Do i really need this?

[pat123]

I was just wondering if i need the reinforcment strip for my wood floor?
I remember only taking one off but it kinda looks like their should be one on each side of the wheel wells.
Also on a LWB theirs 10 or 8 bed mounts?
Thnks

[pat123]

anyone?

[spinning wheels]

Originally Posted by pat123

I was just wondering if i need the reinforcment strip for my wood floor?
I remember only taking one off but it kinda looks like their should be one on each side of the wheel wells.
Also on a LWB theirs 10 or 8 bed mounts?
Thnks

I guess it would depend on how you plan on using your truck.
My old beater, I have carried pea gravel, engines, soil, a Harley, and it helped me move my household.
If you plan on loading it up, I would reinforce it. If its for show, might not make much difference.
Currently on my truck, if you step in the bed, your foot might go thru the bed

[stllookn]

Hey...nice exhaust. Are you talking about the ones that run across the bed or the length of the bed? There are six cross-sill supports that are big heavy "u" shaped sections. It looks like you have at least four in your pic. The bed wear strips are thinner and exposed on the surface of the bed between each piece of wood...there are about 11 of them in a fleetside bed. They are not structural so you can use as many or as few as you want.

[pat123]

Im talking about the reinforcment strip that runs between the wheel wells. its like a cross sill but but not as big or long. Their are six cross sills including the reinforcment strip. In the pic you can see the strip just laying across the bed.

[Green Machine]

Yes I think you should install that support, it connects across the front of the wheel tub. There is not much support in the middle of the bed. We actually added another support 2 rows behind that one. There is room there between the box and frame to add a support similar to the front one between the wheel tubs. It is a support for a stepside box, holes are in the right location, check LMC for pics or Mar-K has the optional support also. Heres some pics from our 68 showing the front tub brace and then the one we added. There are only 8 bolts that hold the box the the frame, there is a spot on the frame under the 2nd crossmember that looks like it could have bolts, but those are unused.

[pat123]

Thnks for the info
your reinforcment strip looks longer than mine. mines 49" 1/2 long same as lmcs. Ya it looks like their should be mounts above the crossmember.

[Green Machine]

OK, I couldn't tell how long that was from the pic, yes get a long one to go at the front of the tubs, that was factory, and use your shorter one as an additional support like in my second pic.

[pat123]

And their about an inch tall?

[Green Machine]

Yes about 1 inch tall.

[willscotmont]

Yes, I think you need to put the reinforcing support back. It looks like from your picture that there is room for it between the wheel tubs to the rear of where the frame of the truck rises to almost touching the bed wood. It looks like from your picture that you are replacing the wood that came with your truck with plywood. This probably means that you are not using the original metal bed strips that run from the cab end to the tail of the bed. The original wood planks came in about 4 different widths, and the metal bed strips ran between the wood planks. If you look at the metal reinforcing supports that you have and the bed supporting cross members they have 1/4" holes drilled in them across the surface which touches the wood. The space between these holes are the same as the width of the wood planks. The metal strips are bolted to the cross members and reinforcing supports and hold the wood planks in place. The locations of the holes in the metal strips will match up perfectly with the holes in the cross members and the reinforcing supports when the bed is bolted to your truck. The holes in the metal strips will tell you exactly where between the wheel tubs the reinforcement was intended to be placed.
Good Luck.

[pat123]

I am planning on putting the wood planks in and have made them up. the plywood is just for mock-up. Ill post pics of my progress as i go.
thanks for the advice.

pat

[pat123]

I guess it wouldnt hert to put the mounts above the cross member as well .aking their be 10 mounting bolts???

[pat123]

Something like this.
I add an extra mount but beside that i think my mounts are in the right spot.
I might still sink the washers in a bit, havent decided. Now to take it all apart and paint and stain, then re assemble it.
And i added both those Reinforcment strips.

[68Mike]

looks good now even in the planning stage. Post pics after you complete the job.

Mike

[pat123]

how did you guys set in the bed mounts into the wood?

[Green Machine]

To make a cutout for the offset washers you will need a forstner bit of the correct diameter of course. Since the bolt holes are drilled now, there wil be no place to center the bit. I would use the forstner bit to make a hole in a piece of scrap that you could clamp to the bed wood as a guide for the bit. Practice on some scrap first !

I think replacement wood companys drill for the washer first then drill through the wood for the bolt, but they have fancy jigs setup for this, I don't know how that could be done at home. The factory wood has the washer offset to the front of the bed if you want to do it that way.

[pat123]

what type of finish's are you guys using? im looking for a nature gloss look.

[pat123]

Finally got something done on my bed

[69GMCLonghorn]

Yeah, I just redid my bed a while back and the varnish I used SUCKED! I need to redo it already. Any suggestions on what to use? I heard the stuff they use on gym floors is great, but I don't know what that is. Any info would be great!

[pat123]

I used an exterior/marine spar varnish.
Will see how it holds out

[re1]

Originally Posted by pat123

I am planning on putting the wood planks in and have made them up. the plywood is just for mock-up. Ill post pics of my progress as i go.
thanks for the advice.

pat

What kind of wood did you use,
and where did you get it ?

thanks
Rich

[pat123]

I used fur. Some was from a local guy not a mill or anything and the edge grain was from my grandpa. I actually live on Denman Island an island off Vancouver Island where my grandpa had it milled, kinda cool.

[re1]

Originally Posted by pat123

I used fur. Some was from a local guy not a mill or anything and the edge grain was from my grandpa. I actually live on Denman Island an island off Vancouver Island where my grandpa had it milled, kinda cool.

Thats a good choice ,
It looks great.