How do I mount the bed without bolting through?

[bigmoe]

Sometime this winter I'll be installing new bed wood when the box gets back from the body shop. My Bro in law is a woodworker and we will make the oak boards. I've seen other have mounted their beds to the frame without the long bolts going through the wood and I like the clean look. How is this done?

[AcampoDave]

It's not hard. You just do it from underneath with regular old grade 8 nuts and bolts. Just need the right length so as to be able to fish them thru in the limited space.

[bigmoe]

But doesn't the wood sit directly on top of the bed crossmember?

[old51sedan]

I just got done doing mine that way. My box was sitting on cart, after painting, I took the 2 front cross members out and where the bolts went thru the wood into the frame I welded a 1 1/2" bolt with washer so it would go down thru the the brackets on the frame behind the cab. Mine is a stepside, I went to the rear of the box and welded a bolt in both sides where the original would go, letting it stick down below 1 1/2". I didn't install any in the end cross bar because I installed a rear tank. When all done I lifted the box up with a ratchet strap on each corner and pushed truck under it. They all fell in place and I installed washers and locking nuts on all 6 of them. I'll see if I have a picture of the bed installed.

[bigmoe]

Ok I get the picture. The bolts end up all in place and sticking downward. Then you just lower the box with the bolts landing into the holes on the truck frame.

[old51sedan]

You caught on real quick, HAHA.... Good luck with you project. Everybody asks about the bolts and I just tell them I didn't thing it needs them as its heavy and I don't drive very fast.

[The Rocknrod]

I just used shorter bolts on the mounting brackets and pointed the bolts up (instead of down) thru the holes in the frame. used a washer and bolt above the brackets that sit on the frame. The rear cross member is another story.

[bigmoe]

Originally Posted by The Rocknrod

I just used shorter bolts on the mounting brackets and pointed the bolts up (instead of down) thru the holes in the frame. used a washer and bolt above the brackets that sit on the frame. The rear cross member is another story.

That thought had crossed my mind. Those bottom plates on the crossmembers are pretty light and only held on by spot welds. I wondered about removing those plates and welding heavier ones (sunken in a bit to compensate for thickness difference). You could drill a hole in the plates and even weld a nut on the inside. Maybe a weld on cage nut so it can wiggle a bit to make install easier?

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by old51sedan

I just got done doing mine that way. My box was sitting on cart, after painting, I took the 2 front cross members out and where the bolts went thru the wood into the frame I welded a 1 1/2" bolt with washer so it would go down thru the the brackets on the frame behind the cab. Mine is a stepside, I went to the rear of the box and welded a bolt in both sides where the original would go, letting it stick down below 1 1/2". I didn't install any in the end cross bar because I installed a rear tank. When all done I lifted the box up with a ratchet strap on each corner and pushed truck under it. They all fell in place and I installed washers and locking nuts on all 6 of them. I'll see if I have a picture of the bed installed.

Looks great! I was thinking about doing the same thing. Looks really clean!

[The Rocknrod]

I had all new cross sills and brackets so when I initially installed mine we welded everything out. Also the rear cross member has to be moded.

[Vinceg]

I used the carriage bolts with a regular washer. I then used a Forstner bit to dimple the boards so they sat flat.

[Railroader]

To Old51sedan - changing the subject. I am assuming that the access door in the side of your bed is your fuel inlet. Is it something you bought or got from another car/truck. I really like that rather than in bed type.

[old51sedan]

Railroader,
Yes, it is a fuel door. I bought it from a street rod shop out of Ohio. It is spring loaded and has a cap that you stick the gas nozzle right through to fill it with. It is kinda neat, but I think you could find one complete out of a ford in the junk yard. I know they have this style of cap. I'll see if I can get you pictures. Those big fenders on the stepside hide it really well.

[Railroader]

Old51sedan - Thanks. I'll see if I can find something locally but does the shop where you bought yours have a website?

[dracko]

I just used short grade 8 bolts (like mentioned earlier) for all the crossmembers except the rear one.

That one has the V shaped brackets around the hole so you can’t access the nut or bolt once the wood is installed, so I bolted it up where I wanted it and welded the nut in place inside the V.

Hope that makes sense and hope my bed doesn’t fly off because I didn’t re-weld the bed mounts on the crossmembers. Has anybody had one fail?

[old51sedan]

Railroader,
I pulled the cap off, it has the name on it. It is Hagan street rod necessities and the web site is Haganauto.com that should get you there. You can get this with a round door, square, and oblong also. Hope this helps you out. I'll try to post picture. If not I will try to find the paperwork, I bought it 2-3 years ago.