How much space between cab and bed? Is this to much?

[Mike Curtis]

79 k10, the bed was rusted out so I'm in the process of replacing it. I installed it and the gap between the cab and bed seem a little more than it probably should be. It measures 1.5", seems like it should be smaller.
What is the normal gap? Would a few of you measure and let me know. Its adjusted as far forward as it will go. To tighten it any more, I will need to lengthen the mounting holes. Thanks, heres a couple of pics for reference.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[jjester6000]

What sort of bed did you put on it? I know that there are probably some slight differences form assembly plant to assembly plant. 1.5 does seem sort of wide, I'd take it down to 1 inch by slotting the bolt holes on the bed. The gap on my 74's bed is about 1.5 inches on one side (The smashed side) and close to 3 inches on the good side (Other than the rollover, I believe that it was T boned at some point).

My truck is sort of a professional bad example of clapped out repairs.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Keith Seymore]

Should be around 1".

There shouldn't be a lot of variation since the same manufacturer supplied all the frame rails to all the assembly plants.

K

 

[Mike Curtis]

Thanks, I was thinking about 1", shouldn't be to difficult, just time consuming to elongate those holes.

 

[eskimomann209]

Cabs can be shifted too
I noticed when I took mine on and off the cab mount bolts allow for quite a bit of adjustment.

 

[Mike Curtis]

Cabs can be shifted too
I noticed when I took mine on and off the cab mount bolts allow for quite a bit of adjustment.

i'm thinking it would be easier to adjust the bolts in the bed for movement vs unbolting the cab and trying to shift it back.

 

[Big Chip]

Mine looks to be about an inch and a half but I didn’t actually measure it.

 

[eskimomann209]

i'm thinking it would be easier to adjust the bolts in the bed for movement vs unbolting the cab and trying to shift it back.

Well that would depend. If you’re talking about wallowing out a hole or enlarging it an any fashion. I’d rather use the adjustments the truck has naturally

 

[TPISly-C10]

i'm thinking it would be easier to adjust the bolts in the bed for movement vs unbolting the cab and trying to shift it back.

it easy to move back the cab..do it my self when i swapping my cab bushing to put it back in the right place!

 

[Dooley]

Stop here a moment.
GM did move the bed bolt mounting locations in later years.
I replaced the bed on a 1980 with a newer bed off a square body.
The forward bed holes in the bed did NOT line up with the ones in the frame rails when I lined up the rear first.
Line the rear bed up with the rear bed mounting and see if the front then shows a proper gap to cab.
I had a choice of drilling new holes in the bed or new holes in the frame rails.
At this point the choice is yours.

 

[eskimomann209]

Stop here a moment.
GM did move the bed bolt mounting locations in later years.
I replaced the bed on a 1980 with a newer bed off a square body.
The forward bed holes in the bed did NOT line up with the ones in the frame rails when I lined up the rear first.
Line the rear bed up with the rear bed mounting and see if the front then shows a proper gap to cab.
I had a choice of drilling new holes in the bed or new holes in the frame rails.
At this point the choice is yours.

OK.. but were they all off exactly 1” or were they in different locations all together. From what I’m gathering he didn’t have any missing bolts
If everything is bolted up And pushed forward as far as it’ll go, I’d stop playing with the bed. as mentioned above I’d loosen the 4 cab mounts and the two under the front radiator core support. Have a buddy push it like a mad man... take out what gap I can. Short of that I’d leave it, if the gap is equal

 

[SquareRoot]

I've been dealing with cab & bed alignment issue on my 85. I just replaced all the cab & core support bushings and I have a gap of 1.5" on one side and 2" on the other. I got the cab square on the frame and back as far as it will go. I loosened all (8) bed bolts and tried to rotate the bed to see if I could even out the gaps. NO GO. I did notice there are TWO sets of ROUND holes in the frame for the FRONT bolts. The remaining 6 bed bolts have SLOTS. Those two sets of holes in the front are factory and about and inch apart. It made me wonder WTH? I could move the bed to the fwd holes and fix the bed to cab gap, but, then the remaining 6 bolts wouldn't even be close to the slots in the frame.
When I get under it tonight, I'm gonna take a pic.

 

[HotRodPC]

Is this new bed from a donor truck as in a genuine GM part or did you buy it in pieces and assemble it? Could it be a Sorta-Fit aka Certi-Fit part that is drilled wrong and has the mounts in the wrong place?