Looking for some knowlege on the best was to put my truck bed back together. The bed is off the truck, 100% disassymbled. I'm in the process of sandblasting the bed cross beams. When putting things back together, do I bolt the cross beams to the frame, then continue adding pieces as I ready the panels etc? or Do I put it all together "off frame" somehow? Would you primmer everything before assembly, and do the final painting once all together, on the truck? Of course, the outside of the front panel (by the cab) would have to be top coated before assembly. I know the whole bed will have to be squared up on the frame before the boards are installed. Thanks for any tips you have!
I would prep and paint everything first then assemble it on a set of saw horses. Of course you will need an extra set of hands for this... The best way to square up a bed is to bolt the side rails to the front panel then put the rear cross member in place leaving everything loose. Take a tape measure and cross measure from corner to corner diagonally on all four corners. When both measurements are the same the bed is square. Then add the cross members and tighten. you should keep cross checking the measurements to make sure the bed remains square and tighten bolts as you go.....Big Tim
Bed Restoration Tim, thanks for the tips. Would have to be some sturdy saw horses I'm thinking. Can the box boards be installed last, or are they what hold the cross beams to the box? Would the process go something like this? 1. So, the front panel and rear cross beam supported by saw horses. 2. Then add the side panels. 3. Square up 4. Add cross members (bolted to what?) 5. Add boards and hold down stips Thanks, Tom
The cross beams are held in by the carriage bolts going through the bed strips that are spot welded to the bed sides and the strips that hold down the wood. The bed strips and the cross beams sandwich the wood in to place.
If you care to do so, we can discuss this over the phone. We have done several at the shop and have refined the process, for what we feel is the best, most-time effective and cost-conscious approach.
bed restoration Tony, thanks for the offer of help. I only have the cross beams sandblasted and painted so far, and have all the panels to repair, derust, and paint before I can start assembly. Therefore, I'll hold off on calling you now, or I'll forget everything you told me by the time I'm ready to put it together! I had purchased a $3 dollar booklet on bed restoration at one time.... it was rather vague, and now I can't even find that. Thanks, Tom
You can put the bed together and use a few strips of wood to hold it where the cross beams originally went. This way you can have the bed assembled without the steel cross beams , inner fenders, and wood. We will put the wood in after painting and placing the bed on the truck with the crossmembers. The wood will be the last part of the install as I see it, or maybe we should put it in before hand and just drill the holes for the bed attachment thru the wood with the washers last. Kieth
bed restoration Keith, thanks for your input. I have a nine foot long workbench, (about three foot wide), that I'm thinking of using to put the bed together on. Was hoping I could epoxy prime all panels, then attach the two side panels to the front panel and rear cross piece on the work bench. Then at minimum, top coat the outside of the front panel, then set the whole works (minus wood floor) on the cross beams on the truck frame. I'm guessing the bed is about half as light without the wood flooring? Once the bed is sitting on the frame, square it up, top coat panels, add boards, tail gate, etc. Any foreseeable problems with this plan? Thanks, Tom
Also, just as a reminder the rear cross beam is tack welded to the bed sides where it meets up with the stake pokcets. This must be done before any painting.
Bed Restoration Drabo, Thanks for the reminder about the rear cross beam being tack welded. I remember now grinding off the weld! Already have the new cross beam primed, so will have to grind a little paint off to weld when the time comes.
Here is a number of photos of the process, if you are interested: http://www.flickr.com/photos/4-5-6chevytrucks/5596473539/in/set-72157626337731524/
Bed Restoration Thanks Tony for the bed photos. I watched the slide show too. Gives me inspiration! Wish I had the car lift to install the box! My cross beams are all painted, front panel primered, and am working on the tail gate now. After that, have both side panels / fenders to work on.
We are almost finished with the bed wood in my truck.....here is a link to the pictures http://kieth.smugmug.com/Trucks/66-GMC/13311086_gRF57#1382407491_vcsTLN8
Truck restoration Looking good Keith! Thanks for the photos. Just wondering what you did about primmering and painting in between the double walls on the bed sides? Only about 4 inches between the walls, so don't think I can spray paint in very well. Did you brush primer in between the panels? Thanks, Tom
We cleaned between the wall the best we could, primered painted everything we could, and will eventually undercoat it all later, we just want to get this sucker going. It has taken too long.......Kieth
Bed Finally Installed Thanks for all your help and tips on putting together and installing my pickup box. I ended up putting it together on a workbench (on wheels). The top of the workbench was about 34" high. I attached the two bedsides to the front panel and rear cross sill. Next temporarily installed all the cross sills, marked the new boards for holes. Took the boards and cross sill back out, drilled the holes, then started the week long process of painting my boards. I put the first two row of boards in on each side today, bolted them in, and my son and I rolled the box outside to another garage stall, where the truck had been awaiting for a long time! I had the rear wheels off the truck, with the back of the frame blocked up to match the height of the workbench with the box on it. I attached a couple of 3 foot long 2x4"'s on the end of the frame on each side to aid the box to slide into place on the frame. My son and I were able to easily slide the box into position, seeing how most of the bed boards were not installed yet....... which I'll be doing tomorrow. Thanks again!
