that in frustration.