A couple of bed questions... - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**1971Stepside** · 12-05-2002, 11:00 AM

I took my step bed apart last night and have a couple of questions.

1. How many sills are there on the short step (wood floor) beds. Mine has the main rear, two larger sills, and two smaller sills. There are (were) no sills right in the middle of the bed. Is this correct, or am I missing some?

2. What is the best method for removing the angled bed strips that are attached to the bed sides? I could not clearly see any tack welds, but they are on there very solid.

Thanks for any help.

*Randy70C-10* · 12-05-2002, 11:03 AM

I removed mine with an air chisel.

JimKshortstep4x4 · 12-05-2002, 12:26 PM

I don't believe that they came with a sill in the middle. I thought that it should have one there, so I made one out of 1 1/2" angle
and trimmed the angle where the frame rails were. I also glued
rubber pads at the contact areas.

Jim

Mudder · 12-05-2002, 01:07 PM

They are welded on. When u get new bedside they are already on there. Taking them off? I dont know, without hurting the bedsides.

**1971Stepside** · 12-05-2002, 01:12 PM

Well, they must come off because I see everyone has replaced them with the stainless ones. I am concerned with marking up the bed by trying to remove them.....

I want to order new ones and have them Powdercoated in the grey color I have on my frame.....

*Shane* · 12-05-2002, 01:32 PM

take some rough grit sandpaper and "scuff" the angle strips ... you should then be able to see the SPOT WELDS ... I would then use a spot-weld cutter/drill and cut from the ANGLE STRIP SIDE ... you can then grind whats left of the weld on the bed side down ... hope this helps

**1971Stepside** · 12-05-2002, 06:03 PM

ttt....surely more of you have taken these off in the past...

XXL · 12-05-2002, 06:49 PM

There was no center sill on mine. As I recall there are two hard rubber pads that it sits on at the highest point on the frame (just forward of the rearend).

As for taking off the side pieces... it's a one-time deal and not pretty. I used a drill bit and a chisel and a LOT of sweat. Unfortunately the bedside sheetmetal is the weakest link in this case and I got several tearouts. It didn't matter on mine due to many mods to the bed and floor but because your truck is a ground-up deal, you might not want that to happen.

Good luck with it!

Kenneth

**1971Stepside** · 12-05-2002, 06:54 PM

This doesn't sound good. I wonder if I could do this with a plasma cutter and not screw up the bed sides? I happen to know where I can borrow one of those....

At lunch I went home and studied these things a little more and I just can't see a weld on them anywhere. It is almost as if they are glued to the bed side.

Getting the rear sill out was a ***** too. That thing was welded in there like crazy!!

12-05-2002, 11:00 AM	#1
1971Stepside Almost Satisfied Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 2,928	A couple of bed questions... I took my step bed apart last night and have a couple of questions. 1. How many sills are there on the short step (wood floor) beds. Mine has the main rear, two larger sills, and two smaller sills. There are (were) no sills right in the middle of the bed. Is this correct, or am I missing some? 2. What is the best method for removing the angled bed strips that are attached to the bed sides? I could not clearly see any tack welds, but they are on there very solid. Thanks for any help. __________________ 1971 C10 Stepside. LSx 6.0 with BTR Stage IV, Speed Engineering Headers, 4L80e transmission w/3200 Circle-D Stall. 3.73. Posi. Purchased this truck when I was 17. I started the rebuild (or take apart) in 1993. I have drug it around all over the country in pieces. Finally back on the road in 2021. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far."

12-05-2002, 01:12 PM	#5
1971Stepside Almost Satisfied Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 2,928	Well, they must come off because I see everyone has replaced them with the stainless ones. I am concerned with marking up the bed by trying to remove them..... I want to order new ones and have them Powdercoated in the grey color I have on my frame..... __________________ 1971 C10 Stepside. LSx 6.0 with BTR Stage IV, Speed Engineering Headers, 4L80e transmission w/3200 Circle-D Stall. 3.73. Posi. Purchased this truck when I was 17. I started the rebuild (or take apart) in 1993. I have drug it around all over the country in pieces. Finally back on the road in 2021. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far."

12-05-2002, 06:03 PM	#7
1971Stepside Almost Satisfied Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 2,928	ttt....surely more of you have taken these off in the past... __________________ 1971 C10 Stepside. LSx 6.0 with BTR Stage IV, Speed Engineering Headers, 4L80e transmission w/3200 Circle-D Stall. 3.73. Posi. Purchased this truck when I was 17. I started the rebuild (or take apart) in 1993. I have drug it around all over the country in pieces. Finally back on the road in 2021. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far."

12-05-2002, 06:49 PM	#8
XXL Señor Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Edge of the world Posts: 5,367	There was no center sill on mine. As I recall there are two hard rubber pads that it sits on at the highest point on the frame (just forward of the rearend). As for taking off the side pieces... it's a one-time deal and not pretty. I used a drill bit and a chisel and a LOT of sweat. Unfortunately the bedside sheetmetal is the weakest link in this case and I got several tearouts. It didn't matter on mine due to many mods to the bed and floor but because your truck is a ground-up deal, you might not want that to happen. Good luck with it! Kenneth __________________ Craigslist \| ebay \| Engrishtees \| www.myattitudesucks.com \| Follow me on Twitter

12-05-2002, 06:54 PM	#9
1971Stepside Almost Satisfied Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 2,928	This doesn't sound good. I wonder if I could do this with a plasma cutter and not screw up the bed sides? I happen to know where I can borrow one of those.... At lunch I went home and studied these things a little more and I just can't see a weld on them anywhere. It is almost as if they are glued to the bed side. Getting the rear sill out was a ***** too. That thing was welded in there like crazy!! __________________ 1971 C10 Stepside. LSx 6.0 with BTR Stage IV, Speed Engineering Headers, 4L80e transmission w/3200 Circle-D Stall. 3.73. Posi. Purchased this truck when I was 17. I started the rebuild (or take apart) in 1993. I have drug it around all over the country in pieces. Finally back on the road in 2021. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far."

12-05-2002, 11:03 AM	#2
Randy70C-10 Account Suspended Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Virginia Beach, Va. U.S.A. Posts: 15,320	I removed mine with an air chisel.

12-05-2002, 12:26 PM	#3
JimKshortstep4x4 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Muskegon,MI,USA Posts: 6,026	I don't believe that they came with a sill in the middle. I thought that it should have one there, so I made one out of 1 1/2" angle and trimmed the angle where the frame rails were. I also glued rubber pads at the contact areas. Jim

12-05-2002, 01:07 PM	#4
Mudder Registered User Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: East Central, MO Posts: 11,339	They are welded on. When u get new bedside they are already on there. Taking them off? I dont know, without hurting the bedsides.

12-05-2002, 01:32 PM	#6
Shane Account Suspended Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: over yonder Posts: 14,270	take some rough grit sandpaper and "scuff" the angle strips ... you should then be able to see the SPOT WELDS ... I would then use a spot-weld cutter/drill and cut from the ANGLE STRIP SIDE ... you can then grind whats left of the weld on the bed side down ... hope this helps

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