[88k5jimmy]

It's been difficult to determine the maximum overall tire diameter the step bed will allow but I've read it's 28". I was able to find some original 6 lug 15" steel wheels from the 60's, however after I converted the front to 6 lug disk, the backspacing would not allow the wheel to clear the front caliper. From there I found some 70's 6 lug 15" steel wheels and they clear the caliper. I am using a 215/75/r15 tire for mock up (they were on the wheels already) and that tire with the weight on the truck equals to about 26.5", which does not allow my rear suspension to have enough up travel because it's designed for a 30" tall tire. I also needed to see if the bed sides were going to need to be clearanced for possible tire interference. I attempted to utilize my stock bedsides but after removal of the rusted angle strips, there were pin holes and swiss cheese all behind where the angle strips were. I put the numbers to fixing the rust and straightening out the stock bedsides and I was going to be money ahead to buy new bedsides from Mar-K and since they are located an hour and half away from me, it was a pretty clear decision. The entire bed will be all new sheet metal minus the cross sills I will still be able to use, which is three, possibly four. I got the bed mocked up and on the frame, all to cycle the rear suspension. When trying to lay out the rear suspension, the bed side contacted the axle tube before the frame was on the ground. I wanted to make a nice clean clearance around the axle tube so I drew up this template in ACAD at my second job and was able to use a grinder with a cut off wheel and hack saw blade in order to made the radiased cut around the axle tube: