1986 Chevy C10 SWB Step Side

[aotte1]

Getting ready to remove bed tomorrow, first need to get some drills at local tool store ( 1/2 and 3/8 ). Plan to drill out heads. Tried to remove, bolts turn.
Also, the bumper braces at the frame are really stuck, soaked for weeks, bigger breaker bar tomorrow.

[aotte1]

Removing the bed. I tried the 8 bolts and they all turned. Removed one by drilling the head with 1/2 drill ( it should have been a little bigger). Then 1/4 ed the head with a die grinder and cut off wheel. Next the head was removed with a chisel in 1/4s, just light tap removed each quarter of the head. Then the bolt was driven out through the bottom. It took a lot to drive it out the bottom several blows. Picture of tools used is shown below. For the next one will get a larger diameter drill, so that I will do less quartering with die grinder and cut off wheel. The drilling went very easy with a high quality drill( higher cutting angle so that it cuts easier). Pictures of the parts that make up the assembly also included.

[aotte1]

Bolt assembly

[aotte1]

The above picture shows the bolt, two quarters of the bolt head ( the other two quarters of the head are on the ground somewhere), the washer that is under the bolt head with a square hole, below the washer is a round cylinder that rests between the washer and the frame cross piece.

[aotte1]

Frame area where cylinder rests.

[aotte1]

Larger picture of frame area, all the wet looking area is the drilling oil, used lots of it to protect drill.

[aotte1]

Upside down pics, need to get better w/ I Pad camera!!!

[jpnh]

Originally Posted by aotte1

Bolt assembly

save those spacers/offset washers to reuse,and buy 1/2 inch carriage bolts {got mine at lowes} dont buy the bolts from LMC their cheesey.-jeff

[walkerb]

Originally Posted by jpnh

save those spacers/offset washers to reuse,and buy 1/2 inch carriage bolts {got mine at lowes} dont buy the bolts from LMC their cheesey.-jeff

Hahaha i have a set of those bolts in my garage! Very scary

[aotte1]

Jeff, thanks for the advice. Today I got five more bed mounting bolts out for a total of 6 of the 8. I got a larger drill, 5/8 for an inventory of 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, and 5/8. I now drill each starting with the smallest about 3/8 to 1/2 below the bottom of the head. The new 5/8 drill makes removing the head easier. But still use the cut off wheel to quarter cut the head as close to the washer below as possible. Then chisel and 2.5 lb hammer to remove heads, followed by punch and hammer to drive out remaining bolt. I had to hammer pretty hard to drive the remaining bolt out.

Findings today are the bed mounting bolts were yellow cad plated. The washer under the bed mounting bolt was painted red on all of the surface. Therefor the washer were in place when bed was painted?? ( NOTE:This is Canadian built truck)

Les

[jpnh]

Originally Posted by walkerb

Hahaha i have a set of those bolts in my garage! Very scary

yeah it sux. how they get ya is they put m in with the bed hardware kit so you need most of the bolts no sense returning them i bet theres a few people with these kickin around the thinner bolt/offset washer is way smaller in diameter/no spacers/not long enough clearly out of touch with reality or a good scam.ill end up using them on something.

[jpnh]

when i did my bed after i unbolted it i flipped it over onto a couple broken office chairs with plywood and some other wood i had kickin around bolted/screwed to them i usually inherit the broken computer chairs when the backs break off made a nice cradle i could roll it around easy i flipped it over to get at all the nuts on the bottom that hold the wood in the wood was still in mine when i got it after tryn to get them off a couple came loose then i broke a few off then i sawzalled a couple and found it was easier to just break m all off i used a breaker bar/socket with no wood in there you might be able to do something different if their just spinning on ya then i stripped all the paint and rust off the bottom with a wire brush wheel on a drill before flipping it back over to do the top had to do this a few times when u get the wood kit the holes arent drilled in it so your gonna have to pre fit the wood and figure exactally where you need the holes cant be off at all no room for error gotta make sure the wood is far enough under the sides that are spotwelded to the bed you dont have to take them off but you have to make sure the wood lines up with the hold downs in the grooves if your not far enough under the side the or not square it makes a difference the hold downs wont line up in the grooves gotta get all the wood in there straight with the hold down strips in the grooves and the gap between the wood and the rear panel at the end of the bed consistant then you use a sharpie to mark all the holes to be drilled then take them back out to drill em need to do all the fitting/ drilling before ya finish the wood.if i can think of anything else ill try n let ya know.