Bed removal - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

cokeman277296 · 03-12-2008, 11:56 PM

Is it hard to take the bed off a 83 silverado? I think one of my gas lines is cracked and need to check. Well actually might as well replace the regaurdless. Can it be done with just a cherry picker? Or do I need one of those bed lifter attachments? OR can I just lift up the driver side where the tank is? Its been down for a couple of months now and I miss driving it and need to fix it.

Blackstone · 03-13-2008, 12:25 AM

Since you only need to raise the front end of the bed, it can be done fairly easily with a cherry picker. It would help to fabricate some sort of under the rail attachment, but some beefy eye bolts through the bed's mounting holes will get the job done.

cokeman277296 · 03-13-2008, 12:45 AM

You know about how many bolts hold the bed on and if they are hard to get off?

Malo83 · 03-13-2008, 02:14 AM

There are 8 bolts holding the bed to the frame, easy to get from underneath, disconnect the gas fillers from the bed and disconnect the rear taillights from the wiring harness and your good to go.

cokeman277296 · 03-13-2008, 05:07 AM

I will give it a go this weekend weather permitting. Get some eye bolts like Blackstone said and try it. will I have to disconnect the wiring harness just to lift the front of it up?

**old Rusty C10** · 03-13-2008, 06:00 AM

i wouyld crawl under there with a can of PB Blaster or liquid wrench and spray the bolts down so it maked it easier to get them off with all the crud and all

GM72K10 · 03-13-2008, 07:02 AM

I usually drill the bad bed bolts out. Get a good 1/2" drill and use the good cobalt bits.

tyjoja · 03-13-2008, 08:33 AM

mine came out no prob. I did spray with pb blaster first though, guy on each corner and some saw horses and its done. Also gives you a chance to clean up the frame and springs etc. while its off. I also turned the bed upside down and work on it at the same time ( primer and undercoating). good luck bob

cokeman277296 · 03-14-2008, 06:05 AM

I got it unbolted today. I got 7 off without problem. One it was so stuck it rounded the square hole lol, so I got my angle grinder and grinded the top off and it fell right threw. I couldnt get the big gas filler tube off but will try again tomorrow when i lift the bed up abit. I cant wait to get it off and see if my gas lines are cracked so I can get my truck back on the road. And of course take it a spin while i got the bed off lol. It will roast the tire with ease with, i bet it be alot better with the bed off

... Does anyone know how much the bed weighs?

**old Rusty C10** · 03-14-2008, 07:24 AM

it couldnt weigh more than a couple of hundred pounds.. me and another guy ( neither of us are what you would call buff) was able to lift one off and lay it on the ground, as opposed to taking four of us to lift and move a stripped cab

Blackstone · 03-14-2008, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cokeman277296

I got it unbolted today. I got 7 off without problem. One it was so stuck it rounded the square hole lol, so I got my angle grinder and grinded the top off and it fell right threw. Does anyone know how much the bed weighs

You're lucky, I had to grind the heads off all eight of my bolts. Northeast rust sucks! If you're only lifting the front of the bed, I don't believe you'll need to remove any wires. Just take a look first to be sure the harness isn't clipped to the bed. If I remeber correctly, mine were all attached to the frame with the exception of the rearmost crossmember.

Regarding weight, I'm guessing 300-400 pounds. I was able to remove my 8' bed by myself using lots of blocking-up, sawhorses and a couple of 10' beams. I'm not a large dude, but was able to lift the front of the bed while adding blocks.

cokeman277296 · 03-15-2008, 06:08 AM

I got it off today and still had to drop the tank to get my hand underneath to change the 3 rubber gas lines. Sure enough one was kinked and in the kink there was a crack. I replaced all 3 and replaced the other 3 under the cab. So I started to to check for leaks and what not had none but still had little or no fuel pressure. Im beginning to think I have a bad fuel pressure gauge, its a mr gasket from advanced auto. Didnt get a chance to drive it yet to see if would run and not die going down the road.

03-12-2008, 11:56 PM	#1
cokeman277296 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Chattanooga,TN Posts: 87	Bed removal Is it hard to take the bed off a 83 silverado? I think one of my gas lines is cracked and need to check. Well actually might as well replace the regaurdless. Can it be done with just a cherry picker? Or do I need one of those bed lifter attachments? OR can I just lift up the driver side where the tank is? Its been down for a couple of months now and I miss driving it and need to fix it.

03-13-2008, 12:25 AM	#2
Blackstone Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Central Maine Posts: 210	Re: Bed removal Since you only need to raise the front end of the bed, it can be done fairly easily with a cherry picker. It would help to fabricate some sort of under the rail attachment, but some beefy eye bolts through the bed's mounting holes will get the job done.

