How do you Remove all those bed bolts!?!? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

RodC · 09-23-2002, 06:17 PM

I'm going to replace my wood bed. How do you get all those bolts out. They are all square head and I dont think they are gona turn. I wish I had a set of tourches but I dont.

Can the wood be removed and the use a recip saw to cut the bolts?

I dont think I can grind all the tops off, that would take forever.

bowtie · 09-23-2002, 06:38 PM

I borrowed a torch, easiest and quickest way.

Fast might still have one for sale.

**COBALT** · 09-23-2002, 06:39 PM

Do you have a set of heavy-duty steel nips (sort of like perpendicular bolt cutters)? Those'll work.

I just got a set of vice grips on the head against a block of wood, and turned the nut until the stud broke with a pipe wrench. That worked well only because my bed is in HURTIN' shape. The rest you can cut off with a die grinder from underneath, and the hard-to-get ones you'll just have to grind off the heads.

palallin · 09-23-2002, 06:43 PM

You may be able to bash out a lot of the wood and use standard bolt cutters on many of them. I may have to do that.

Be careful using a smoke wrench: that wood may ignite if very old/dry. . . .

Chevy Punk · 09-23-2002, 07:21 PM

Has anyone tried unbolting them or will they for sure break. It doesnt seem like it would be very hard with air tools.

special70gmc · 09-23-2002, 07:56 PM

i used a saws all got under em and cut em off

palallin · 09-23-2002, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chevy Punk
Has anyone tried unbolting them or will they for sure break. It doesnt seem like it would be very hard with air tools.

Assuming the square holes hold up to the pounding. Otherwise, it'll be Spin City.

Southpa · 09-24-2002, 12:01 AM

The first time I went at it I wasn't thinking. I tried to unscrew them and naturally, they were all rusted and fused and started spinning. So there I was ripping out the old wood and taking advantage of the new gaps with hacksaw, prybar, boltcutter, chisel, grinder etc. Of course, after I realized all this hardware is expendable I came up with a great idea. Turn the bolts the other way and snap off as many as you can.

ChopTop · 09-24-2002, 12:44 AM

thank the good lord for the bluewrench! Sometimes your local welding supply will rent you a small outfit, backpack type. cost me 50 bucks once.

Paul Clark · 09-24-2002, 01:00 AM

More uncharted territory for me here, 'cause I don't know squat about bolts for a wooden bed.
However, when my carriage bolts (that's pretty much what they are) were stripped and spinning, I used a cut-off wheel to cut a groove in the top of them. Had a buddy hold a screw driver in the top while I used an air ratchet underneath.

09-23-2002, 06:17 PM	#1
RodC Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Fairmont WV Posts: 304	How do you Remove all those bed bolts!?!? I'm going to replace my wood bed. How do you get all those bolts out. They are all square head and I dont think they are gona turn. I wish I had a set of tourches but I dont. Can the wood be removed and the use a recip saw to cut the bolts? I dont think I can grind all the tops off, that would take forever. __________________ Rod Childers '71 C10 Stepside

09-23-2002, 06:38 PM	#2
bowtie Senior Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 1,050	torch'em I borrowed a torch, easiest and quickest way. Fast might still have one for sale. __________________ ~70 GMCprostreet swb 396/700r NOS 575 hp "the Brick" ~72 chev swb w/68 front clip "GM Millenium corvette yellow" I use and accept Paypal

09-23-2002, 06:39 PM	#3
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	Do you have a set of heavy-duty steel nips (sort of like perpendicular bolt cutters)? Those'll work. I just got a set of vice grips on the head against a block of wood, and turned the nut until the stud broke with a pipe wrench. That worked well only because my bed is in HURTIN' shape. The rest you can cut off with a die grinder from underneath, and the hard-to-get ones you'll just have to grind off the heads. __________________ '69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA.

09-23-2002, 06:43 PM	#4
palallin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: St. James, MO Posts: 1,239	You may be able to bash out a lot of the wood and use standard bolt cutters on many of them. I may have to do that. Be careful using a smoke wrench: that wood may ignite if very old/dry. . . . __________________ '69 Longstep K-10: 327/SM465/T-221/Closed Knuckle Dana44/12-bolt.

09-23-2002, 07:56 PM	#6
special70gmc Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: long island, new york Posts: 1,333	i used a saws all got under em and cut em off __________________ 1986 c-10 swb 5/7 drop 20'' coys 1958 belair 2door

09-23-2002, 07:21 PM	#5
Chevy Punk Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Blaine WA Posts: 455	Has anyone tried unbolting them or will they for sure break. It doesnt seem like it would be very hard with air tools.

09-24-2002, 12:01 AM	#8
Southpa Registered User Join Date: May 2000 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Posts: 2,410	The first time I went at it I wasn't thinking. I tried to unscrew them and naturally, they were all rusted and fused and started spinning. So there I was ripping out the old wood and taking advantage of the new gaps with hacksaw, prybar, boltcutter, chisel, grinder etc. Of course, after I realized all this hardware is expendable I came up with a great idea. Turn the bolts the other way and snap off as many as you can. __________________ 1970 GMC 1500 Custom Original 350/TH350 Victoria, BC, Canada You can wish in one hand and crap in the other. See which one gets filled first.

09-24-2002, 12:44 AM	#9
ChopTop Registered User Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: KINGWOOD TEXAS Posts: 515	thank the good lord for the bluewrench! Sometimes your local welding supply will rent you a small outfit, backpack type. cost me 50 bucks once.

09-24-2002, 01:00 AM	#10
Paul Clark Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Center Point, IA Posts: 502	More uncharted territory for me here, 'cause I don't know squat about bolts for a wooden bed. However, when my carriage bolts (that's pretty much what they are) were stripped and spinning, I used a cut-off wheel to cut a groove in the top of them. Had a buddy hold a screw driver in the top while I used an air ratchet underneath.



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