The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed Can I change the wood without removing the bed?

I bought an oak bed wood kit with polished strips and bolts from Mar-K a few months ago. (bought a tailgate too, really great quality stuff). I'm planning to replace the plywood with the new kit within the next couple weeks. I've done two beds before, both times I removed the bed from the truck. I'm wondering if I can remove the tailgate, slide the plywood out, and replace it with the oak boards without taking the bed completely off. ? Doable? Suggestions?

Yes, it’s a bit fiddley but with a bit of time and patience it can be done. Painters tape is your friend if you are a one man operation. Use it to hold the bolts in place while you start the nuts. You may have to loosen up some of the bed mounting bolts. 🛠

Mark: you will have left over bolts and nuts on the sides. I did 2 beds that way, Mark K is the best. I used Watco exterior finish on the 2nd bed, better than boiled linseed oil. You need to stand up 4-5 boards in a container over night to penetrate the ends-Good Luck Bill

Thanks guys, I feel encouraged now. I have a buddy that's gonna be helping with the install. The last bed I did I used Old Masters marine spar varnish from Bruce Horkey. I really liked it so I bought the same stuff from the same place.
I'll keep ya posted in my "SBC T5 in a 47?" thread. Hoping to do the boards starting late this week and the install maybe next week or the following week.

Replaced my rig's old bed boards with a piece of ping pong table plywood many years ago, all by myself. If I can do that, you can replace your boards. I believe I did remove the tailgate, loosened up all the bolts which was holding the bed firmly against the frame.

I helped my neighbor do that very thing. There is a board kit made out of aluminum that looks like boards from LMC.