[mr48chev]

I went out and did some measuring.

The first two photos are of the filler panels on my long bed running boards that are going on my stretched wheelbase short box.

They measure 5-1/2 inches from the running board to the top of the filler panel. Nothing looks bent and no sign of the bed riding against the filler panel as you see quite often with wear spots on the filler panel.

Next two shots are of my old wreck with the obviously sagging box that shows about 4-1/2 inches between the top of the running board and the bottom of the bed. I know that bed has sagged down bad. I used the truck pretty hard the last few years I had it on the road.

last is one of the rather expensive long bed running boards that I bought in a moment of have to have now and lack of common sense. Oh well, they are paid for and actually pretty decent once stripped down and sand blasted.

That might let you know if the bracket is the real issue rather than the panel.