can't remove my bed

[mduryea88]

i can not remove the bolts that hold my bed to the frame, i have a leaking fuel tank and want to remove the bed, i tried all kinds of penetrating oil, and broke a few ratchets impact gun did nothing but shake the rust off, any ideas? i assume i can get new bolts if i cut these right

 

[eric.s.t]

Ive had that issue too... normally id just try with a really good impact gun. Thing is, if you break the bolt.. you have to find a way to get them out or drill new wholes some how in your box to attach them... Good luck.

 

[dirtridinz71]

Any reason why you want to remove the bed instead of just simply dropping the tank?
Use a good 1/2" drive breaker bar and about 3' of pipe. The bolt with either come loose or break off, I've found that impact will cause the welded nut to break loose inside the bed rib.
If the bolt does break you will have to drill out the broken piece, an easy out may remove the bolt once no tension on it, if not then drill out and tap new threads.

 

[Swims350]

same thing I thought, drop the tank instead of the bed.

 

[Blazed]

I would just grind the heads off and use an air chisel after that, new bolts are $9 a set from LMC.

 

[Swims350]

kinda hard to do the one by the tank that way. no real way of getting to it. Not to mention as listed above once the head is gone it's a real pain sometimes to remove them from the welded nut inside the bed cross sills and sometimes that nut spins and then it's a bigger pain.

 

[mduryea88]

being up in the northeast, there is alot of rust on the straps and around the entire frame. and i"m kinda in a rough financial spot r to replace the straps and everything that goes along with dropping the tank. i only need to fix the return fuel line up top, can"t fit my fat hand up there to do it, no need to blow myself up driving before i get the cash up to replace the tank, pump, straps and lines

 

[great white]

Jersey, ah the rust belt!

I'm from Nova Scotia so I know your pain.

Unfortunately, I'll bet that bolt is not going to come out without snapping. especially on an 88. That's been in there on east coast winter roads for the better part of 25 years.

heck, you're lucky you even have a bolt left in there at all at this point......

Still, have you tried getting in the bed support and hitting the bolt from the top with the penetrating fluid?

Penetrating oil will pull into the joint through capillary action, but soaking it from the top is the best and then gravity helps pull it in.

I'm also willing to bet your captured nut in the bed support rail is in bad shape. Maybe even the bed support rail itself.

After letting it sit a day or two (keep hitting it with the oil every couple hours) and then try shocking the bolt by striking the head with a hammer.

Then you have two choices;

1. Breaker bar
2. Impact gun

Myself, I say impact gun and hope the captured nut doesn't spin. If it does, you have to find a way to cut the head off the bolt and then remove the bed. Once the bed is off, removing the bolt and nut is simple. Replace the nut with a new one and tack it with a mig.

The breaker bar is long and difficult. It also doesn't shock the bolt as you turn. FYI, you want it to be shocked. as in hammered. This makes it easier to turn through the rust. A breaker bar may do exactly that; break the bolt. In which case you're back to remove the bed and then replace the bolt and nut.

Or, remove the tank and replace the straps.

Or, find someone with smaller hands.



good luck.

 

[96k1500]

I agree with great white, spray the penetrating oil on the top of bolt and let it soak, spray it every couple hours and and give it another try

 

[Swims350]

cut an access hole in the bed floor then patch it over later.