The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Fixing bed sides

Hi All, My bed sides are badly rusted at the angle strip where the wood comes up to it. There are sections along this strip where the bed side is rusted through. Given that new bed sides cost Seventeen million dollars, I was thinking of ways to fix what I have. I am considering cutting a two inch wide strip out of the bed side where it is rusted and replacing it with new metal. The question is the best way to do it. I don't imagine spotwelding a new strip in place is the way to go, the open seams would collect water. I imagine there is a way to bend the metal to make a seam that would be better but it would require a large bending brake. I am open to suggestion and ideas, suggestions, or learning about how you did it if you have done this before. Thanks in advance!

I am going to attempt to butt weld a patch soon. The plan is to leave the fenders and stake pockets attached to keep everything in place, cut out the bad and weld in the new. I will post photos. That large flat surface will be prone to warp so I will do it in short tack welds and let it cool and do some more. I am way to cheap to buy the new ones. I sure hope it works. https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=556126#Post556126 This is a link to how to keep the patch in place.

I did the front panel of My bed took the bottom 6 inchs off and had a fab shop make Me a new pc. than I tacked it in from the center weilding every 6 inchs out to both sides than I flipped it and did the other side in between the other weilds every 6 inches ,than flip and tack between those weilds just You have to let it cool down only weild one side than let cool than flip ,weild ,cool , I will post the pic's it takes time but it feels good to save another part of the truck and save money too

http://s559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/sparky52/bed%20fix/

Pete

That's it Pete! That is what I was hoping someone would show me. It is a long butt weld, and I am sure to burn through in a couple of spots, but that is the way to go! Thanks for the link and the information. Good luck with your truck!
Rick

Back the area you are welding with copper and burn through won't be a problem. I hope you post photos and do it before I do.

Rick, when My Son was teaching Me how to mig weild , I showed Him how to stick weild when He was 7 , He kept saying keep moving and only do short tacks and it works for Me good luck and always have fun.
next week I am going to do the bed sides the same way

Pete

Good luck Pete! Let us know how it went!

Thanks for the tip Neil, I have a piece of copper roofing somewhere I will try.

I used copper roofing flashing folded over a few times. The added thickness seems to make it stick less.

if someone sends me the demenions of the bedsides, or a DFX file of them , i ll laser them out for you ?? ok

I had the same problem, I replaced 6" across the intire bottom of both sides. There is a lip or L shaped bend at the bottom of appox 3/4 inch for strenth, I cut 3/4 inch strips and butt welded tham on to the patch panel and then butt welded the patch panel in place as discribed above. You will have some pin holes and I used a light under the bedside to fined and file those. You can use metal to metal or fiber glass short strand filler to make sure there will be no holes. Go slow take your time, it is worth the effort.

It seems to me that patching something as simple as a bed side is more work than making new bed sides out of all new metal . I used my old bed sides as a pattern and had a local metal shop cut out and bend the upper angle for me , I welded some exhaust tubing from NAPA onto the top and smoothed it out , I did reuse the stake pockets though - had 'em blasted and hammered back into shape , then used bodypanel adheisive and clamps to bond the stake pockets to the bed side . I got alittle scared so I did add a few small welds in a few spots trying to not get any warpage from exessive heat . Looked great and saved a ton of money , I had less than $100.00 in each side , also built the bed front and tailgate for my '38 although it did take me 3 tries to get the tailgate right . Used stopesign posts were my cross beams between the frame and bed wood , all done to the same dimentions as the original bed . Super cheap and heavy duty.

But that is still $100 per side compared to $20 and some time. I have a lot more time than money these days. Some good ideas in your post though. Do you have any photos?