Wood bed sill plate mounting bracket question

[jcwren]

The is a picture of one of one side of the sill plate on the stepside wooden bed. The hole in it aligns with a hole in the frame, but none of the bolt kits or bolt diagrams that I can find indicate if this SHOULD be bolted to the frame or not.

If it should be, is there any bushing that goes in there? I have the pad kit for the bed rails, but there's only 10 pads, and there's 5 rails with 2 pads each.

The 2"x6"'s are in there to space the bed sides up while I get the bed wood installed. They're not actually part of some ghetto 3" bed lift kit

[darrellyates]

I was like you... they lined up so I put bolts in them....

And, the bolt holes were there on the aftermarket frame I used, so I'm guessing they are supposed to be used???

Best of luck!

[6T7 C10]

I am replacing the boards in my SWB stepper and mine has a bolt in it with one of those off-center washers.

[jcwren]

Originally Posted by 6T7 C10

I am replacing the boards in my SWB stepper and mine has a bolt in it with one of those off-center washers.

I know it's not necessarily the definitive reference, but the LMC bolt pattern guide doesn't show that for either the LWB or SWB. Are you saying that your bed has 10 of the offset washers?

[6T7 C10]

Just got back from the garage checking and measuring. Mine has eight offset washers two of which go there near the tailgate. I measured my new boards to confirm the hole lines up there as well. While the original wood has rotted out the original bolt and washer is still there.

[jcwren]

Originally Posted by 6T7 C10

Just got back from the garage checking and measuring. Mine has eight offset washers two of which go there near the tailgate. I measured my new boards to confirm the hole lines up there as well. While the original wood has rotted out the original bolt and washer is still there.

Cool, thanks. Maybe the bolt diagram is just really poorly scaled.

[ThreeQuarter]

My original wood bed had eight of these bolts and two were in these holes through the rear sill. I didn’t have any pads, the sill just rested on the frame.

[cerial]

Here is a belt I picked up at a auction for $1.



This thing has been used for spacing the bed to frame, isolating the fuel tank, cab mounts, exhaust hangers.









All you need is a piece or rubber or belt that is 1/4" to 3/8" thick. Just enough to avoid metal to metal contact.

Here is a old 8x12 bed on a 84 that came from the factory with wood spacers on the frame.



You can use wood. But rubber will generally last longer and stay in place better not cracking.

I have used a old tire in the past for bed spacers. But I prefer to use this belt as it is easier to cut.

[randy500]

Definitely use the bed pads for the following reasons
1. They are available for sale and make the sellers money and
2. Are useless and never installed by the factory
3. They isolate the bed from the frame so the lights won’t be grounded.
4. They raise the bed up and that combined with poor cab mounts makes the bed fit terrible in relation to the cab.