Big Blue's Transformation

[kramttocs]

Those are nice, David. And I thought they were cheap until I realized that's just where the bid is at present.

As for what I did today, after we ran errands in Tulsa, this happened. And what you might not be able to see is that there are 5th-wheel hitch brackets laying to the side. And moments later the tailgate cover and the camper tie downs came off.

Then I swept and vacuumed the bed and here's what it looks like. It is in far better shape than I was expecting, and all I need to do is clean it and maybe hit the spots with surface rust with a treatment.

But, there are ten holes that were for the 5th-wheel bracket and I need to fill them. I'm considering placing eyebolts in a couple of them so I can use ratchet straps on the spare tire, but I guess I'll put carriage bolts in the others. Thoughts?

That bed doesn't look bad at all.

What about making plates that use the 2 and 3 hole spots with D hooks? Spread the load and that way they won't stick up like eye bolts. No doubt there is some other bracket system that would be even more flat when not in use.

[Gary Lewis]

That bed doesn't look bad at all.

What about making plates that use the 2 and 3 hole spots with D hooks? Spread the load and that way they won't stick up like eye bolts. No doubt there is some other bracket system that would be even more flat when not in use.

That's a good idea, Scott. Luckily I have a bit to figure that out, and can go with eyebolts and then change later.

My plan is to talk to the Line-X place in the morning and see if I can take it in on Friday. But I'll also ask what they'd recommend to treat the surface rust with. I'd normally use POR-15, but want to make sure that the Line-X will adhere to it.

And I'll then clean the bedsides. I think they are good enough that I don't need to have them treated, but want to make sure.

[Nothing Special]

.... But, there are ten holes that were for the 5th-wheel bracket and I need to fill them. I'm considering placing eyebolts in a couple of them so I can use ratchet straps on the spare tire, but I guess I'll put carriage bolts in the others. Thoughts?

A YouTuber I was watching once said "I never do any more than what's absolutely necessary, and sometimes I don't even do that!"

With that preface I'll give you my thought. When I was bed-lining my Bronco I just put masking tape over the underside of the holes. The bed liner coated the tape and cured there, filling the holes (or at least covering them). Something pointed could poke through I suppose, but it's worked for me.

Although I have to admit, when I was having the bed of my '95 F-150 lined I did fill the holes from the POs 5th wheel hitch (in an F-150 ) with carriage bolts. After I saw how thick they put the RhinoLiner on the floor of the bed I really felt like I could've got away with just using tape (which is why I did that with the Bronco a few years later). But I think Line X doesn't apply their bed liner as thick as RhinoLiner did on my truck, so take that for what it's worth.

[Gary Lewis]

.... But, there are ten holes that were for the 5th-wheel bracket and I need to fill them. I'm considering placing eyebolts in a couple of them so I can use ratchet straps on the spare tire, but I guess I'll put carriage bolts in the others. Thoughts?

A YouTuber I was watching once said "I never do any more than what's absolutely necessary, and sometimes I don't even do that!"

With that preface I'll give you my thought. When I was bed-lining my Bronco I just put masking tape over the underside of the holes. The bed liner coated the tape and cured there, filling the holes (or at least covering them). Something pointed could poke through I suppose, but it's worked for me.

Although I have to admit, when I was having the bed of my '95 F-150 lined I did fill the holes from the POs 5th wheel hitch (in an F-150 ) with carriage bolts. After I saw how thick they put the RhinoLiner on the floor of the bed I really felt like I could've got away with just using tape (which is why I did that with the Bronco a few years later). But I think Line X doesn't apply their bed liner as thick as RhinoLiner did on my truck, so take that for what it's worth.

Bob - That's a good idea! I'll discuss the holes with the guy tomorrow. If he thinks the tape will do it I'll go that way.

I want to clean the bed and treat any surface rust, and that would include those holes and around them. So it'll be easy to put the Gorilla duct tape I have on the bottom once the paint's dry and then he can shoot the whole thing.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Bob - That's a good idea! I'll discuss the holes with the guy tomorrow. If he thinks the tape will do it I'll go that way.

I want to clean the bed and treat any surface rust, and that would include those holes and around them. So it'll be easy to put the Gorilla duct tape I have on the bottom once the paint's dry and then he can shoot the whole thing.

I'd be looking for ways to assure the bed drained rather than trying to seal it.

Your bed floor really does look good for having a drop in and coming from a sandy place like Florida.

I think the seat hinge cover will be fine (G-Flex is tenacious stuff) but I might have tabbed the metal clip in with a scrap of fiberglass or kevlar cloth.

