Bed side removal, how hard? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**ScottH** · 10-23-2002, 04:11 PM

Can anyone give me an idea how hard it is to remove the bed sides on a 72 lwb?

Smooth68 · 10-23-2002, 04:19 PM

Slammed 67 just put his bed back together so he would definitely know this answer. I'm pretty sure you just unbolt it and then there are a few spot welds along the bottom.

**COBALT** · 10-23-2002, 04:30 PM

Wood or steel bed?

Old Dave · 10-23-2002, 04:48 PM

My son and I replaced the steel floor in his 70 short bed fleet side about two yrs. ago. The bed sides were bolted to the floor with 5/16" carriage bolts. We ended up grinding the heads off with a grinder since I didn't have a blue wrench (torch). The front had hex head bolts that bolted the bed front to the side. The bed sides have square nuts welded into the inner fender so be careful when removing the top wheel well bolts as these are usually quite rusty and will twist out. There are two short 5/16 bolts on each side that attach the bed side to the bed floor underneath. The bed sides are tack welded to the bed floor at the back under where the hinges are that the tail gate attaches to. It's not too hard to do and much easier with two people and a "blue wrench".

Good Luck!

Spoof · 10-23-2002, 04:51 PM

Probably the biggest pain will be the bed bolts which will spin and need to be torched or ground off, the two welds holding the end cross member which need to be chisled or preferably cut-off sawed out. Finally and in a way the biggest pita are the bulkhead philips screws which attach the top of the bed side to the end bulkhead. You can't get at these unless you slide the entire bed back a foot, then the probably wont budge and will need to be ground off. Yep it will be a pain.

nu2-72 · 10-23-2002, 05:01 PM

Just tore one down a few weeks ago. Used the impact and broke the bolts off in the bedsides at the floor. Wheel humps too. The wheel bolts underneath came out as well as bed front with a socket. Used a 4 1/2 inch grinder and cut into the welds as much as I could without marking the floor. There were two welds on each side. One on the floor under the tailgate area and another verticle spot facing the rear, right angle down and out from the other. If you score these and carefully rock the bedsides, they will crack and then you can grind them smooth. Took about 40 minutes total.

colohusker · 10-23-2002, 05:11 PM

Just did a friends 2 weeks ago, and took the grinding the heads off approach since we didn't have a hot wrench. I think everything is covered here, took us about 4 hours to get both sides off.

10-23-2002, 04:11 PM	#1
ScottH Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Hampstead, NC Posts: 8,187	Bed side removal, how hard? Can anyone give me an idea how hard it is to remove the bed sides on a 72 lwb?

10-23-2002, 04:19 PM	#2
Smooth68 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: West Fork, Arkansas - Razorback Country Posts: 1,826	Slammed 67 just put his bed back together so he would definitely know this answer. I'm pretty sure you just unbolt it and then there are a few spot welds along the bottom. __________________ Smooth68's Web Site WTB 64-66 project or frame/cab, SWB or LWB...I have the fever! Whatcha got?? '68 Short Step - Shaved Body, Soon Bagged - *SOLD* Driver-2004 GMC Z-71 Ext-cab

10-23-2002, 04:30 PM	#3
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	Wood or steel bed? __________________ '69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA.

10-23-2002, 04:48 PM	#4
Old Dave Is a bullfrog waterproof? Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: OLATHE, KANSAS Posts: 1,130	My son and I replaced the steel floor in his 70 short bed fleet side about two yrs. ago. The bed sides were bolted to the floor with 5/16" carriage bolts. We ended up grinding the heads off with a grinder since I didn't have a blue wrench (torch). The front had hex head bolts that bolted the bed front to the side. The bed sides have square nuts welded into the inner fender so be careful when removing the top wheel well bolts as these are usually quite rusty and will twist out. There are two short 5/16 bolts on each side that attach the bed side to the bed floor underneath. The bed sides are tack welded to the bed floor at the back under where the hinges are that the tail gate attaches to. It's not too hard to do and much easier with two people and a "blue wrench". Good Luck! __________________ "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt." Ben Franklin __________________ 1970 Chevy shortbed 2002 Harley Custom Chopper (Long sucker) 1998 K2500 5.7L 5-speed Longbed 1st two are My son's toys...they just live in my garage! 1997 GMC K1500 Suburban 1993 S-10 Blazer 4D (youngest son's daily driver) 2000 Dodge Ram 4WD Ext. Cab (5.9L) Wife is a late year 1951

10-23-2002, 04:51 PM	#5
Spoof Registered User Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Victoria,BC, Canada Posts: 1,300	Probably the biggest pain will be the bed bolts which will spin and need to be torched or ground off, the two welds holding the end cross member which need to be chisled or preferably cut-off sawed out. Finally and in a way the biggest pita are the bulkhead philips screws which attach the top of the bed side to the end bulkhead. You can't get at these unless you slide the entire bed back a foot, then the probably wont budge and will need to be ground off. Yep it will be a pain. __________________ 71 GMC 1500 LWB

10-23-2002, 05:01 PM	#6
nu2-72 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Amazonia, Mo. USA Posts: 2,821	Just tore one down a few weeks ago. Used the impact and broke the bolts off in the bedsides at the floor. Wheel humps too. The wheel bolts underneath came out as well as bed front with a socket. Used a 4 1/2 inch grinder and cut into the welds as much as I could without marking the floor. There were two welds on each side. One on the floor under the tailgate area and another verticle spot facing the rear, right angle down and out from the other. If you score these and carefully rock the bedsides, they will crack and then you can grind them smooth. Took about 40 minutes total. __________________ 72 3/4 4x4 350 4spd 72 3/4 4x4 350 auto 2004 Duramax Silverado 4x4 2006 Duramax Crew cab 4x4 2010 Harley Ultra Limited 2011 Harley Street Glide

10-23-2002, 05:11 PM	#7
colohusker Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Longmont, CO Posts: 436	Just did a friends 2 weeks ago, and took the grinding the heads off approach since we didn't have a hot wrench. I think everything is covered here, took us about 4 hours to get both sides off. __________________ ------------------------------------------------ I say it's only money, my wife says it's only a truck.... '71 C10 Deluxe, factory ac, ps, pb, should be done by 2102 Longmont, CO husker95@hotmail.com



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