The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop 47-53 3600 Bed Mounting Blocks

I've had the bed on & off my 3600 several times & always wondered about the mounting of the bed to the frame at the last cross sill (at the end of the bed). On two sites that have some information on this...

Deve's: http://devestechnet.com/Home/Bedwood

...and Mar-K's http://www.mar-k.com/Catalog/PDF/Instructions/bed_mounting_information.pdf

...the mount at the end cross sill is described as a rubber pad, no wood block) and the bolt.

Well, my 3600 bed needed to be re-mounted when I got it 2 years ago. It had 3/4" wood blocks & no rubber pads at the end cross sill. After buying a new set (of 2" blocks & rubber pads) for a 3/4 ton from Carters' - it still needed a 3/4" block at the end cross sill...

A year later & we have had the bed off several times, verified it is straight/true & double checked the interior cross sill locations. We have test mounted a bed with new sides and cross sills (but saved the end cross sill)...& we still need the 3/4" wood block at the end cross sill (could just need 1/2" with a rubber pad).

Now it looks fine but I can't help but wondering if I have missed anything? Looked all over for resto shots of 3600 bed and can't seem to find anything...

Sounds like you have frame damage that requires some shims at the rear mount points. All mounting points should be on the same plane, but if a frame is bent, shims or extra spacers are used to level the bed. That is not uncommon. If you are happy with how the bed sits on the truck, drive it and enjoy.

Mar-Ktech

Mar-ktech -That's an interesting call & may have been the answer (read on) -if something like "tapping" loading dock on a regular basis with the rear bumper had occurred….

However, I went back to the shop today and took some measurements. Again, a very straight looking frame was measured every which way & it came up within 1/32"…hmmm

…so, I went back to the beginning and measured the height of the blocks and there was the main problem. It seems (after calling around) that mounting blocks are sold in anywhere from 2" to 2-3/8" in height. Mine were higher rather than lower. After fudging around a bit with the mock-up, we figure that with cutting the blocks down to 2" to 2-1/8" & using just a 1/4" rubber pad at the rear sill we will probably have about 1/8" (or less) to shim.

I have to say that the new Mar-k bed sides and cross sills go a long way towards making a good, accurate fit possible.