I started to install my bed and had to drill new holes in the frame due to the bed frame being bent... however during installation I found out that the bed frame is 3/4in smaller than the truck frame. It was jimmy rigged on there before with the same L brakets, but I had to replace the wood slats between the frame and bed. Anyone know what the original bed-to-frame brakets look like/ how they worked? Im completely puzzled on this one, and would like to try to avoid unbending the entire bed frame from front to back. (It was hit by a forklift from the back pushing the bed frame forward into the cab) Thanks, Ryan
I think they were actually strapped down to the frame, rather than bolted directly to the frame. Usually there was a wooden sill that ran down the length of the frame,from the cab back, made out of like a 4X6, with the 6 inch side facing outwards. with the bed frame sitting on top of that,
My maintenance manual shows a set up like that with long bolts on the outside of the frame rails with a metal plate across the top of the bed frame & bottom of the truck frame that the bolts go through. They also show a wooden block inside the frame rails where the bolts are located. This is probably the most common way to do it.
Most all bigbolts I have seen, the bed is not bolted to the frame in any manner. Like JeffL said. They are just "clamped" around the frame with long bolts on each side of the frame through a metal plate with 2 holes in it. Then nuts to tighten it down. As to the wooden block, this keeps the inside of the truck frame from bending. (Look through my Photobucket Pics. and you will see an old block someone left in my frame. I think it is the 7th. photo down.)
Last edited by Old GMC Gold; 01/06/20149:57 PM.
57 GMC LCF 370 55 John Deere 40-W 59 John Deere 430-W 2000 GMC 4x4 56 John Deere 420-W Pix on Photobucket
It's good not to drill holes into the top or bottom of the frame if it can be avoided,your truck will never thank you for that. A deck or box is usually U bolted and the spacer/cap can be either hanging down or up on top the stringer.
Yea, the previous owner alredy drilled 1/4in holes I was going to increase them to 3/4in for the bolts to be stronger. I plan on hauling my 47' tractor on the truck in parades, so I dont want the bed to come off... I have an idea of how its done, but it seems a bit risky to do it that way then put a 600+ LB tractor on it... Ill check out that thread! I guess I could weld up those holes to the best of my ability and grind it back to smooth. My dad is recremending for me to do the 3/4in bolt thing, but I know he doesn't know much about old chevys (he's a plymouth guy). I appreciate your help/input!
If you have four of those L-shaped straps on the bed to hold it down, you should be fine for the parade. Just use a piece of hardwood as a spacer to fill the gap between the strap and the bed frame. I would recommend eventually getting the traditional U-bolts to clamp down the bed for hauling loads at 'faster than parade route' speeds.
I'm rebuilding a '46 3/4 stake bed and have to replace the wooden rails that run the length of the frame between the frame and the bed like you did. What kind of wood did you use? As best I can tell they are 4" x 6" pieces that are cut out where the wheel portion of the frame curves. I've been told to use white oak, but man that's expensive, almost what I paid for the whole truck, lol. I've found a source of "barnwood" but most of it is pine. Would that be too soft a wood for that purpose?
Posting the same question in two different threads is not necessary.
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Go to any home improvement center and buy pressure treated 6X6's. If necessary, have somebody bandsaw them down to the 4" dimension on one side. It probably won't hurt to leave them full-dimensioned both ways. The pressure treated pine will probably outlast untreated oak. Jerry
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That pressure treated stuff just looks so, I don't know, funky. I've got a big band saw so I can cut it down, and I know it's just going under the bed and probably will look pretty bad after a year or so but I just wanted something a little nicer. I've found a guy who has "reclaimed" stuff, just have to see if he has any maple or oak. I know he has old pine, which I guess is better than new stuff but I don't think it will be strong enough for use under the bed.
Sorry, I forgot I had posted the question about the type of wood to use between the frame rail and bed in another post. This gettin' old stinks. :-(
I have found a guy locally (So Cal) selling Siberian Larch wood, which, according to what I'm researching, is harder than Southern Yellow Pine and sounds like it's pretty resistant to pretty much everything. The web info he's posted is showing it in only 2 sizes, 1" x 6" and 1.5" x 6". Which would work for the bed floor and the stake sides with a little woodworking. I've got a call into him to see if he has or can get 4" material for the frame. Has anyone out there every used this stuff?
