66 C10 Bed Installation

[Afirehawk1]

any pros or cons on whether to assemble the entire bed and paint as 1 or separate and paint individual pieces?

also see different bolt kits...zinc to stainless to chrome.
seems like the bolts would have been painted with the bed as one piece.
not sure what to do. looking for experience on this one. thanks!

[Clyde65]

Wood was black, bolts and strips were black also.

Stainless can be painted, will last a little longer I guess.

I had my bed painted by the piece and the assembled it after and then added the wood

[pmeyers]

My bed sides were a mess so I took the bed down to pieces and painted them and reassembled the box. I bought red oak from a hardwood supplier and cut the pieces to size and the grooves on a table saw. I coated all surfaces with a penetrating epoxy and put a few coats of varathane on the top. I purchased the unpolished stainless strips from LMC- they are plenty bright. I estimated the number of stainless bolts, nuts and washers and bought them from WholesaleBolts.com- cheaper than the bolt kits.

[lumpy63]

Don't Forget about the welds at both side's of the rear cross sill under the tail gate. This hold the bed side's square after being adjusted. Something to think about if you paint it in piece's.

[Afirehawk1]

Good info thanks

[La Zona Imagery]

How many bolts?

[rvrfoot]

I painted my bed in pieces.

[rvrfoot]

[pmeyers]

This what I purchased for my bed: ordered extra, and some stuff was cheapest in 100 pcs.

1/4-20 x 1 1/4" Carriage Bolt, 18-8 Stainless Steel, Per Piece
SS11-1006 75 $0.16 $12.00

5/16-18 x 1 1/2" Carriage Bolt, 18-8 Stainless Steel, Per Piece
SS11-1106 45 $0.27 $12.15

1/4-20 Hex Nut, 18-8 Stainless Steel, Per 100 Pcs.
SS1-10-2 1 $4.63 $4.63

5/16-18 Hex Nut, 18-8 Stainless Steel, Per Piece
SS1-20 45 $0.07 $3.15

1/4" Split Lock Washer, 18-8 Stainless Steel, Per 100 Pcs.
SS13-10-2 1 $3.09 $3.09

5/16" Split Lock Washer, 18-8 Stainless Steel, Per Piece
SS13-20 55 $0.05 $2.75

5/16" x 1 1/4" Fender Washer, 18-8 Stainless Steel, Per Piece
SS122255-14 40 $0.15 $6.00

5/16-18 x 4" Hex Bolt, 18-8 Stainless Steel, Per Piece
SS8-2019 8 $0.65 $5.20

WholesaleBolts.com (No connection)

[vince1]

You could pre-paint the heads of the bolts by first sticking them through a piece of cardboard.

Anti-seize on the threads would make it easier for removal the next time.

I am pretty sure the strips were originally green, the same as the rest of the truck. It was pretty hard to see it past all the rust but some of it was still there.

[LT1 Burb]

This is how I did mine.

[Afirehawk1]

Originally Posted by LT1 Burb

This is how I did mine.

noticed on your back side of the bed is some type of additive in the paint?
anti-chip or scuff?

i wish i could paint.

[LT1 Burb]

Originally Posted by Afirehawk1

noticed on your back side of the bed is some type of additive in the paint?
anti-chip or scuff?

i wish i could paint.

Its rock guard, did it on all underneath surfaces. And you can paint, I had never painted anything in my life until this truck.

[Afirehawk1]

Originally Posted by LT1 Burb

Its rock guard, did it on all underneath surfaces. And you can paint, I had never painted anything in my life until this truck.

will give it a try thanks for the confidence!

[LT1 Burb]

Originally Posted by Afirehawk1

will give it a try thanks for the confidence!

The most important thing is to read the paint tech sheets, and follow them. Be in the window, by the book, and I go by the motto of not being a cowboy,I am not good enough to be one.