Bed removal

[Gerry]

Do the sides come off the bed and what are the chances of getting all the phillip head bolts out to remove the floor? Is there a better way( any tricks to make easier) to remove the bed or just unbolt and lift off?
Thanks,

[N1VSM]

I think that the bed is held on with 6 WFH (wicked f***ing huge) elevator bolts. 2 go through the rear cross-member. Once (if) you undo these, the bed should lift off.

As for undoing screws & bolts, besides cutting or drilling) you can try heating them with a torch. Some like to heat and then squelch (douse with cold water), although this might chock & crack your metal. You can try your favorite penetrating oil (spray, tap 3-4 times gently, wait a few hours, repeat). I've also heard of soaking them in Coke (the drink, that is). One method I'm planning on trying is to use an arc welder with a carbon electrode. Clamp ground to the bed & hit the nut with the carbon. It should heat up without torching. BUT FOR PETE'S SAKE, DON'T TOUCH THE WORK WHILE TRYING THIS - that is unless you like to do the electron dance.

Oh, yes. remember not to use any torch method *after* using penetrating oil. Sounds obvious, but you'll surprise yourself what you will do in times of frustration (or is that just me? )

[mike_l]

Yeah, I agree with N1VSM, slim to no chance of them all coming out intact without having to use some alternate coercion techniques. I just cut the stuck ones off after trying several of them myself. I was able to save about 50% of them. Midwest Military (John Bizal) has replacements if you want to stay original.

[m-37Bruce]

It took me all spring & part of the summer. I did all of the above and used my grinder heavily. I forgot that I took two beds apart, the donor & my original bed.

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[Rick C]

Gerry, just remember to remove the bolts holding the "L" brackets at tailgate opening and drag the sides outward till the brackets clear the rear cross member.... I'm in RI if you need a hand.
Rick C

[m-37Bruce]

Or a heavy rubber mallet works good here, both of these are from the left side.
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[EDI]

Gerry,

I just took apart my bed last week. Sides came off with ease, for the bed floor I started trying to unscrew the phillips head bolts with a lot of difficultiy found it easier to drill them out with two 1/4 drill bits. Took me about an hour to drill them out. Good Luck,

Ed
'53 M37

[Gerry]

I havent had a chance to look but if you drill the screws do you have to retap them or are there nuts on the other side.
Thanks,

[gwalker]

I use a nut splitter it works well except in the corners. no heat or pounding

[mike_l]

The floor has nuts under each screw except at the forward outside corner of wheel well. There is a weld nut on each side. Aside from these two, all the others have nuts on them.

[Gerry]

Thanks all for the info. I might try a few but looks like drilling and replacing is the way to go.

[k8icu]

I just spent the afternoon and early evening pulling the sides off of my bed. The problem I had was the philips head bolts that hold the side to the floor where so rotted from years of neglect that they didn't look like + that anymore some looked like * or [] and some just looked like blobs of metal. If we got a screw driver on them thew would gor from this + to [] or o very quickly. Needless to say my son-in-law to be and I ended up using the grinder with a cut off wheel and the drill a chisle and a BFH (big friggen hammer) to get them out. But the sides are off, the bulk head is next and then we'll pull the deck.

Don't forget the three bolts on each tool box door.

[Gerry]

I ended up drilling and grinding all the screws. But I got it completely disassembled and off the truck. .
Thanks,

[k8icu]

When I put it back together I plan on using a regulat hex head bolt. I know it wont be original, but 20 years from now if I need to pull it apart again I wont be using the same language that I used this time...