Bed Bolts

[Machspeed]

Removed the bed bolts today, as I desire to clean up my frame a bit and fix the non working fuel gauge. I was able to remove five of the six without too much trouble. One of the bolts near the cab broke loose initially and then just rotated 360 degrees. Try as I may, could not keep it from rotating so I welded a nut on it and was then finally able to secure it, break it loose, and remove it. Regardless, the dang hole is wallowed out so a replacement bed bolt won't fix it alone. In fact, both front bed bolt holes are wallowed out. I got lucky in removing the other one. Anyway, I want to go back with a stock like bed bolt and do not want to weld it to the bed. What would be ideal is if a replacement bolt had a Torx slot in the head. With that, I wouldn't have to worry about the wallowed out securing point. Curious what you guys have done in this situation, outside of welding the bolt to the bed?

[Rembrant]

The Flareside bed bolts have Phillips heads, but you still need two people if one has to hold the head...and I never have two people...lol. I used 1/2" Stainless carriage bolts on the second bed, and there was no way to hold them either, because the holes weren't square. It has been my experience that when you're using shiny new bolts, you almost don't even need to hold the heads from rotating...once there is a little pressure on them, they won't turn anyway. I did have a couple tricky ones that would still spin a bit, but I usually used bolts that were at least an inch longer than they needed to be, so I could always hold them by the threaded end once the nut was threaded far enough. Worst case scenario you can put a couple strips of rubber in your Vise Grip jaws and clamp on the threads. I've done that many times. HTH.

[Machspeed]

The Flareside bed bolts have Phillips heads, but you still need two people if one has to hold the head...and I never have two people...lol. I used 1/2" Stainless carriage bolts on the second bed, and there was no way to hold them either, because the holes weren't square. It has been my experience that when you're using shiny new bolts, you almost don't even need to hold the heads from rotating...once there is a little pressure on them, they won't turn anyway. I did have a couple tricky ones that would still spin a bit, but I usually used bolts that were at least an inch longer than they needed to be, so I could always hold them by the threaded end once the nut was threaded far enough. Worst case scenario you can put a couple strips of rubber in your Vise Grip jaws and clamp on the threads. I've done that many times. HTH.

Cory, thanks for the response.....sending you an email to your hotmail account here soon. Thanks

[salans7]

Cory, thanks for the response.....sending you an email to your hotmail account here soon. Thanks

On my 2002 and 2003 Rangers, the bed is held on using T55 torx bolts. The frame uses j-nuts to hold the bolts, so no need for two people.

These are what the bolts look like:

https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-parts/ford-mount-bolt-n806251s103?origin=pla&gclid=Cj0KCQiA47GNBhDrARIsAKfZ2rBrfh0vlfqDPdIk7jaKk9ZLd0opcU7lNg5CymoYlR4SIK_2Noz2rzcaAkDgEALw_wcB

[Gary Lewis]

The Flareside bed bolts have Phillips heads, but you still need two people if one has to hold the head...and I never have two people...lol. I used 1/2" Stainless carriage bolts on the second bed, and there was no way to hold them either, because the holes weren't square. It has been my experience that when you're using shiny new bolts, you almost don't even need to hold the heads from rotating...once there is a little pressure on them, they won't turn anyway. I did have a couple tricky ones that would still spin a bit, but I usually used bolts that were at least an inch longer than they needed to be, so I could always hold them by the threaded end once the nut was threaded far enough. Worst case scenario you can put a couple strips of rubber in your Vise Grip jaws and clamp on the threads. I've done that many times. HTH.

If you use stainless, which is what I would do, make sure you use something to keep the nut from seizing on the bolt. I like Loctite 56747 PST.

I've had brand new stainless nuts seize on brand new stainless bolts w/o some kind of lube.

[85lebaront2]

On my 2002 and 2003 Rangers, the bed is held on using T55 torx bolts. The frame uses j-nuts to hold the bolts, so no need for two people.

These are what the bolts look like:

https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-parts/ford-mount-bolt-n806251s103?origin=pla&gclid=Cj0KCQiA47GNBhDrARIsAKfZ2rBrfh0vlfqDPdIk7jaKk9ZLd0opcU7lNg5CymoYlR4SIK_2Noz2rzcaAkDgEALw_wcB

The 1997 up F150 and 1998 up 250/350 use bed bolts like that.

[Gary Lewis]

The 1997 up F150 and 1998 up 250/350 use bed bolts like that.

Yep, I think Blue has those. Wonder if the sheet metal nuts would work on our trucks? Otherwise you’d need two people or a long cheater.

[ratdude747]

One of the rear bolts on mine spun and wallowed the keying hole like that. I can't remember how I got it loose (I think I wedged between the bed and bolt head and to add tension and carefully worked the nut loose?)... but to put it in, I wrapped the bolt shoulder with electrical tape to provide an interference fit with the wallowed hole, hammered it in, and sent it home with my 1/2" electric impact. Did the trick, albeit a crude repair.

Worst case, I'd tack weld the head to the bed... or weld up and file/grind the bed hole.

[salans7]

Yep, I think Blue has those. Wonder if the sheet metal nuts would work on our trucks? Otherwise you’d need two people or a long cheater.

I'm sure the versions from a full-size truck would. I'm not sure how the frame thickness on a Ranger compares to a full-size truck.

[Gary Lewis]

Yep, I think Blue has those. Wonder if the sheet metal nuts would work on our trucks? Otherwise you’d need two people or a long cheater.

I'm sure the versions from a full-size truck would. I'm not sure how the frame thickness on a Ranger compares to a full-size truck.

The later Torx-headed bolts and sheet metal nuts might be a pretty good solution for you, John.