I know I found the size info somewhere but didn't write it down. I'm making a list of parts, etc. I need to gather for my new truck. I've printed the floor info and filed it, but can someone tell me the block sizes and how many? Thanks. John
So this raises a question, many of the vendors sell the blocks drilled dead-center, JC sells them offset, which is correct? If off-set where are they located on the truck? The eccentric washers should compensate for fit without having to have the block drilled off-set? Anybody have an original 1/2 with off-sets?
Thanks for the replies. My plan is to spend the next couple months shaking the bugs out and gathering parts and materials. A local supplier has ash boards, with the info I have I'll cut and mill them so they are ready. That's the plan anyway. I plan to use the truck, so I'm trying to minimize my downtime when I actually tear it down. John
I ran into this offset question myself as I am trying to mount the bed. I have the 2 that are offset and put them under the cross sill closest to the rear as described, but see no reason. if the offset supposed to be front to back? Side to side? is so which direction? The bed also seems to be high centered on the middle blocks as there is either a gap in the back mount if I snug the front bolts down or gap in the from when I snug the rear down. Anyone else have this problem. Its probably a 1/4 inch gap. I measured the blocks and they are all 2 1/4 inch tall.
From what I've read the blocks should be 2 1/8" with a 1/8" rubber pad. When I made blocks to get the front of my floorless bed off the aprons I made them 2 1/4" because I was not using pads and they were perfect. Made em all out of a length of 2x2" and drilled the holes as close to center as I could. All worked out fine.
I made a set out of pressure treated 4x4. Cut them down, drilled the holes in the center and soaked them in a can of sanding sealer. They worked just fine and will probably be there after the bed rusts off of the truck for the second time! I thought the offset washers were to keep the main bed bolts from turning and pulling through the wood.?? Does anyone have a template for the position of those holes?
I'm seeing the same problem with 2-1/4 blocks with an addition of the thickness of the rubber spacer pushes the rear sill mount about 3/8" in the air. This does not seem right. Any body have a clue as to why the blocks are cut too thick. I do not want to torque the bed down and stress the side bed panels. Just for the record this is a 36K original miler with original sheet metal never hit and the frame is straight as a pin too. Bluemeane might be right the spacer blocks and rubber spacer should equal 2-1/8" combined to eliminate the gap at the rear sill.
Last edited by sstock; 10/26/20176:04 AM.
1953 Chevrolet 3100 261 cu inch, sm420, 3.55 rear, torque tube still,omaha orange, still 6 volt, RPO green glass, side carrier spare, all done In the DITY Gallery Video of the 261 running
1964 GMC 1000 305 Big Block V6, sm420, the next cab off restoration
The three mounting points on the frame should all be on the same plane if the frames not tweaked. The stacked up height of the cross sill, cross sill bracket, and wood block should be the same as the rear sill mounting brackets for the bed to sit level. Some vendors are making cross sills taller than others and some have different height blocks. Just make sure you check the height of blocks-cross sill-bracket combination and it should be 4", same as the rear sill mounting bracket. Adjust the wood blocks accordingly. If you use the rubber pads, they should be placed at all bed mounting points.
Yes I did this as per your recommendation and it all came out fine. I used the Jim Carter blocks and insulators and ended up running the blocks through the table saw, cut them down from 2-5/16 to 2" even the fit correctly. People buy these kits thinking they should fit, when your straight edge (notice I didn't say leveling , because it isn't really other than side to side) is a great idea.
Last edited by sstock; 10/27/20172:28 PM.
1953 Chevrolet 3100 261 cu inch, sm420, 3.55 rear, torque tube still,omaha orange, still 6 volt, RPO green glass, side carrier spare, all done In the DITY Gallery Video of the 261 running
1964 GMC 1000 305 Big Block V6, sm420, the next cab off restoration
By the way, the wood blocks with the offset hole go under the cross sill nearest the rear sill. The bolt hole in the frame at that cross sill position is not in the center of the frame mounting flange but is closer to the outboard side. With the offset hole in the block the block sits directly over the frame rail. You can use a block there with the hole in the center, it just makes the block hang over the outer edge of the frame. Not a big problem functionally. Also, notice that on an original cross sill the bracket attached to the bottom of that cross sill has its hole offset as well.