Help with bed removal

[nasqar]

Can someone lead me to an existing thread on how to remove a bed from a 71 c10 lwb? The truck is getting painted and the painter asked for me to remove it....never done it before. Any help/advice would be appreciated.

[leddzepp]

Remove the bolts from the floor. Have a couple guys help you lift it. Pretty straight forward.
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[nasqar]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

Remove the bolts from the floor. Have a couple guys help you lift it. Pretty straight forward.
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OK, I will give it a shot. I assume the wiring for the tail lights just unplug from the housing.

[Sklptrljay]

Yes, unplug the harness under the tailgate. It is pretty heavy, have a place set up that will be easy to set it down and give it good support.

[swamp rat]

Also look for ground straps from the box to the frame. 4 guys can do it, i did mine by myself using a cherry picker and a series of lifting straps and 4X4's, not the best or prettiest way but it worked to lift it and drive out from under it.

[68gmsee]

I did not have anyone that could help out in the country where I did mine so I used some 2x4's under the bed and a couple of saw horses to hold it in place. I unbolted and disconnected every thing and slid the boards under the bed lengthwise with the ends resting on the sawhorses then I slid the bed backwards.

The nest time I did it, I used my tractor with a boom pole and a makeshift lift made with 2X4's and a chain.

[nasqar]

Thanks for the info guys! I have to load it on a trailer so I may try to lift it and drive the trailer under it...less elbow grease!

[oklalawnboy]

When I did mine, I made a 4'X10' stand out of 2x4's the same height (w/castors) as the frame rails of the truck. I put it on castors so I could roll it around. I had a foot overhang on both ends to have something to grab while moving it. When it came time to put on a trailer, I rolled the whole thing on the trailer and rolled it off when I got to the bodyshop. If you put the truck on jack stands and remove the tires, you won't have to lift the bed over the tires. Just slide it back onto the stand. If I can find a photo of the bed on the stand, I'll post it here. Bed will sit on the cross members and not the bedsides which can fold up if no braces are in place or you set it down to quickly.

[oklalawnboy]

Here is 2 photos of the stand

[Steve Hafner]

. . . .

The guy who restored my 70 C-10, took the bed off with several other people helping him.

He installed the freshly painted bed by hanging it from straps attached to the lift in his shop.

He said it worked GREAT and he even assembled the wood bed while it was hanging there.

To install the completed bed ON the truck, he just backed the truck under it and lowered it down.

. . . .

[nasqar]

These are some great ideas guys!! Thank you so much for all your insight. Hopefully this can help some other people as well.

[bobs409]

I wrote a little article on how I did mine by myself. See it here:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=578244

[nasqar]

Thanks bobs409! That was good stuff. Great information. I noticed CG had his 10,000th post as well...lol

[nasqar]

Here is how it went. Thanks for all the help. Hopefully this will help some other people as well. The only thing that should be done different is some blankets put down on the trailer because the rails got scratched up pretty good.