03-13-2008, 12:45 AM	#3
cokeman277296 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Chattanooga,TN Posts: 87	Re: Bed removal You know about how many bolts hold the bed on and if they are hard to get off?

03-13-2008, 02:14 AM	#4
Malo83 Cruzzzn' Vet Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Porterville,Ca. Posts: 1,918	Re: Bed removal There are 8 bolts holding the bed to the frame, easy to get from underneath, disconnect the gas fillers from the bed and disconnect the rear taillights from the wiring harness and your good to go.

03-13-2008, 05:07 AM	#5
cokeman277296 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Chattanooga,TN Posts: 87	Re: Bed removal I will give it a go this weekend weather permitting. Get some eye bolts like Blackstone said and try it. will I have to disconnect the wiring harness just to lift the front of it up?

03-13-2008, 06:00 AM	#6
old Rusty C10 Robert Olson Transport Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: recent transplant to NC USA Posts: 20,313	Re: Bed removal i wouyld crawl under there with a can of PB Blaster or liquid wrench and spray the bolts down so it maked it easier to get them off with all the crud and all __________________ Bob 1951 International running on a squarebody chassis "If a man's worth is judged by the people he associates himself with, then i am the richest man in the world knowing some of the fine people of this board" http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...t.php?f=25&a=9 (you can review the site rules here!) PM Me for your vehicle/parts hauling needs in the North East US or see my Facebook page Robert Olson Transport Live each day to the fullest.. you never know when fate is going to pull the rug out from under you... I hate cancer!!

03-13-2008, 07:02 AM	#7
GM72K10 Next! Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Eastern Pa. Posts: 2,483	Re: Bed removal I usually drill the bad bed bolts out. Get a good 1/2" drill and use the good cobalt bits. __________________ 86 K30 CUCV M1028A1 86 K30 CUCV M1028a2 dually 86 K30 C&C 6.2 4:56s, 4M, 11,000 gvw, ex fire truck, now lowboy dump More square bodies and CUCVs than I care to admit to 2020 Silverado K3500HD Work truck

03-13-2008, 08:33 AM	#8
tyjoja Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: albany oregon Posts: 168	Re: Bed removal mine came out no prob. I did spray with pb blaster first though, guy on each corner and some saw horses and its done. Also gives you a chance to clean up the frame and springs etc. while its off. I also turned the bed upside down and work on it at the same time ( primer and undercoating). good luck bob

03-14-2008, 06:05 AM	#9
cokeman277296 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Chattanooga,TN Posts: 87	Re: Bed removal I got it unbolted today. I got 7 off without problem. One it was so stuck it rounded the square hole lol, so I got my angle grinder and grinded the top off and it fell right threw. I couldnt get the big gas filler tube off but will try again tomorrow when i lift the bed up abit. I cant wait to get it off and see if my gas lines are cracked so I can get my truck back on the road. And of course take it a spin while i got the bed off lol. It will roast the tire with ease with, i bet it be alot better with the bed off... Does anyone know how much the bed weighs?

03-14-2008, 07:24 AM	#10
old Rusty C10 Robert Olson Transport Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: recent transplant to NC USA Posts: 20,313	Re: Bed removal it couldnt weigh more than a couple of hundred pounds.. me and another guy ( neither of us are what you would call buff) was able to lift one off and lay it on the ground, as opposed to taking four of us to lift and move a stripped cab __________________ Bob 1951 International running on a squarebody chassis "If a man's worth is judged by the people he associates himself with, then i am the richest man in the world knowing some of the fine people of this board" http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...t.php?f=25&a=9 (you can review the site rules here!) PM Me for your vehicle/parts hauling needs in the North East US or see my Facebook page Robert Olson Transport Live each day to the fullest.. you never know when fate is going to pull the rug out from under you... I hate cancer!! Last edited by old Rusty C10; 03-14-2008 at 07:25 AM.

03-15-2008, 06:08 AM	#12
cokeman277296 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Chattanooga,TN Posts: 87	Re: Bed removal I got it off today and still had to drop the tank to get my hand underneath to change the 3 rubber gas lines. Sure enough one was kinked and in the kink there was a crack. I replaced all 3 and replaced the other 3 under the cab. So I started to to check for leaks and what not had none but still had little or no fuel pressure. Im beginning to think I have a bad fuel pressure gauge, its a mr gasket from advanced auto. Didnt get a chance to drive it yet to see if would run and not die going down the road.



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