Installed D-Rings in the Bed (Pics)

Has anyone had trouble breaking these bolts free in order to do the install? I have tried a breaker bar and pb blaster with no luck. I assumed they were gonna be tight on there but I'm worried the bit is gonna slip and that I'm gonna strip the bolt. Thanks I'm off to the gym to workout apparently I need it.

 

i have not been able to get mine loose for a year now with attempts from time to time. Breaker bar, impact gun, etc Maybe one day they will come loose

 

Put about a 3' pipe on the breaker bar. 1/2 of a Harbor Freight jack handle works great. Spray the bolts underneath the bed, above and below the captive nut. Then here's the trick. Work the bolt back and forth. Even if it doesn't seem like it's moving, keep going back and forth. Eventually it will start moving. Keep going back and forth. It will move more and more. It may take 15 minutes of this for each bolt.

 

You need to file grind or dremel the “rings” on the bolt so that the d- ring plate slides on -

 

Thanks for the advice I did this

 

I removed one of the bed bolts and it measured about 15/32" diameter. Most of the d-rings I've look at have a smaller mounting hole diameter. Does any one know which one(s) don't need to be drilled?

 

The Dodge ones.

 

What if you just drilled a hole in the bed mat and mounted the D-rings on top? would that work out would it look to goofy and not tighten down enough? Idk I feel like it may be a cleaner look but maybe logistically it wouldn't work. All in all though nice work!

 

The bed won't be mounted solid with the squishy rubber in there.

 

Just be careful. My truck is a 2010 and I have the double whammy of living in an area where the roads get salted and I'm near the ocean. I carry wet wetsuits and surfboards in the back of my truck routinely.

There is a "well" molded into the bed (as a base so the bed is off the frame a bit) and the bolt passes through the well into the captive nut. Water will gather in this well and rust / weaken the bolt shaft.

I broke a bolt and had to drill it out. My "easy project" ended up taking all afternoon.

I bought replacement bolts for any that appeared compromised.

 

^^^^^

When I had my bolts out I sprayed them with Rustoleum and then greased the threads before replacing.

 

Just finished putting in some factory D-rings. Super easy. Once I started the threads onto the bolt from the backside I attached a vise-grip and then torqued them down from the inside of the bed.

 

Yes -

Being mindful of the proximity of the D-ring running through the cylindrical channel in the base/mount/bracket, I would use a dremel (or any type of rotary tool) to surgically remove just the right amount of material to allow the bushing to pass through your aftermarket mount. It looks like you have enough metal material to keep widening the hole, without getting to close to the edges.

If you don't own one, FYI, the dremel happens to be my most used and valued tool in my whole shop. My Black + Decker RTX (inexpensive dremel alternative) paired with my Dremel brand flexible shaft extension (so you can hold it like a pencil or scalpal) is the most lethal tool combo I have in the garage; it would be my..."if I had to pick just one thing" tool.

 

PS - you will burn through and use up bits chewing through metal that thick, but that's normal. With how cheap bits at Harbor Freight are (or even cheaper via Aliexpress) I consider them disposable wear items. I've had luck using the following for metal removal:

super coarse sanding drums:



Grinding Stones:



Diamond bits:



Cutters:

 

thank you @yarberrymt ! I do have a dremel as a matter of fact. I actually got it two months ago. Still learning how to use the attachments and what they are good for. But let me give u another thank you for adding those dremel attachments and what they do. I think i might just go that route in using the dremel.

 

Just did this mod... now to measure and cut my bed mat to expose the D-Rings
Just took some time and patience with the paint drying.
Thanks!

 

The cleanest way to cut holes that look OEM-ish is using a hole saw bit that fits the entire radius of the swiveling D-ring (if you're doing the swiveling thing):



Once the holes were cut, I used rubber abrasive bit on the dremel to smooth and bevel the hole:

 

Hey no problem, glad I could help.

Since that metal is so thick, it may seem daunting, will take some time and will definitely wear a bit down----but just throw on some safety glasses, get somewhere comfortable, turn the dremel on high speed and slowly work at it and you'll be able to make those D-rings you bought work for you.

 

@yarberrymt Thank you so much! I will go to harbor freights or home depot and pick up some circular saws and dremel attachments. Pic to follow when done!