Bed Cross Members Don't Line Up with Bed Strips?

[javadoc]

I didn't have the cross sills out, no. The PO had put in a sheet of 3/4" plywood, and I pulled that nasty thing out. Can I rearrange the cross sills without welding? That'd be great if I could.

[kieth]

Originally Posted by javadoc

I didn't have the cross sills out, no. The PO had put in a sheet of 3/4" plywood, and I pulled that nasty thing out. Can I rearrange the cross sills without welding? That'd be great if I could.

I do not think you understand how the bedwood goes in, go to the mar-k website and you will get a better understanding of the process. there is a gap between every piece of wood to allow expansion and contraction, the wood itself is not bolted into place , only the steel is bolted down, the edges of the runners hold the wood in place. One actually starts in the center and then you work to the outside , do not tighten anything until the end of the process. the only holes in the wood that are bolted are the areas around the fenderwells and the outside perimeter of the bed. Kieth

Look at the picture in this link, the dark wood on the upper left is bolted thru by the flange of the bed, the ss rail to the right of it one can see the gap where the bolt goes down (you can see the contrast of the umpainted wood and the painted wood --we made our own floor and were in the process of cutting out and drilling for the fenderwells.

http://kieth.smugmug.com/Trucks/66-G..._x5LW6zv-X3-LB

[wutnxt]

Keith is giving you great advice....

When i do the wood in a box i start at the outside and work my way into the middle but thats just the way i do it.....i find it works best for me that way. I also stopped bolting the box through the wood and instead i use shorter bolts and bolt the box to the frame using the frame of the cross member it looks cleaner i think. If your hauling lots of stuff or weight i wouldn't go that route...

The cross sills/members aren't welded they bolt in... onto the sides of the box....and some of them might be bolted to the frame in a few places

Because the guy had plwood in before there might not be all the cross members for the box in place....that might be one issue.

You might have the cross members in the wrong places...they should line up with the holes on the box sides ( he might have drilled extra holes in the sides to put the plywood in and that might be screwing you up )

Who knows what the PO had done under the plywood....they hack and toss out all sorts of things over the years

good luck just take your time and it will all make sense...