1/2 Ton Bed Installation

[52b3b Joe]

I have been trying to search for information on how the bed mounts to the frame and how the floor is installed, but I am coming up with not much. The bed was off my truck when I bought it and I really don't know how it goes together on the truck. I know how the box bolts together but that's about it. I have 3 cross-members for the floor but I have no idea how they mount and are there only 3 for the 1/2 tons? One of them is shorter than the other two. Does the floor support the box when it is all installed? Any instructions and lots of pictures are always helpful! A picture of under a bed at the cross members would help clear things up for me. Also, the angle strips on the bed sides that are welded on are rotted out. What have you guys done to fix that besides cutting the spot welds and replacing? Sorry for all the questions! 

 

Thanks,

Joe

[Young Ed]

Joe I believe Merle had a thread way back on replacing his strips. Yes drilling the spotwelds and welding a new strip on is the way to go. They are readily available. I can't help you with the crossmembers. My 46 uses wood crossmembers and the 6.5 ft box has 4 of them with the longer one going into the rear stake pockets to support the tailgate hinges.

[ggdad1951]

maybe this will help?

 

http://mopar.pairserver.com/p15d24ph_forum/index.php?/topic/30202-building-your-own-wood-bed/?hl=building

[Merle Coggins]

Wow Ed, your memory is better than mine. If I did it would have been on the Old old forum which isn't seachable anymore. I can probably dig up the pictures from back then if needed. That thread the Mark posted is pretty good, and I know that Jim Shephard had a lot of good pics of his assembly.

 

Since Mark had good original wood for patterns that was wonderful. I didn't have that option so I transfered measurements for the outer boards and cut and trimmed pieces of plywood to fit as templates. Then I transfered that to the real boards. Since Joe's is a 1/2 ton he won't have to worry about the cut outs for the wheel wells. I also didn't drill the large mounting holes through the outer boards. I bolted the cross members from underneith and the boards are clamped down to the cross members via the strips. It hasn't fallen off yet.

 

For replacing the outer angle strips on the bed sides, I clamped a couple of pieces of angle under the strips as a reference point. Then drill out the spot welds and pull of the old rotten angles. I got all of my bed parts from Mar-K and have been happy with them. The new angle strips were set in place against the clamped on angles and then they got clamped. Then just plug weld through the holes drilled to remove the old ones and you're done. Or something like that.

 

My truck, being a 3/4 tonner, has 4 cross members but only 3 get bolted to the frame. The 3rd one back is only attached to the floor and floats above the frame. I can't confirm what a 1/2 ton truck should have.

Here's a pic of the rear frame of my truck after removing the bed panels and rotten wood. 3 of the 4 cross members are still connected with the original long bolts. The third, floater, is sitting just in front of the driveshaft, so it's hidden.

 

Here is a closer shoot of the front 2 before removal. The front one is longer than the center 2. The front one goes all the way out to the outer bed side angle strips. The center 2 don't.

 

Here's #3 sitting in it's proper place. As I said this one wasn't attached to the frame.

 

And the rear one...

Edited March 25, 2013 by Merle Coggins

[Dave72dt]

I thought my 1/2 ton had 4 total, 3 long and one short.  Everywhere along the frame rail where there is a 1/2 hole is where a cross member goes.  Long cross menbers also have a smaller hole at the each end where the carriage bolt that goes through the side rail and wood will also goe through the crossmember.  The short one goes at the tail end of the frame in the next to last set of 1/2" holes. 

 

Edited to correct the location of the short crossmember

Edited March 26, 2013 by Dave72dt

[Young Ed]

Merle even though that one wasnt bolted it sure looks like there is a hole there where it could have been. The 39-47s supposedly came with either 6 or 8 bed bolts. I used 8 just for symetry. My next one I just might do what you did and hide the bed bolts.

[52b3b Joe]

maybe this will help?

 

http://mopar.pairserver.com/p15d24ph_forum/index.php?/topic/30202-building-your-own-wood-bed/?hl=building

 

I was looking at it, but was still a little unsure how the cross members bolted to the frame. I will definitely be using that tread in the future when I go to fit everything!

 

Wow Ed, your memory is better than mine. If I did it would have been on the Old old forum which isn't seachable anymore. I can probably dig up the pictures from back then if needed. That thread the Mark posted is pretty good, and I know that Jim Shephard had a lot of good pics of his assembly.

 

Since Mark had good original wood for patterns that was wonderful. I didn't have that option so I transfered measurements for the outer boards and cut and trimmed pieces of plywood to fit as templates. Then I transfered that to the real boards. Since Joe's is a 1/2 ton he won't have to worry about the cut outs for the wheel wells. I also didn't drill the large mounting holes through the outer boards. I bolted the cross members from underneith and the boards are clamped down to the cross members via the strips. It hasn't fallen off yet.

 

For replacing the outer angle strips on the bed sides, I clamped a couple of pieces of angle under the strips as a reference point. Then drill out the spot welds and pull of the old rotten angles. I got all of my bed parts from Mar-K and have been happy with them. The new angle strips were set in place against the clamped on angles and then they got clamped. Then just plug weld through the holes drilled to remove the old ones and you're done. Or something like that.

