Blazer bedside installation

[jcfoote60]

Hey guys, quick question and opinions needed. VTBlazer put up a great post a while back on his work with Blazer bedsides which has me heading down the path of swapping bedsides on a couple of my rigs. So my question is this, since the bedsides primarily bolt on in so many locations down the side, in the front to the rockers, etc. do you really need to worry too much about alignment issues? It seems that once you bolt everything up, it is what it is and weld up a couple of spots in the back and front, you are set.............am I right or wrong??

I have learned the hard way about "assuming" too much, so need your expertise please.

JC

[red71cheyenne]

I would make sure its "square". The assembly manual shows how wide the at the back the opening is, and I just measured that, the front opening, and used a level to make sure they were straight up and down. Someone else might be able to add a little more. But ya, as long as all the bolts go in and all the lines line up, I guess its all good.

[Huck]

Bedsides just bolt up buttttt---a bed needs to be perfectly square corner to corner as well as across the front and rear. It is real easy to bolt up but if it isn't square, you will have fits with tailgate, top, doors, etc.

[jcfoote60]

Yeah that makes sense. So I assume get all the bolts in and just semi snug and then take all the measurements by tweaking it this way and that until it measures square from each angle, then carefully tighten the bolts and the re-measure everthing to make sure things didn't shift around?

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by jcfoote60

Yeah that makes sense. So I assume get all the bolts in and just semi snug and then take all the measurements by tweaking it this way and that until it measures square from each angle, then carefully tighten the bolts and the re-measure everthing to make sure things didn't shift around?

Yep, measure twice and weld once.

I used the tailgate to help align the back of the bed too.

Cool that your doing it.

[13lazer]

when you say bedsides, you mean on a blazer right? are there repop panels available? ive seen the patches but not an entire side from the door back. or do you have some nos panels? i saw a set of those for $1500 once.

[jcfoote60]

No, they don't make reproduction bedsides yet. I am taking them off of a donor Blazer. I am hoping they are salvageable, sometimes you just don't know what kind of rust damage you can find.

[jzarrillo]

Has anyone seen bedside replacement panels for 69 Blazers yet? Also wondering which brand of patch panels are the best quality that are made in the U.S.
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[Bentblazer]

There are no Blazer bed side panel replacements, there are some patches for pickups which also work for the blazers. If you are wanting a complete bed side you have to find a donor or use a swb bedside and cut it down, which I did and got it from Manes in Odessa, not for from you. I was pleased with bedside and customer service was great.

[29od1]

I think they have 2 piece Blazer bedside outer skins that can be welded together just above the wheel well. I don't know, and haven't heard, anything about the person selling these or the fit.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Blazer-Jimmy...item5643455619

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Blazer-Jimmy...item563f4e0eb8

[dujobu]

Originally Posted by jcfoote60

No, they don't make reproduction bedsides yet. I am taking them off of a donor Blazer. I am hoping they are salvageable, sometimes you just don't know what kind of rust damage you can find.

Yeah, tell me about it …

[junksaver]

I have a 71 2wd blazer that the top of the bed side is rusted out. How much trouble is it to use a complete swb bedside? My other option would be to weld in the top of a bedside off of a truck.