55.2-59 Bed install

[popeyestruck]

Which is easier . Install the bed and then put on the fenders and step or put everything together and install in one shot? Trying to avoid all the fender bolts with my head stuck up in the wheel well and possibility of scratching my new paint while holding the fenders at the same time.

[mr48chev]

I'd say that it depends on what or who you have around to lift and set it on.

Then can you move the bed to the chassis or do you have to lift the bed up and roll the chassis under it?

That may sound odd (the roll under part buT I use this gantry and chain hoist to lift just about everything around here including the front of my riding lawn mower when I work on it.


If you look close you see the boom of a cherry picker engine hoist lifting up the back of the Model A body. I don't seem to have the photo anymore but I swapped a raised fiberglass roof for a Dodge van from one van to another with that setup 20 years ago. Lifted it of one van and rolled it out of the way and pushed the other one in place and set it down on it.
It takes 4 strong guys and some shuffling and grunting to set the bed on by hand. It can be done with a cherry picker if you have a smooth floor.

[leegreen]

I had my bed on and off a couple times by myself with fenders on and a cherry picker lifting the box from the rear.

I have 4 cargo anchors in corners of box floor to use as lifting points and used a hefty rope. Rope needs to be strong as you will have a fairly flat angles on the rope so the engine hoist can lift it high enough for fronts of the fenders to go over the tires. Rope needs to be well lashed so nothing slides.

The back of the box will hit the hoist in the area of the lifting ram as it get higher, I had some carpet there. The box tips upwards a bit at this point. On the '52 there was room to lower/level out after fender cleared tire, before box hit back of cab.....TF may be different!

I lifted the box then pushed the truck backwards under it. Pushing the hoist to the truck brings some risk the box will swing and hit the cab.

[popeyestruck]

I have an engine hoist so I'll be rolling the cab under the lifted bed. Doesnt really sound like an option for me with it tipping. Could 2 people pick up the bed with fenders and walk it over? If not it looks like I'll be assembling the fenders on the truck. I have to put the bed on next to free up room in my garage

[57FleetsideC4]

I just did this and I assembled the bed and then put in on the truck with the help of some friends. Steve

[leegreen]

2 strong people that don't care about the paint

engine hoist at back, 2 people with a board under the front and a 3rd person to push truck back

or enough blocking to hold the front up and one or more people

or 4 people

hanging fenders on the truck with rear tires off would not be much different than hanging fenders off the truck?

[1project2many]

I had minimal help so I assembled long box frame with sides and front panel, then set it on stands, backed truck underneath, worked stands out from under, lowered box. I assembled the fenders and steps next, then the floor, put in bolts to hold bed on truck, then the tailgate.

[popeyestruck]

I'll put the box on then remove the tires and hang the fenders

[mr48chev]

I did the long board on stands thing at the back of that Model A when I lifted it off and later back on that boat trailer and then on my car trailer.
\You can see the Black and Decker workmates in this shot with a 2x6 across them. I lifted that end off the trailer and set that board under it and set the body down on the board to stabalize it while I lifted the front and pulled the trailer out. then I set the front down on the stand that I used at the front and raised the back enough to get the board out and set the back down on the stand that I used under it. The same stands that will be under my frame for my 48 in a couple of weeks. I bought both at yard sales and think one was for holding a camper up and have no idea what the other was used for.

If you are working alone you do it how you feel is safe and secure.

[hogfarm]

I use my Cat 308 excavator

[mr48chev]

Hogfarm is the guy you wish you lived down the road from, he has all the cool tools and eq uipment.