 

My truck, being a 3/4 tonner, has 4 cross members but only 3 get bolted to the frame. The 3rd one back is only attached to the floor and floats above the frame. I can't confirm what a 1/2 ton truck should have.

Here's a pic of the rear frame of my truck after removing the bed panels and rotten wood. 3 of the 4 cross members are still connected with the original long bolts. The third, floater, is sitting just in front of the driveshaft, so it's hidden.

 

Thanks for the pictures and description, that helps out a lot. I'll have to get some new side strips ordered and replace them! 

 

I thought my 1/2 ton had 4 total, 3 long and one short.  Everywhere along the frame rail where there is a 1/2 hole is where a cross member goes.  Long cross menbers also have a smaller hole at the each end where the carriage bolt that goes through the side rail and wood will also goe through the crossmember.  The short one goes at the tail end of the frame in the last set of 1/2" holes. 

 

Looks like I'm missing one, I'll just make a new one. They seem pretty expensive to buy them. Do you remember if they are all identical minus the shorter one? 

Edited March 25, 2013 by 52b3b Joe

[Dave72dt]

All the same.  Don't know why one would be shorter either.  Only reason I think the end one is the short one is because the side rails don't have a bolt hole that lines up with it.  Box is the same width all the way down so long ones could be used on them all.  The longer boxes had short crossmembers to accomadate the width of the tubs.

[ggdad1951]

I was looking at it, but was still a little unsure how the cross members bolted to the frame. I will definitely be using that tread in the future when I go to fit everything!

for FEF the cross members bolt to the "L" on the bed sides (short one by the wheel wells).  The holes in the cross members go for the bolts that live between the boards.  Then once you have the large holes in the boards, they go thru the cross members and then thru the holes in the frame.  If you want I can snap a close up of that for you.

[Merle Coggins]

Yes, that third one does have a hole in the frame to match it. I think I did use it to bolt that one down too, since the bolts are hidden anyway.

 

Merle

[jpwuertz]

Go to this page on the old dodge pilotlhouse site         http://dodgepilothouseclub.org/know/know.htm   then scoll about half way down and there is a good set of instructions on how to do the bed floor.  This is what I used and it worked for me.  I just bolted the cross members to the frame and did not use the 3 bolts with the big washers in the side boards.

Edited March 25, 2013 by jpwuertz

[52b3b Joe]

for FEF the cross members bolt to the "L" on the bed sides (short one by the wheel wells).  The holes in the cross members go for the bolts that live between the boards.  Then once you have the large holes in the boards, they go thru the cross members and then thru the holes in the frame.  If you want I can snap a close up of that for you.

 

I think I understand what your are saying, but a picture wouldn't hurt if you get time.

[52b3b Joe]

Go to this page on the old dodge pilotlhouse site         http://dodgepilothouseclub.org/know/know.htm   then scoll about half way down and there is a good set of instructions on how to do the bed floor.  This is what I used and it worked for me.  I just bolted the cross members to the frame and did not use the 3 bolts with the big washers in the side boards.

 

I was reading that earlier today. Its a good article with good info. Hopefully with all this clarification when I get to installing my bed, I'll be ready for it. 

[jpwuertz]

 

Here is a picture of my box.

[Scruffy49]

1/2 ton the short one is the next to the last and floats on rubber mounts that have fingers into the frame. It is NOT bolted down.

 

Front, 2nd and rear cross members the side angles bolt through the bracing. The main bed bolts hold the wood to the crossmember to the frame. This bolt has never been out, and the lack of wood makes it easy to see...

 

Rear most crossmember is bolted in like the front one. I replaced the factory bolts with 1/2" shank eye bolts in 2011 when it had a 3/4" CDX temporary floor. Wood was over the rear valance, and those are 3/8" galvanized carriage bolts...

 

Just went out and counted on my truck, 49 B1B with no bed floor. Front to rear you have the front angle, 2 hard mounted cross members, floating cross member, hard mounted rear cross member, and then the filler panel/rear valance. I "think" the wood rides ON the front angle and rear valance.

 

When done should look similar to the attachment below:

 

Hope that helps.

[Dave72dt]

Thanks Scruffy.  I stand corrected.

[Scruffy49]

I'm going to bolt mine down. Right or wrong, I lost one of the factory mounts a couple years ago and don't plan to drive myself bonkers looking for a suitable replacement. Plus, having all 4 bolted down eliminates a source of squeaking in the bed.

 

Glad I snapped a few pics before I take the bed off. I've got a fairly photographic memory for placements and such but, it's getting about as fuzzy as old sepia tone tin types...

Edited March 26, 2013 by Scruffy49

[ggdad1951]

I believe Horkey's has the spacers/bumpers

[52b3b Joe]

Thanks for all the replies! I think I see how it all goes together now. Getting the bed ready for all this is another story!