So this week i haven't been sitting idle, but i have only been getting in about 2-3 hours a day to work on the truck, that included dragging all the tools need out and back in again.. I hate not having a shop..
I have had the bed on and off two more times this week test fitting and checking everything, the tank is now positioned so not to interfere with the bed sills, and i had to cut the leg off the angles i used as a top cap to bolt the tank in because i couldn't reach the bed bolts. I'll leave the bed unbolted for now in case i need it off for body stuff.
I settled on the hitch position and drilled the 6 holes and got it drilled and bolted up, I decided not to push it and left about 3/4" from the rear hole to the edge of the frame, i was originally going to move it back further but decided safe would be better than gaining another 1/4" out the back.
As i may have mentioned i wanted to retain the cross member in the stock location because its very close to the rear springs and shackles, If i just removed or moved it i think it would have allowed the frame to flex too much. The other reason was so i could access the tank bolts on ether side of the tank that i couldn't reach from the front, And it worked, with the nut welded to the upper leg of the brace i can run bolts in from the side, and the bottom bolts and nut's are accessible from underneath.
Lifted the bumper i picked up on the cheap up to the truck, i hate it, so I'll keep looking.
Anybody know if any of these 1/2" hols in the frame are factory?