How to install bed wood First, make shure to lay out the wood and make any adjustments so that they fit properly and line up with all mounting holes. I had a friend come over and help to shave off about 1/4" off most boards and recut the grooves for the stainless strips. Now pull it back apart, numbering the boards as you remove them. After fitting the bed wood, remove the center boards in order to mark the mounting holes. I marked on the side and front panel with a stabilo pencil (like a water based grease pencil) where the bolt goes. Use a straight edge to establish your lines and lightly mark on the wood. Drill all holes. I used a 1/2" bit for the mount holes, and a 3/8" bit for the side holes . I have traced the offset washer on the wood, tomorrow I'll get a bit to cut it out and sink it flush with the wood. Drill all of the neccessary holes, then test fit. If it all fits, remove them again and sand the edges round and the tops smooth. Test fit the cross bars. This is the rear cross bar on a 1/2 ton. It needs a block and rubber pad. The rear metal box mounts need a rubber pad, and the forward most mount needs a wood block and pad. I cut my blocks from a 2"x2" solid oak length, drilled the 1/2" hole through the middle, then let them soak in oil.
This is a 1 1/2" Forstner bit. It will cut the holes for the offset washer. Set it in your drill press so that it can only go the depth of the washer. Having your offset holes marked around your mounting holes makes it easier to remember which way to drill... Here is the nice, flat bottom hole, just deep enough for the washer to fit into... Test fit the washer... And stain the wood. This is golden oak. I brushed it on, bottom and sides first, then the top, then wiped away the excess with an old washcloth....(don't tell my wife). I stood the boards in a bucket overnight and flipped them first thing this morning to soak up as much as they could. I let them soak in a 50/50 mix of Turpentine and Tung oil... I bought from woodcraft for $19.99. This afternoon, I laid the boards out and slathered them, bottom first in the 50/50 mix. I had brushed the mix on the sides last night while they were in a bucket. I applied 2 coats of the 50/50, let soak, and wiped down. Then i used straight Tung oil and aplied at least 2 more coats, first brushing it on....getting lots down the holes for the bed mounts...letting it soak, then rubbing it off with a rag. Let dry an hour in between...... It left a nice low gloss sheen and should be near impervious to weather for a while. You should be able to easily recoat if needed, and scratches should be easy to blend.
Now lets install the wood. Start from the outsides, slide under the edge strips, line up mounting bolts, blocks, rubber pads and frame holes....easier said than done.... Lay in the next board, this one has the front mounting bolt.... That has to go through the sill, the block, the rubber, the top, middle and bottom of the frame. One lined up fairly well with a large Phillips head screwdriver through the whole shebang, the other required another person to whack it while I was under the truck "influencing" it with a prybar to go into the bottom frame hole. Much swearing was involved. Be shure to seperate them properly with the stainless strips... Each hole gets a carriage bolt, LARGE washer, lock washer and nut. You can place them fairly easily by yourself as you go by standing in the bed hole, but as you run out of room, you need someone to hold them from up top and someone to run the nuts from down below. To get into the cross sills at the top, middle and back, after a few lock washers to the cranium, I devised a plan. I used a flexible nut driver with a standard socket on the end. Fill it with nuts, then put a little weatherstriping cement on the lock washer to hold it in place, stick it up there and start it. Repeat until all holes are filled.
