OK- I finally swapped my truck from the original fleetside (whatever Chrysler called it) bed to the utiline/stepside bed.





If you can't tell, the stepside bed was fairly rough when I got it. The original wood bed floor and metal strips and bed support structure was long gone. I got reproduction bed cross members, but I have a question about how the bed mounts.

My old bed had six bolts holding it to the frame. Two in the front, two in fourth cross rail (second from back of truck) and two in the rearmost bed cross rail directly under the tailgate. The stepside bed mounts the same in the front, but the rear four bolts are different. The fourth cross rail still bolts to the frame, but it doesn't attach to the metal of the bed itself. It bolts to the wood bed floor, but that appears to be it. The rearmost bed crossrail has NO provisions for mounting the bed to the frame and the cross sill just sits on the frame rails.

Is this correct? Since so much of the support structure of the stepside bed was missing when I bought it, I am not 100% sure on how the rear fastens to the frame.

Here is a picture of the rearmost cross sill sitting on the frame:



The front bolts for the bed went into the bolt holes fine. I am just worried about securing the rear of the bed.

Any tips and especially any pictures are greatly appreciated.

There are supposed to be wood ~2 " x 2" x .75" ... maybe 1" thick...spacers with a hole in the middle under that rear cross member. I 3d printed mine 2 years ago when redoing the bed. I will try to getcha some pics. There are also wood pieces under the 3rd and 4th cross members too. They just kind of tuck in under the bar and sit on the frame ahead and behind of the rear axle kickup in the frame.

Some parts available here:
https://m.dodgeconnection.com/page/page/2821586.htm


Greg

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

Thanks. Dodgeconnection is where I have been shopping. I have gotten some answers on another site and it appears that the bed floor bolts to cross members 3 &4 and those cross members bolt to the frame, indirectly connecting the stepside box to the frame. I am going to bolt down the pressure treated bed floor that I have and save up for new wood and the right hardware. I would love to know the dimensions of those wood spacers, though!

I must not have saved the file I 3d Printed the rearmost spacers from.

I can measure them and get you some Pics. Also if you go to the 7/16" rear bed Bolts: (mine Were) some reports were 3/8" But I wanted to keep mine stock...

Check here for the odd ball 7/16" Hardware
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dodge-Truck-St ... Sw9vlaZSXB



Greg

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

Thanks!

Measured it this morning.

2" x 2" × 1" thick.

Drill a hole in the middle ~ 9/16"

Make of hardwood, plastic, rubber etc.

OE. Is hardwood of some sort.

Pics to be posted.

Greg

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

Awesome, thanks. I am going to try and find some spacers that will work and are made of some kind of non-perishable material, like maybe off of a truck body lift kit.

I 3d printed these.

Pics:










I also Boxed the 5th crossmember where it mounts and supports the Bed wood etc (you can Kinda See it in this pic..)







Greg

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

Thank you so much Greg! I have been asking on Dodge truck/Little Red Express/Warlock websites an Facebook groups (yes, i have fellen prey to the dark side and joined facebook) and nobody has given the information you have. Yet again, this website proves to be the best for getting clear and accurate information. Thanks again!

I don't believe in the facesmash


I think this and other forums and sites are the bees knees

Greg

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

Hey, you know what is cheap, widely available, made of durable rubber, and is one inch thick? A hockey puck!



Ditto on the bees knees. I am just about ready to abandon everything on Facebook except good sources like the American Museum of Natural History and the Audubon Society.

Band sawed hockey puck.. i like.

If you want to get inundated with toxic groupthink then tweetbook is the place for you.


Greg

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

I don't need no bandsaw, just a drill!