[dsraven]

I would say assemble the whole box and have it ready for install. inspect the stake pockets for a spot where a lifting device could be used to lift from each corner. then jack the box up an blocks tall enough to clear the truck tires as they back under and fab some sort of stand to hang the box safely at that height using the stake pockets as lift points. then back the truck under it and jack the truck up to meet the box.
a few years ago i removed the frame and driveline from a gmc envoy. i jacked the whole thing off the floor high enough so i could roll the spare tire under it. this ensured the truck tires could roll away without hitting anything. then I built a makeshift stand on the front that spanned the width of the truck so the frame could be rolled out from under the body, supported at a point higher than anything on the frame or tires. the rear is fairly straight forward and I used my engine lift to support the body at that end. the front I used a long 2x4 laid flat on the ground which was a lot wider than the body. on that i built a structure that would support the front of the body at the existing height and not allow any side to side movement or fore to aft movement. I used a long 4x4 under the body from side to side, at a point high enough to miss any part of the frame or tires when the frame could be rolled out from under the body, to sit on top of the structure i built on the floor. then unfastened the body mounts etc with floor jacks and jack stands under the frame, in steps because it had to come down from a pretty good height plus I only have 2 floor jacks, and lowered the frame away from the body slowly. when done the frame could be rolled out from under the body easily, the hardest part was rolling the wheels over the 2x4 laid on the floor, and this left the body sitting up on the engine stand at the rear and my makeshift stand at the front. you could do this in reverse in worst case scenario. of course if you have a gantry, a tractor with a bucket lift, a behicle hoist etc etc this would make the job a lot easier. hanging the box from the roof trusses has also been done. spanning several trusses for each hanger of course to spread the weight and using a come along on each corner of the box.
lost of ways to get it done, you could leave the steps off for access to the frot of the box cross sills and lift using a long 4x4 under there, sitting on saw horses, and using an engine lft at the rear.
anyway, when you get it figured out, post up some pics. I suppose the way to get it done without scratching paint is to assemble it on the truck a piece at a time and many trips under the truck.

[popeyestruck]

I put the 2 sides and bed front together with the 4th crossmember then put in the 4 inch side boards but left out the bolts for the 3 crossmembers. That way I can lift it and set it on the crossmembers once someone stops by to help lift. Then I plan on putting in the rest of the floor boards in. I'll have my daughter and her boyfriend stop in over the weekend and hold each fender while I bolt it. Finally I'll put in the steps and tailgate.

[dsraven]

are you installing the rubber gasket between the fenders and the bed sides? ifnot ou can also use the gasket putty strip stuff that rv's and plumbers use. it stops the dirty water coming through on a wet day. then again, if you don't drive on wet days......

[popeyestruck]

Originally Posted by dsraven

are you installing the rubber gasket between the fenders and the bed sides? ifnot ou can also use the gasket putty strip stuff that rv's and plumbers use. it stops the dirty water coming through on a wet day. then again, if you don't drive on wet days......

Yes I'm using them

[57tailgater]

There is a good video series from "Old Man Fixing Stuff" on YouTube on him building a '55.2. He assembles the bed floor and bed by himself. Bed sides and front panel start towards the end of the first video link below. The second one finishes it up. I can't recall if he uses fender welting or not.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMsfwybzVh8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af--nubnEz0

[popeyestruck]

I got the wood in. I'll put the welting on the fenders some time this week and find a couple friends to help hold them while I bolt them up

[_Ogre]

I pre assembled my bed and used 4 guys to install it. Look at my build for pics. I assembled fenders and steps with welting, used ¼ wide foam tape to attach the welt to the fenders

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

I pre assembled my bed and used 4 guys to install it. Look at my build for pics. I assembled fenders and steps with welting, used ¼ wide foam tape to attach the welt to the fenders

I could afford that when I lived in Texas and a case of 24 cans of beer was under 10 bucks. That was before a number of these guys were born though.

Now it is call my son in law and daughter if I need help.

[popeyestruck]

"Now it is call my son in law and daughter if I need help." My go to helpers are my daughter and her boyfriend but I only use them when absolutely necessary. I like to keep my favors banked for a rainy day

[_Ogre]

i've helped so many people out over the years with electrical, plumbing, building or mechanical issues, that they stand in line to help. give bountiful to receive the same.