Steel to Wood Bed Conversion (Installation Questions)

[Rack Man]

I'm getting ready to start my steel to wood bed conversion....I got all new metal parts from Mar-K....So I'm only doing the metal for now....I'll do the actual wood after paint...Before I get started I have couple questions for anyone that might have done it before....

Is it 100% necessary to remove the bed sides in order to get the old floor out and replace the cross sills? ....I am re-using the front bed panel w/the new adapter piece that welds on....so I was hoping to be able to leave the bed sides and front assembled and then simply replace the cross sills one at a time?

Thanks in advance!

Dan

[john]

I think so. I pulled the front panel for replacement, but its not necessary. The rear cross sill will hold it together. You will be in good shape with the front panel in. What ever you do, just keep everything level and measured for square before and during assembly.

[rob32472]

Well the front panel and rear sill is different for wood so why not remove it just measure corner to corner for sq it is no big deal but will save time and make it easy to paint addtionally it is always good to install wood and everything then take back apart for paint that way teaks can be done u need to weld the rear sill to the sides if u want it to look factory

[Rack Man]

So I can basically just unbolt everything except the front panel & main rear cross sill and then simply lift the entire bed assembly off the steel floor with the intermediate cross sills still still attached to the steel floor?

Dan

[Green Machine]

Originally Posted by Rack Man

So I can basically just unbolt everything except the front panel & main rear cross sill and then simply lift the entire bed assembly off the steel floor with the intermediate cross sills still still attached to the steel floor?

Dan

Not sure what you mean about removing the bed assembly ? I think if you loosen what you said, only the bed sides will come off. I've done a couple of these all steel and steel to wood, maybe try to explain it one more time ???

[Rack Man]

Originally Posted by Green Machine

Not sure what you mean about removing the bed assembly ? I think if you loosen what you said, only the bed sides will come off. I've done a couple of these all steel and steel to wood, maybe try to explain it one more time ???

Sorry for the confusion.....I'm calling the bed assembly...the two bed sides, front panel and main rear cross sill....If I leave those components assembled as a unit, can I simply lift it off the unbolted bed floor.....??....obviously, I would cut the tack welds on the main rear sill!

Once off...I would add the adapter flange to the front panel and get the NEW main rear sill installed....then all sides would be back connected and I can work on getting the intermediate sills installed....

Basically,I'm just trying to avoid having to remove the bed sides...The Mar-k instructions show the entire bed getting fully disassembled...I think mainly because it shows replacing the front panel...but doesn't state whether it is required to fully disassmble the bed if you are re-using your existing front panel w/their adapter flange...

As far as needing the wood for assembly prior to paint ....I actually called Mar-K and asked that very question....The lady I spoke to assured me that it was not necessary.....thats why I only bought the metal parts right now......Was that bad advice on her part ??



Dan

[Green Machine]

You can cut the tack welds on the back siil, but the steel bed floor still goes over the top of the rear sill. I guess if you cut the floor near the sill you could take it all off together, but I don't get the point ?

[71 super]

You are going to have to take it all apart, the rear sill on steel floor is part of the floor assembly, so in order to get everything apart the sides must come off as well as the headgate. You can then reassemble with the fixxed headgate and wood floor cross sill, shifting and measuring to return to square, you then can replace the other four sills at your leasure, but you can't just lift floor (steel) off and everything else remaining attached, however if you were going from wood to steel you could. Hope this helps.

[Rack Man]

Originally Posted by Green Machine

You can cut the tack welds on the back siil, but the steel bed floor still goes over the top of the rear sill. I guess if you cut the floor near the sill you could take it all off together, but I don't get the point ?

Well....my main concern was really keeping the front panel to the two bed sides assembled....I will be doing it by myself and thought it would be a lot easier if I did not have to disassemble it...I was also worried about it tipping over off the stand when I removed one of the bed sides?

Dan

[Green Machine]

I see, I thought it was still on the truck ! No tipping problems if it was still bolted to the frame. I don't think there really are any shortcuts here.