Truck bed ?

[1980]

Hey Guys,
I bought a 79 GMC k1500 a couple years ago. Used mostly as a snowplow ranch truck. Talking to the guy I got it from the other day and he asked, " Did ever bolt the bed down?" WHAT????
"No, guess not".
I guess I've had enouph weight in it, but when I looked, the bolt holes aren't alined with the frame holes. Any easy way to move the bed to line them up? How much does the long bed weigh?

 

[1980]

Must be a dumb question uh? Do I need to jack it up or just try to pry it over?

 

[Fordum]

I never weighed one, but I have lifted a couple of them off with a boom truck or a chain hoist.

Probably couple hundred pounds.

If you don't have a hoist, round up about 3 guys, let the strong ones grab both sides, and have the third one ready to drop in some tapered pins, or screwdrivers, or whatever to hold the holes close to lined up when they go by.

Just bump one end or the other until he can drop in the pins.
Then, when you get all the holes close, get the bolts and drop them in as they bump the final amount.

If yours used carriage bolts, as most all of them do, consider doing a small tack with a welder on the heads.
The square holes round out, and you are left with a rattling body you can't tighten if you have a tool box over the bolts.

 

[diesel4me]

Last fleetside bet I scrapped weighed about 400 lbs,a cab weighs about the same,stripped of seats --..four guys can lift one off pretty easily,but lifting it high enough to take right off is diffucult,getting it over the filler neck hose is the part that is the snag--more than once I've helped remove a bed with three other guy,and one guys back or grip lets go,and drops his share of the load--talk about an injury waiting to happen!..I've used everything from strong tree branches,to a sturdy pipe clothesline to pick up beds using chains and a come-a-long in years past..---if all you need to do is drag the bed back or forth some to line up the bolts,a come-a-long anchored to a crossmember on the frame and the other end to a bed crossmember will move it easy..

 

[USSkoval]

I'm not I big guy and I have no problem moving them around by myself to get the bolt holes lined up. Just shove it around to get one hole lined up, then insert a bolt. Then do it again at the opposite end, pretty easy after that.

 

[Avery4jc]

They're not that heavy. Like diesel4me said around 400 pounds is a good estimate. I could move mine around by bumping it but if you want to pick it up here's how I did it by myself.

 

[geddesj]

damn check out that 2x4 nice truck man

 

[1980]

Thanks, I could pry and slide it in place. At first it was held with a seal of "mud crust", but once busted, it slide fairly easy.
Thanks again

 

[Fordum]

Be warned, if there is mud between the mounts and the body, its going to work loose and rattle as soon as the mud washes out.

J.