Bed removal quick note

This morning I removed the bed from my 2003 Tacoma because I need to get the rusty frame patched and figured there's plenty I can do back there while the bed is off (like finding the source of the evap. code check engine I periodically get). Also I figured my Sunday labor rate is cheaper than the welder's weekday rate.

In any event, there are plenty of DIYs for bed removal on the web already but I wanted to add a couple of notes that should make life easier for anyone who is going to tackle this job.

First, contrary to what I read elsewhere, all the bed bolts were 17mm. The gas cap filler trim piece bolts were 8mm, the tail lights are philips head.

Silicone spray will make disassembling the electrical connectors to the tail lights much easier.

Also, my Harbor Freight electric impact driver was key to removing the front four bolts. They were rusted on pretty well, but about 30 seconds of noisy HF impact busted them loose. There was no room to get the impact driver in to get at the two bolts holding the back of the bed to the frame so when it became clear I couldn't budge them with a ratchet wrench I ended up using my dremel to cut the nuts off those.

Fortunately the rear bolts are not welded to the bed, so I can just pick up replacement hardware when it's time to reinstall.

When you lift the bed, try to find people taller than the two 12 year old girls* I had helping me. You'll need people who can lift the bed up a foot or two to clear the filler neck. Don't forget to remove the gas cap leash. The leash wanted to stay with the bed and the cap wanted to stay with the truck.

And you ought to have a place prepared to put the bed once it's off the truck, because it will want to rest on the bottom edges of the bodywork. But what you really want is something to put it on that's taller than the mud flaps so they don't get bent.

Overall it was an easy job, even considering that I was working on a 17 year old New England truck. We will see how easily it goes back together...



*The goal is to keep this truck running and safe so my daughter can learn to drive on it in a few years. She already knows how to shift, but can't reach the pedals.

 

Thanks for the tips. And nice truck it looks like- may as well remove that rust promoting, moisturizer of a bed liner too! Sooner its off, the better. Use fluid film to help stop the rust in coming years.

 

Looks pretty clean from this angle, welcome the rust rabbit hole!

 

I've been using Fluid Film aerosol cans for a bunch of years. Switched to Wool Wax with an air sprayer/compressor this year. Last spring I removed the bedliner, washed out the gravel and leaves, primed and painted the raw spots on the bed (and patched a little rust hole) and reinstalled with new hardware.

If the bed had looked half way decent under the liner, I would go with some kind of rhino-type paint, but since the bed is already perforated in a few small places I figure periodic maintenance is as good as it will get.

I love this truck and have come to the conclusion that Tacomas do everything really well, including rust. It's going to be a long battle with rust that I will eventually lose. But not this year.

 

Www.monstaliner.com will have product you might find useful.

 

curious why the mud flaps were not removed (or were they?) those were the easiest thing to remove for me, especially easy if the tire removed and a bit of a strain to bolt back on with tire on from prior shenanigans at this task not completed as of yet

 

I didn’t take the mudflaps off beforehand because it didn’t even occur to me until it was way too late.

 

Just bought my Taco not too long ago. It’s got a painted rino liner. Will that prevent me from accessing the bolts I need to remove?

 

Not unless they linered the bolt heads underneath the bed where it attaches to the frame. They don't protrude into the bed itself.

 

Cool. Gonna rip that puppy off sometime in the near future. Thx.

 

Thanks for the post, I'm going to be pulling my bed this weekend to replace the gas tank gaskets. How many adults do you all think I will need to lift and move the bed? Trying to figure out how many of my friends I need to recruit.

 

i am curious how you are going about removing the wiring harness clips, i have yet to figure that out from a couple glances at it
maybe they're brittle, maybe they're not

 

We had barely enough horsepower to lift the bed with two adults and two 12 year olds. The issue is more balance and lift height than weight of the bed.

Three adults could do it easily. Four would be best because then you’ll have someone to run around and trouble shoot if you get hung up.

The clips remove with a well placed pinch of their tabs/ears from a pair of needle nose pliers.

The harness connectors themselves are pretty standard. They come apart easier with a dose of silicone spray.

 

the spare tire bracket things look simple to remove, i was thinking of taking mine off and getting them powdercoated red! they are in decent shape currently but the edges are getting a crusty look and cannot have any of that