Nuts and bolts

[refit1701]

I'm in the process of taking the bed apart. The bed floor was much rustier than I thought, having been covered with a sheet of plywood when I bought it. My bad for not looking underneath it more thoroughly.

Most of the bolt heads which hold the bed floor to the other panels are rusted to oblivion on the top side, where it looks like they used to be phillips head type.

I'd like to save what I can, but these are just spinning in the holes.

If I have to cut these bolts off, are replacements readily available?

[pfrederi]

Short answer is they are not readily available. Some vendors may have them but they are not inexpensive.

If they are spinning the captive nuts have broken free.

[refit1701]

The nuts are welded to the bed floor?

[Nickathome]

The captive nuts I would think are welded into the frame members that the bolts go into. If they have broken free, then your bolts would spin freely.

Could also be that your bolts/and or nuts have rusted to the point that the threads have stripped which would result in them spinning freely also.

[refit1701]

We may be talking about different things.

I'm speaking of the panhead, phillips bolts which go through the bed floor and have a nut on the other side. These are all around the periphery of the floor and attach the fenders, bed sides, front panel, etc., to it.

Not the big hex bolts which go into the frame.

I did have some thread damage on the hinge from the tailgate. When I finally got it out, the last quarter inch or so of threads were smashed flat, probably from being rusted to the nut on the inside of the frame member.

I keep telling myself that this is not a concours correct restoration....since I think it would take too much to get to that point.

[m-37Bruce]

Hey John,
I don't recall the part # of the screw, but Larry Sage should chime in? Be prepared, they are pricey, @ .57/.60 each! I bought 100 of them many years ago @ .39 each. They are s/s, as I recall?

http://www.mcmaster.com/

Hope This Helps,

[refit1701]

Wow, if someone can remember the part number or what they are called....that'd be great.

[JBizal]

I have them in stock. Some NOS ones left, and new production steel also.
www.midwestmil.com
John

[mike_l]

I got mine from John Bizal. About your only alternative is to go with the courser thread screw which is fairly easy to find in SS (and a bit cheaper). The front outer corner of the wheel wells have a weld nut in place, the only two in the floor. So, you'll have to save at least two fine thread screws unless you replace the weld nuts too. It would be nice if these were available with the truss head, fine thread, AND in SS.

I had to cut most of mine out, what a pain but it's done and I don't see myself having to do it again. Or, not within the next 50 years that the last ones were in for.