When did you rivet in you steel bed?

[rponfick]

I am taking a break from the doors and working on my rear bed. I have gotten some red oak from one of the bed outfits, and have been test fitting everything in the bed. Since they sent me extra wood through a measuring error, I will be adding the extra boards vertically around the sides of the bed, so I can hide almost all the seams. I would like to have the steel bed in place to space/level everything out, since the bed does not seem to fit flat over the center of the truck frame.
As I understand it, the steel bed floor should sit on top of the steel cross-tie at the front of the bed just behind the cab. Since the cab fits flush against this front-tie, it would appear you need to rivet the cab in first, then the steel cross-tie with the bed steel laying on top of that. Or, can you leave the bed steel loose at the front and slip the cross-tie in later after painting, and final assembly.
I am trying to lay out in my mind the assembly sequence, considering if painting would have to be done prior to all this rear bed assembly.
Any works of wisdom?
Ralph

[DamnYankee]

I shortened the stainless floor so it butted up against the lip on the front stainless bed panel, not over it. That way I could still remove the 4 bed sides without removing the stainless floor. My floor is riveted in permanently with stainless rivets.
Just my way, not saying its the only way.
Ron

[wallace18]

I did mine after I mocked up all the body and bed stuff. Once i was happy with how everything fit and I had my gas filler hole done so it fit the bed floor I installed I used S/S rivets to hold it down for good. If I had to do it all over again I would work out a way that the whole bed could be set down on the frame as one piece. Maybe I will get to do this on a customer build down the road. See My thread for more info.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?26958-Wallace18-s-35-Hot-Rod-Pickup

[bnelson]

I welded the front bed piece to the bed and drilled and tapped to hold the bed down. welded spacers on bottom where needed. I can take the whole bed, sides, rear pan, and floor of in just a few minutes. I installed rev nuts on the rear roll pan for the sides to screw to. Ive seen a couple others that have made it to remove the whole bed at once. I started to do it that way but couldn't figure a way to make it easy for one person. There are some photos on my build thread.

[rponfick]

In mocking up bed yesterday with front SS bed panel on top of floor pan (didn't shorten bed pan like Damn Yankee indicated). Seemed to work out pretty well, and side panels were easier to get in place to lessen the gap between the side panels and the front SS panel. Had to really force them together previously. I did grind a bit off the sides of the SS bed pan up near the front to help fitment, but haven't fitted again after trim.
Does anyone see a problem with mounting the front bed panel on top of the bed floor panel. Not sure why FFR recommends what they do?
Thanks, Ralph

[wallace18]

In mocking up bed yesterday with front SS bed panel on top of floor pan (didn't shorten bed pan like Damn Yankee indicated). Seemed to work out pretty well, and side panels were easier to get in place to lessen the gap between the side panels and the front SS panel. Had to really force them together previously. I did grind a bit off the sides of the SS bed pan up near the front to help fitment, but haven't fitted again after trim.
Does anyone see a problem with mounting the front bed panel on top of the bed floor panel. Not sure why FFR recommends what they do?
Thanks, Ralph

If mocking it up on top fits the sides OK then go ahead and do it. Mine is on bottom.

[VIRGIN MIKE]

mocking mine up this week; I've fitted the sides to the cab with the bottom of the side even with the cab trim, then added the front, floor and roll pan; everything fits (had to trim the bottom flange on the sides about an inch, to clear the frame); now I'm going to attach everything123706

[VIRGIN MIKE]

Removed bed-bottom for easier access to side attachments- make sure top of shocks tops are equal distance off floor to insure level frame before trying to get everything symmetrical