Bed swap

[Matt69olds]

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I’m installing a freshly painted bed on my 81 GMC to replace the badly damaged/rusty original. I bought a bed hardware kit from LMC. Where does the really long bolt go?! No place on the frame is there a hole in the lower half of the C channel. Is this the right bolt kit for a 1/2 ton?

 

[ajd89]

Isnt there one in the middle of the crossmember that lines up with the front spring hanger it comes all the way to the bottom of the frame

 

[bucket]

My '84 short bed had the long ones, in the 2nd from front position. I have not noticed if my long bed truck is the same.

 

[Doppleganger]

My 85 long bed has the long ones second from the front also. #30 is longer than #27 and is shown going into position 2 from the front.

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[Frankenchevy]

Yep, should be a sleeve the same measurement as the inside of the C-channel that the bolt passes through on its way to the bottom side of the frame.

 

[Matt69olds]

I found the picture posted here in the LMC catalog, I agree it appears the long bolt goes in the 2nd hole from the front of the bed. However, there is no hole in to lower lip of the C channel for the bolt to go thru. I’ll look again, but I would think Stevie Wonder would be able to tell if a hole was there. I definitely didn’t notice one.

 

[Waylon]

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85 K15 long bed. Second hole from the front.

 

[Doppleganger]

Yep, should be a sleeve the same measurement as the inside of the C-channel that the bolt passes through on its way to the bottom side of the frame.

I dont remember a sleeve on mine, but wonder if thats what these went to?

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[Frankenchevy]

I dont remember a sleeve on mine, but wonder if thats what these went to?

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Mine aren’t flanged, but maybe the repros are. If they fit snugly in the frame, I’d say that’s the intention. Mine are 1/8” or so thick straight tubes.

 

[Waylon]

Mine aren’t flanged, but maybe the repros are. If they fit snugly in the frame, I’d say that’s the intention. Mine are 1/8” or so thick straight tubes.

My 85 truck didn’t have sleeves. I am not the first owner, but the truck only has 50k+ original miles on it. I took the bed off myself a few months ago to install a new fuel tank and the sleeves weren’t there.

 

[bucket]

My 85 truck didn’t have sleeves. I am not the first owner, but the truck only has 50k+ original miles on it. I took the bed off myself a few months ago to install a new fuel tank and the sleeves weren’t there.

Mine did not have sleeves either.

 

[Bextreme04]

The bolt holes are in a different spot on my 1980 K25 and also the 70 something long bed replacement bed I got. They are on the front two ribs and don’t go through the crossmember. The frame doesn’t have a hole in the top or bottom for that bolt to go through, even if the hole was there on the bed. I have the same bolt kit from LMC and was wondering the same thing, as all 8 bolts were the same length on mine.

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[Matt69olds]

The bolt holes are in a different spot on my 1980 K25 and also the 70 something long bed replacement bed I got. They are on the front two ribs and don’t go through the crossmember. The frame doesn’t have a hole in the top or bottom for that bolt to go through, even if the hole was there on the bed. I have the same bolt kit from LMC and was wondering the same thing, as all 8 bolts were the same length on mine.

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Bingo. Looks like we have the same issue. My truck is a 81, the bed is a 77. I’m drilling holes in the frame to match the bed. Thanks!!!

 

[Bextreme04]

Bingo. Looks like we have the same issue. My truck is a 81, the bed is a 77. I’m drilling holes in the frame to match the bed. Thanks!!!

Yeah, I'm just going to go down to the local fastener guys and get two shorter carriage bolts to match the 6 that came in the kit. I'll probably send some hate mail to LMC also, since they say 73-87 and that just isn't true... if they included both the short and long bolts then it would be, but its kind of a rip-off for them to only have the right bolts for 81 and later.

 

[Matt69olds]

That’s on my list also. I already got carriage bolts to match, I plan to put them in the easiest spot to get to and then hopefully get the proper bolts to match later. I’m guessing the LMC bolts are plated or coated to prevent corrosion? I doubt carriage bolts have the same protection.