The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun Bed Angle Strips

So..... finally getting back in the garage and working on the bed sides of this 1950 classic 1-ton.

Has anyone found a good source for the bed angle strips for the 1-ton bed? perhaps I'll do a search through the forums....

Thanks - Bruce

Should have looked in the old forum postings myself! Looks like Mar-K has some for the 107" bed! WooHoo!

So I see that they can be had in both steel, and polished stainless. If one were to go with the polished stainless, how would they be attached to the bedsides? Bolting would seem a logical approach, but I don't want a line of bolt heads peppering the outside of my box.

Anyone used the stainless angle strips with good results?

Thanks - Bruce

You can weld the stainless just as you would the steel, only use stainless filler material.

Grigg

Grigg,

What is stainless filler material (obviously, I am a rube)?
What is a product name?

Thanks,

If you use a MIG welder it's a spool of stainless wire.
For TIG welding it's stainless wire rods
For Stick welding it's a flux coated stainless rod.

To get a little more in detail you should know what the bed strip is made of, 304, 409 or whatever alloy. Then your welding supplier can recommend the proper wire or rod for joining it to mild steel.

Same as any normal welding you just buy stainless "filler" instead of the usual plain steel.

Grigg

Interesting.... THATS why I love this forum, a person learns something new every day.

Was thinking about this topic this morning, have this picture in my mind of a row of polished stainless bolt heads running the length of the box, might actually look kind of cool. Hmmmmm...... or maybe I'm just nuts!

Bruce,
If you can find a local sheet metal shop/fabricator you could have the angles spot welded (resistance welded)to the bedsides like it was installed at the factory. I have the equipment and would do it for you for free, but you're a little far away.

On my truck, the stainless angle strips were pop riveted to the stake pockets, so they don't show on the outside. Also, two of the fender bolts go through the angle strips, so those don't show on the outside, either.

Cool. after studying the box side I think a guy could run the bolts through the stake pockets and behind the fender and nothing would be visible on the outside. I talked with my local body shop guy and he suggested just using 3M's body weld. He said they use it frequently on roofs and other patch panels and has never seen a bond fail. Although it sounds simpler, I guess I'm old fashioned and like knowing that there are nuts and bolts in place.

If you are removing the old angle by drilling the spot welds, you will have a row of holes along the bedside anyway. We suggest plug welding the new angle on through the drilled holes then grinding the welds smooth on the outside. http://www.mar-k.com/Catalog/PDF/Instructions/37-53_Angle_Strips.pdf Whatever the method, know that the angle is an integral structural part of the bed assembly and should be securely attached. That may be less critical for a 1-ton since the cross sills are attached to the bedside stakepockets. Good luck with your project.

Mar-Ktech

Thanks for the advice Mar-K, I think I'll be placing an order on Monday morning.

Bruce

What type of wire do you recommend with your stainless steel strips?

The stainless is type 430. Melting point not much different than steel sheet metal. If you plug weld the angles, the weld is not exposed to the weather, so we suggest using typical steel welding wire such as ER70S-6 for mild steel. I don't see a benefit to using stainless wire in this situation. Lay the bedside horizontal and use an aluminum or copper backup block to keep from burning through the angle. The stainless will turn blue at the weld area but unless you really burn it through, it is still stainless steel that is exposed. Use some chrome polish to remove the blue scale.

Mar-Ktech

I'm not an expert welder by any means but I still think that ideally stainless filler is called for. From what I've gathered working around professional welders and from reading a little I'd still use a stainless filler in this case.

Not saying a mild steel filler won't work, it should/will, but if going "by the book" it's probably not correct.

Here's some reading about joining dissimilar metals.
http://www.esabna.com/euweb/awtc/Lesson5_18.htm

Welding mild steel to 430 stainless steel.
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/stainless.htm
If you look in the chart they recommend a 309L filler, which oddly enough is what I guessed (I'm just not a smart enough welder to know why..)

Grigg

I stand corrected. Thank you for providing that very helpful information.

Mar-Ktech

No problem, glad to help.

Grigg