Removing longbed fleetside bedsides? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Delo93 · 11-08-2011, 12:20 AM

This is my first post on this forum... i'll save the intro for another thread. Anyways, i'm wanting to swap bedsides from a rust free bed i have. How do you remove the bedsides? I can see the front part just unbolts, but not sure about the rest. I would swap the whole bed, but the cross rails and front panel are in much better shape on the bed that is on the truck now. I also want to strip the bedsides down and prime them properly before reinstalling. Thanks for your help in advance and i'll post some pics in the next couple days.

murdoc · 11-08-2011, 12:39 AM

if you follow the stake pockets on the rear of the bed, from the top, down the inside of the bed, and then all the way down under the bed, you will find where it bolts onto the rear cross sill by four bolts on either side. u cant miss them once u start looking for them. they are approximately four inches below the brake light lenses.

two of bolts have welded nuts, which you need to be careful you dont break your bolt into, and the other two have nuts and lock washers that come off easily enough.

once these are removed, then you just have to cut two spot welds that connect the bedsides to the rear cross sill. one is on the vertical face of the cross sill, on the outside of the sill, and the other is on the horizontal surface of the sill where it meets with the vertical part of the rear stake pocket.

wish i had pics, it would make all this alot easier

LT1 Burb · 11-08-2011, 01:16 AM

My advice would be to buy new wood and do it once.They are a pain to take apart and the best way is to take the beds off and dismantle them completely and start over. If you can use the rear cross piece that is welded to the bedsides I would recommend using it as it is not easy to cut the welds, Mine was welded in one long stitch in 4 different places.

Delo93 · 11-28-2011, 12:45 AM

Well, I almost got them free. I found the 4 bolts, and of course there is 1 bolt giving me trouble on each side. Still gotta cut the welds too, but that should be fairly easy. Other than the 1 bolt on each side and the welds, I'm good to go, just waiting on the weather to clear up.

11-08-2011, 12:20 AM	#1
Delo93 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 10	Removing longbed fleetside bedsides? This is my first post on this forum... i'll save the intro for another thread. Anyways, i'm wanting to swap bedsides from a rust free bed i have. How do you remove the bedsides? I can see the front part just unbolts, but not sure about the rest. I would swap the whole bed, but the cross rails and front panel are in much better shape on the bed that is on the truck now. I also want to strip the bedsides down and prime them properly before reinstalling. Thanks for your help in advance and i'll post some pics in the next couple days.

11-08-2011, 12:39 AM	#2
murdoc Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: nampa, idaho Posts: 332	Re: Removing longbed fleetside bedsides? if you follow the stake pockets on the rear of the bed, from the top, down the inside of the bed, and then all the way down under the bed, you will find where it bolts onto the rear cross sill by four bolts on either side. u cant miss them once u start looking for them. they are approximately four inches below the brake light lenses. two of bolts have welded nuts, which you need to be careful you dont break your bolt into, and the other two have nuts and lock washers that come off easily enough. once these are removed, then you just have to cut two spot welds that connect the bedsides to the rear cross sill. one is on the vertical face of the cross sill, on the outside of the sill, and the other is on the horizontal surface of the sill where it meets with the vertical part of the rear stake pocket. wish i had pics, it would make all this alot easier

11-08-2011, 01:16 AM	#3
LT1 Burb Registered User Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Winchester Oregon, formerly Vancouver BC Posts: 2,949	Re: Removing longbed fleetside bedsides? My advice would be to buy new wood and do it once.They are a pain to take apart and the best way is to take the beds off and dismantle them completely and start over. If you can use the rear cross piece that is welded to the bedsides I would recommend using it as it is not easy to cut the welds, Mine was welded in one long stitch in 4 different places.

11-28-2011, 12:45 AM	#4
Delo93 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 10	Re: Removing longbed fleetside bedsides? Well, I almost got them free. I found the 4 bolts, and of course there is 1 bolt giving me trouble on each side. Still gotta cut the welds too, but that should be fairly easy. Other than the 1 bolt on each side and the welds, I'm good to go, just waiting on the weather to clear up.



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