The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed Truck Bed Question - 50 3100

Like many before, I am getting ready to assemble my bed. I have the 3 sides and tailgate mounted and supported over frame. Mine is a short bed so I believe there are just the 2 cross sills plus the rear most sill under tailgate. One of the cross sills has integral spacers on it where I believe the mounting bolts to go through. The other is just a c-channel. I see pictures online of brackets that have slotted holes and look like they clip into the cross sills. Are those required? If the one sill has them integral, are they still needed elsewhere? If I do need only those, anyone know a source that sells those alone? These parts have been sitting for nearly 20 yrs in my uncles garage. I have the wooden blocks and rubber plus hardware. Thanks!

anyone able to help?

I'll go out on the limb here.

I did my 51 bed last fall. Bought new sills, except for the rear one (the one under the tailgate). Each of the sills came with two flat square bracket/plates, that slide on to the sill, and has the slotted hole in them. These sit on top of your wooden block and rubber shim/spacer, and the mounting bolt goes through all of this. So to answer your question, yes, these are required. I suppose you could fabricate these, if yours are missing, but you WILL need them. Fabbing some would not be that hard, cause once it's all together and bolted in, they shouldn't move anyway.

Should be four sills total, counting the one under the tailgate, but this one under the tailgate is welded to the bedsides/stake pockets, and it does not use these plates, (it has the metal boxes made on it). The front sill bolts to the front bed panel, and then there should be two more sills kinda evenly spaced front to back (holes on the frame rails tell you where they go). Each of these sills use two plates each.

Mike

Some pics to help.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/albums/72157631884205225

Thanks, those pictures are very helpful. Like the paint.

Questions .... what does the front of the bed bolt to? Is it attached to the forward cross sill?

Haasman

Yes, the bed front panel bolts to the front cross sill.

Thanks, starting to make sense.

And the bed side panels are of course bolted to the forward panel but are the 2 side panels also bolt to the cross sills?

Haasman

chevs of the 40s has those brackets that go under the cross sills . They are the only vendor i found listing them separately from the sills. I just ordered a set for them, haven't got delivery yet.

UPDATE, I received the brackets, 4 the same. All have holes in the center, where I have seen some photos where they are slotted. Two of the wood blocks have non-centered holes, so they will not line up with the brackets. I will have to dril out new holes...but....which block/bracket pair goes in the front, and which goes on the third cross sill?

Check the frame bolt hole under that third cross sill. It will be offset toward the outboard side of the frame. Place the blocks with the offset hole at that point so that the block will be approximately centered over the top flange of the frame. The cross sill brackets should have offset or slotted holes as well at that point.

Mar-Ktech

Making progress and just discovered another interference:
The under bed spare carrier brace is occupying the offset hole (aligned with the 5th side strip hole from the front). I added the carrier according to the FAM . Perhaps the two can share a bolt?
There is another similiar hole a few inches further down, close to the frame crossmember, I could use. But then the wood bolts on the cross sill wouldn't' line up.
Or, move the spare carrier further down the frame?

EDIT: Moved the spare tire carrier towards the rear of the frame. All is good now!