Bed Bolt Quandary

After an exhaustive two day search, it seems that no one has yet asked for help on my particular bed bolt d-ring mod issue. Here are the facts:

When reinserting the bed bolts with d-rings, I tried to force the bolt so hard (thinking that it was rust not cross-threading) that now neither of the factory bolts can be tightened, and instead can be pushed into and pulled out of the factory holes by hand with ease.

This morning I took it to a local dealership and their diagnosis consisted of "yeah it's ****ed", so I spent the afternoon looking for grade 8 7/16 (because 1/2 won't fit) 6" bolts to replace the stock ones. I found them, but the 6" bolts only have threading from the tip to about an inch up, which would leave too much of a gap with a nut. I also picked up some 7/16 3.5'' bolts, but these would leave barely enough room to fit a nut on the underside. Access to the frame (without dismantling it) is via a hole that I can barely fit a nut into, a washer will not fit. So here are my options:

1) Figure out how to access the inside of the frame from underneath the truck and, using the 6" bolts fasten the D-Rings to the bed.

2) Use the 3.5" bolts to fasten the D-rings and hope that the minimal length on the underside and the lack of a washer can withstand the weight of whatever I tie down.

3) Find the best adhesive I can and, along with some solder, try and permanently attach the factory bolts back into their housing.

4) Abandon the D-Rings-connected-to-the-frame idea, use 3" bolts to reattach the bed to the frame in the front, and find another place to put the d-rings (I will be hauling around a 500 lb motorcycle regularly).

5) Attempt to rethread the holes to fit 1/2 bolt and hope nothing else goes awry.

Thoughts? By the way this is my first post but I've been around for about a month. I can take pictures, but I don't think they'd help explain any more.

 

I like number three...but that's just me. But welding sounds better...

 

Thanks for the recommendations, as much as I want to go with #2 because it's easy it looks like #5 would be best long term. I'll stop by Fastenal on Monday and see if they can help. But in case I screw that up as well (having never recut threading) does anyone know of anywhere in the San Diego area that could resize the holes and if so, about how much it would be?

 

Not quite, I just don't think I'd use the tap too often so depending on how much it costs vs. how much it costs to have done, I may just go with the latter option.

 

Check out SD Truck Shop.

 

I didn't feel like waiting until after the holiday to get this fixed to I just tapped a 1/2" hole myself. A lot easier than I thought it'd be. Thanks again for all the help.