The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed 1946 Chevy 1/2Ton - Bed Mounting

Just finishing my boards and test fitting, but was wondering about the rear mounting points. I have these little notches on the angle strip. Testing the fit of the rear mounting blocks shows that the carriage bolt will fit right next to these notches. Do you still drill the relief hole for the carriage bolt washer with a Forstner bit? The washer would partially sit under the angle strip.

Also, has anyone completed a '46 bed? My bed mounting bolt kit comes with 6 long carriage bolts, but instructions I find online says to only use the long carriage bolts on the rear mounts. The front and middle mounts are bolted from below. Is that what you did to mount your bed?

Those notches don't look "factory" to me.
If the washer offset was toward the middle (away from the angle strip, would they still be partially under the angle strip? On my '51 (with pre-drilled bed wood from Mar-K so I assume they were correct) the fat part of the offset washers is toward the front of the truck, and the washer edge is about 1" away from the angle strip. I don't know if the '46 beds (which are 2" narrower) would be the same. Hopefully someone with an original '46 can weigh in.

When I slide the carriage bolt down, the round part of the head touches the notch. I'll probably do the Forstner bit thing anyway. If the wash sits flat to the board, it should just slide under the angle strip anyway.

Here is a photo of my ‘46 showing what I think I understand you need. I used a Mar-K bed kit.

Thanks for the photo. My rear mounting point looks to match up with yours, but the instructions I found in the "Tech Tips" section says the other two mounting points go from underneath. I do like the carriage bolt and offset washer look though. I may deviate from the instructions.

John
I might not be understanding, “…the other two mounting points go from underneath.”

The Tech Tip appears to correctly show the rear mounting assembly sequence in the third drawing. The two bolts pass horizontally through a mounting wood block and held in place with washers and nuts. The long carriage bolt, offset washer passes through the bed board and the wood mounting block and frame rail and held in place with a washer and nut. That sequence is completed under the bed. That is the way Sparky’s bed was assembled and as described in the bed kit instructions Mar-K provided, as I recall.

The attached photo shows the two bolt heads on the rear of the bed outside.

Tech Tip for 1936-46 1/2 ton bed mounts

My understanding of the front and center mounts is that they don't go thru the wood, but just into a plate on the bottom of the cross-sill with a lock washer, castle nut and cotter pin on top of that plate, but below the top of the cross-sill and the wood. I'd think it'd be a little difficult to get to that nut inside the cross-sill. Maybe that's why GM went to the offset washers and carriage bolts from the top for the AD series beds.

Kevin
It is a struggle dealing with the cross sill, but a buddy helping or if solo, use of a strong magnet and multiple trips crawling up and back under the bed eventually get the job completed. (Magic four letter word incantations do not work, trust me.)

Yes - this is my understanding too. I have the carriage bolts when ordering a kit, but I also bought some hex bolts if I'm going from the bottom side. Guess I'll decide when the time comes.