The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed Another question about the front panel

I started unbolting the front panel last night. There are the usual small nuts and bolts holding the front panel to the side panels, and also a large nut at the top of the panel. It feels like a piece of all-thread running all the way to the other side of the panel through the curled part of the panel. Is this supposed to be there?

I'm going to have to cut the nut off one side to get this out because trying to turn the nuts just twists the all-thread.

Maybe this is one of those rare pieces that was installed on a handful of trucks and will make my truck worth 10x the money when I sell it at Barrett-Jackson next week...

That's an original piece. I'm not sure what it does, but it is supposed to be there. It's just a rod that's threaded on each end. All thread will work also.

You might try asome PB-blaster on it. The nuts are most certainly rusted on. Or do it the easy way and cut the sucker off and replace it.

George

You are right, that is an original part and needs to be there to keep the bedsides tight against the front bed panel when hauling a load. I would not recommend assembling the bed without it, even though you may not be carrying any loads in the future. All thread will work for replacement or we have a regular steel rod with threads on each end http://www.mar-k.com/front_bed_panels.pdf part number 110655.

Mar-Ktech

Thanks for the info. I've been spraying the nuts with PB Blaster for the last few nights but can't get them to turn because there is minimal resistance due to the twisting of the rod. Looks like the cutting wheel will have to come out tonight.

Thanks.

That rod was introduced in the 1935 1/2 ton pickup box to keep the sides and front end panel from racking it should be installed and tightened up tight.

Well, the original rod came out last night with a little help from Mr. Cutoff Wheel. Those nuts were rusted on there pretty good. I suppose I'll buy a new one when I'm ready to put the bed back together.