RanchWelder
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2023
- Posts
- 776
- Reaction score
- 1,101
- Location
- Earth
- First Name
- --------
- Truck Year
- 87
- Truck Model
- Blazer
- Engine Size
- 355ci
Here's the Demco getting nstalled to the Blazer bed:
Side Plates for the Frame:
(Spot welds have not been hit with a grinder yet... It's very tough to get into there with a bad back and old man eyes. The wind was stealing my argon. it's good).
All the rivet welds are behind the fuel lines, towards the tank and back behind the frame brace with real rivets.
Front frame rail mount.
These are welded about 1/2 way up the sides of the U-channel to the plates in the previous pics, on each side.
The plates were spot welded to the outside of the frame and the U-channel section is welder to the plates only. Not to the frame.
U-Channel sits just above the corrugated floor.
There's a 12" square of aluminum, over the hole that somebody else cut into the floor to access the fuel pump.
Then a 28 x 32 piece of aluminum, then the stainless on top.
The 1/8 inch stainless plate reinforces the deck where the Demco has a strut at the tailgate, to support the 5th wheel head when it's auto-rotated back 11 inches.
Then we cut holes in the bed for 3-1/2 riser blocks at the rear.
Welded the nuts inside the tubing, so they can be removed if required to access the fuel tank later on.
The only 2 frame top flange bolts are the front outer bolts through the outer most U-Channel to the top flange of the frame. (Pics coming next post).
The 2 5/8 bolts were easy to mount the plates in the center using the existing frame alignment holes, in the center of each side plate.
Nothing was welded to the top flange, just the side frame, with spot welds.
The side plate re-enforces the weakness of the bent section of the frame over the rear axle.
The plate bridges over the shock mount indent and ends up intersecting the frame where it starts to ease out towards the rocker panels.
We were going to bolt it on the forward holes, however the fuel lines really take up a lot of room on the passenger side. So drilling and filling to build up the center hole creates a rivet style connection, instead of risking drilling through the frame and hitting a fuel line. They got soaked with a wet rag during the spot welding.
In the back, where the strengths is required, we used a 5 rivet pattern to lock it in. The 5/8 bolts holds the center and the front rivet welds stop it from bending or flexing. Mainly for placement.
The front down-bolts to the frame will be doing most of the work making the front of the plates locked into the system.
Anything welded in a straight line across the frame vertically or across the frame flanges would weaken the frame.
We are using Grade 8 bolts through the hitch rails, through the bottom deck plate, directly into the U-Channel and into the welded nuts inside the tubing.
The spacers and the tubing were notched to avoid the puck system.
This deck plate had the forward pucks with a smaller stud for extra deep puck strength.
We tried to save them so the deck could be removed easily and installed into a puck system truck.
However they got removed because they would have forced burning holes through the u-channel. They can easily be added again, if required.
You cannot really use a torch on stainless, especially not a propane rig, like we had today. The cut on the deck for the center plug on the X-Base got a bit rough.
It's all covered up anyways.
The X-Base basically remains bolted in the bed. The Hitch head sits on top.
I'll post pics of it mounted soon enough.
2 pieces of u-channel welded to the side plates, sitting directly over the frame, should be very strong. It will keep the frame square and cross support the entire deck plate.
6 inches double wide central u-channel runs, actually sat on the very edge of the frame flanges. They are proud the 3 inch u-channel by about 1/8 to 3/16. Just enough to hold and align everything.
There's a few floor holes to cover up yet.
When I empty the back out, I'll post the pictures of the base X-Plate installed and bolted.
It will be a few days before I get the head installed.
The cap has to be cut, sectioned and chopped down so the Blazer becomes a Short Bed.
You must be registered for see images attach
Side Plates for the Frame:
(Spot welds have not been hit with a grinder yet... It's very tough to get into there with a bad back and old man eyes. The wind was stealing my argon. it's good).
All the rivet welds are behind the fuel lines, towards the tank and back behind the frame brace with real rivets.
You must be registered for see images attach
Front frame rail mount.
These are welded about 1/2 way up the sides of the U-channel to the plates in the previous pics, on each side.
The plates were spot welded to the outside of the frame and the U-channel section is welder to the plates only. Not to the frame.
U-Channel sits just above the corrugated floor.
There's a 12" square of aluminum, over the hole that somebody else cut into the floor to access the fuel pump.
Then a 28 x 32 piece of aluminum, then the stainless on top.
The 1/8 inch stainless plate reinforces the deck where the Demco has a strut at the tailgate, to support the 5th wheel head when it's auto-rotated back 11 inches.
Then we cut holes in the bed for 3-1/2 riser blocks at the rear.
Welded the nuts inside the tubing, so they can be removed if required to access the fuel tank later on.
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
The only 2 frame top flange bolts are the front outer bolts through the outer most U-Channel to the top flange of the frame. (Pics coming next post).
The 2 5/8 bolts were easy to mount the plates in the center using the existing frame alignment holes, in the center of each side plate.
Nothing was welded to the top flange, just the side frame, with spot welds.
The side plate re-enforces the weakness of the bent section of the frame over the rear axle.
The plate bridges over the shock mount indent and ends up intersecting the frame where it starts to ease out towards the rocker panels.
We were going to bolt it on the forward holes, however the fuel lines really take up a lot of room on the passenger side. So drilling and filling to build up the center hole creates a rivet style connection, instead of risking drilling through the frame and hitting a fuel line. They got soaked with a wet rag during the spot welding.
In the back, where the strengths is required, we used a 5 rivet pattern to lock it in. The 5/8 bolts holds the center and the front rivet welds stop it from bending or flexing. Mainly for placement.
The front down-bolts to the frame will be doing most of the work making the front of the plates locked into the system.
Anything welded in a straight line across the frame vertically or across the frame flanges would weaken the frame.
We are using Grade 8 bolts through the hitch rails, through the bottom deck plate, directly into the U-Channel and into the welded nuts inside the tubing.
The spacers and the tubing were notched to avoid the puck system.
This deck plate had the forward pucks with a smaller stud for extra deep puck strength.
We tried to save them so the deck could be removed easily and installed into a puck system truck.
However they got removed because they would have forced burning holes through the u-channel. They can easily be added again, if required.
You cannot really use a torch on stainless, especially not a propane rig, like we had today. The cut on the deck for the center plug on the X-Base got a bit rough.
It's all covered up anyways.
The X-Base basically remains bolted in the bed. The Hitch head sits on top.
I'll post pics of it mounted soon enough.
You must be registered for see images attach
2 pieces of u-channel welded to the side plates, sitting directly over the frame, should be very strong. It will keep the frame square and cross support the entire deck plate.
6 inches double wide central u-channel runs, actually sat on the very edge of the frame flanges. They are proud the 3 inch u-channel by about 1/8 to 3/16. Just enough to hold and align everything.
There's a few floor holes to cover up yet.
When I empty the back out, I'll post the pictures of the base X-Plate installed and bolted.
It will be a few days before I get the head installed.
The cap has to be cut, sectioned and chopped down so the Blazer becomes a Short Bed.
Last edited:
