Cab and bed mounts.

[Jiggity76]

So I'm taking the bed and cab off of my 87 2WD donor truck and both rear cab mounts are loose but then just spin now and aren't coming all the way off. I got the two front cab mounts out. Three of the 8 bed bolts are doing the same. Any ideas? I was going to use/buy a adjustable pickle fork to maybe put tension on the bolts and see if they will break loose.

 

[smoothandlow84]

If you can cut the heads of the mounting bolts (criss cross cut the heads with a cut off wheel)...then use acold chisel to break the heads off. If not accessible with a cut off wheel, a sawzall will also do the trick. 30 plus years of moisture and rust reeks havoc on the mounting bolts. It's best to replace the hardware anyway...and use stainless steel when you do. Even though I'm not in the rust belt, I replaced all of mine with stainless bolts, washers and nylock nuts.

 

[Jiggity76]

I am in the rust belt but the truck came from Oklahoma/Arkansas area so no rust at all. Cutting the bolt heads was an option just want to be careful not to damage the bed floor. The stainless steel is a good idea, thanks!

Just bought a nice impact so that would work real nice. What about the cab mounts? There isn't a way to access the top side of the bolt and I DO NOT want to cut a hole in the cab to access them.

 

[Skid]

For bed bolts I have tacked welded the head of the bolt in a couple places before. Then just cut off the tack and flap wheel them down after.

 

[Georgeb]

You can also weld somthing to the head of the bed bolt. I have drilled a 3/8" hole through flat bar and plug welded it right on top of the bolt.

 

[theblindchicken]

Don't know how you're gonna get to the nuts inside the cab without cutting anything.

I replaced all my cab mount bolts with grade 8's. Figured they wouldn't ever shear during a collision.

 

[1984k20]

Once the captured nut breaks loose, you'll never get the bolt out. I've used a metabo, or a metal cutting disc to cut a window in the cab floor. That's about the only way to gain access to the spinning nut.

When you are bolting it back together, coat the new bolt threads with neversieze. That way, next time it won't be so much trouble.

 

[Swims350]

use a hole saw to cut access holes in the cab to get to the nuts to keep them from spinning.

I cut the sides on bed bolts, so you can put a wrench on them to hold and then one under to turn the nuts, if not just cut em completely.

 

[Jiggity76]

Thanks to everyone who helped out. I ended up using a hole saw to get access and then shoved a piece of flat steel to stop the nut from spinning. I kept the metal I cut to maybe weld back in but was thinking about using some sort of body plug to cover the hole. Anyone know if there are some out there?

 

[Jiggity76]

Thanks to everyone who helped out. I ended up cutting holes in the cab with a hole saw, shoved in a piece of flat steel to stop the nut from spinning. Thought about finding some body plugs to cover the holes but kept the metal in case I wanted to weld over the holes.