Bed Removal

Im attempting to remove the bed from my 2007 in order to install fiberglass. I need to get access to the 5 bolts on either side, wedged between the cab and the bed. My hands are way to big too fit back there.

I’ve been trying for the last hour to remove the 6 bed bolts. I was able to get 3 off using a 244ftlb impact driver and/or breaker bar, but the last 3 have me stumped. They’ve been soaking for 12 hours in pb blaster but these 3 will not come off. One of them is already destroyed as the bit teeth dug through the head (bit was seated properly) while using a breaker bar so I’ll probably just have to cut that one off. It was slightly damaged from the last time it was taken off by a shop back in 2008.

Decided to give myself an early Christmas and bought a

$123 Milwaukee M18 Cordless Lithium-Ion 6-1/2" Circular Saw - 2630-20 - ( MILWAUKEE ) - BARE TOOL

Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2 drive impact rated for “1400 FT-LBS NUT-BUSTING TORQUE” and programmed a couple different levels working up to “1400ftlbs”. Well the 2 remaining bolt heads survived the full force with some minor metal flaking and still have not released their (probably rusty) grip on the frame.

Any ideas as to what I should attempt next?

 

Torch'em. They can't stay tight if they're a liquid.

 

Yeah, I bought a MAP gas torch from Lowes for this purpose. Great investment. Get under the truck and heat the bolts from there. Heating those heads would probably just make them strip.

 

Just pulled my bed off two weeks ago. Fortunately I had a frame replacement within the last 12 months and the bolts for the frame came free relatively easily.

 

Here in NH, we have to explain the meaning behind vanity plates....

Just wondering if you have a similar requirement in PA and if so, how'd you explain the meaning of yours!

Great plate BTW

 

lol, I’ve had that for years...
Tacoma World For The Mother Fucking Win

They didn’t ask for an explanation, nor did I offer one.

 

Oh man, no explanation needed.... so much for Live Free or Die up here in NH....

Yeah, I looked up FTMFW...cool....way cooler than 3LOH55A

 

Thanks for the responses, I have a map torch laying around and it didn’t even cross my mind so I appreciate that. Unfortunately even after cleaning away excess pb blaster and getting the torch right on the threads, I still had no luck. Started with the breaker bar, no dice. I made sure the impact was fully charged and worked my way up to its full power again and it started to strip the head ever so slightly.

I eventually came to the conclusion that I wasn’t going to keep the old bedsides since they are pretty beat up anyways and started to just manhandle the steel until I could fit a wrench in the gap.

Got the fiberglass set up at least. Now for the trimming, drilling, and pulling out fiberglass splinters for days.

 

Which company did you go with for the fiberglass? Looks good!

 

Thanks!

Advanced Fiberglass Concepts.
Front: 4” flare 3” rise
Rear: 4.5” flare 3” rise 5’ mini bed flat top