Big Blue is looking good!

Ready for his next adventure

[Gary Lewis]

I'd be looking for ways to assure the bed drained rather than trying to seal it.

Your bed floor really does look good for having a drop in and coming from a sandy place like Florida.

I think the seat hinge cover will be fine (G-Flex is tenacious stuff) but I might have tabbed the metal clip in with a scrap of fiberglass or kevlar cloth.

Big Blue is looking good!

Ready for his next adventure

Jim - You have a good point about the bed draining. It didn't use to drain at all because of the severe rake on the truck, partially due to the wrong rear spring pack being on it. But now that it sits essentially level it won't build up too deeply.

But there are drain tubes that go from the bed cover's module through the front corners of the bed and I doubt they'll be water tight so I think the bed will drain there. And the tie down points I put in, like maybe D-plates as Scott suggested, won't be water tight either. Then there's the pipe from the air compressor to the tank that will go through the bed. So I suspect it'll drain ok. But if not I can add drains.

As for being ready for his next adventure, not quite. But soon. Janey and I were talking about that yesterday, and I want to get both the bed cover on and the A/C system working before we take it around the GOAT. We've found that having the windows up makes a huge difference in how tired we are at the end of a day on the highway, and there will be at least two days with 100+ miles on the highway.

My nephew does A/C work quite well and has said to bring the truck to him, but that's 100 miles each way, so.....

[ArdWrknTrk]

Jim - You have a good point about the bed draining. It didn't use to drain at all because of the severe rake on the truck, partially due to the wrong rear spring pack being on it. But now that it sits essentially level it won't build up too deeply.

But there are drain tubes that go from the bed cover's module through the front corners of the bed and I doubt they'll be water tight so I think the bed will drain there. And the tie down points I put in, like maybe D-plates as Scott suggested, won't be water tight either. Then there's the pipe from the air compressor to the tank that will go through the bed. So I suspect it'll drain ok. But if not I can add drains.

As for being ready for his next adventure, not quite. But soon. Janey and I were talking about that yesterday, and I want to get both the bed cover on and the A/C system working before we take it around the GOAT. We've found that having the windows up makes a huge difference in how tired we are at the end of a day on the highway, and there will be at least two days with 100+ miles on the highway.

My nephew does A/C work quite well and has said to bring the truck to him, but that's 100 miles each way, so.....

I certainly want to have any penetrations made before the bed liner goes in.

You don't want to Sharp edge or any place for it to start rusting or peeling.

Are you going to install the air tank soon?

 

[rcarlisle]

I certainly want to have any penetrations made before the bed liner goes in.

You don't want to Sharp edge or any place for it to start rusting or peeling.

Are you going to install the air tank soon?

Question - when I worked for the state, the truck I had was a 2004 SuperDuty. At the front of the bed it had factory drains in the sheetmetal. I don't see drains in the bull. Were there any in there? What would be the best way to put drain holes in there?

[Gary Lewis]

Question - when I worked for the state, the truck I had was a 2004 SuperDuty. At the front of the bed it had factory drains in the sheetmetal. I don't see drains in the bull. Were there any in there? What would be the best way to put drain holes in there?

Jim - I'm hoping to get the drains holes drilled today so they'll get Line-X'd.

As for the air tank, I don't think I'll really need compressed air for the GOAT. So I'm thinking that I'll install the compressor and tank after that trip but before Ouray. Which means I won't know where to put the hole for the line from the compressor to the tank, and it can't be Line-X'd tomorrow. Hmmm, maybe I need to mock it up and drill that hole today?

Randy - There aren't any factory drain holes in a Bullnose bed. And where to put them is a good question. Some trucks sit a bit higher in the rear than the front, so the drains would normally go in the front of the bed floor.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Jim - I'm hoping to get the drains holes drilled today so they'll get Line-X'd.

As for the air tank, I don't think I'll really need compressed air for the GOAT. So I'm thinking that I'll install the compressor and tank after that trip but before Ouray. Which means I won't know where to put the hole for the line from the compressor to the tank, and it can't be Line-X'd tomorrow. Hmmm, maybe I need to mock it up and drill that hole today?

Randy - There aren't any factory drain holes in a Bullnose bed. And where to put them is a good question. Some trucks sit a bit higher in the rear than the front, so the drains would normally go in the front of the bed floor.

I definitely used a step drill to make a hole in either front corner of my bed when I replaced some of the bed floor about 5 years back.