Bed Bolt Frozen for Additional Tie Down Point

Polyester fiberglass resin, like a boat hull.

 

I used a pair of vise grips and a cheater bar. Pretty much mangled the bolt, but I got it out. I tried PB blaster, Air Impact, cordless impact, breaker bar,.... The thing was frozen. The new bolt was around $10 from the stealership.

 

Tighten it first. Break the rust loose by pulling it apart rather than using the nut to clean the threads when taking out the bolt.
Clean the threads with a wire wheel after you tighten the bolt , then take it out.
PB blaster is your friend too.
Good luck.

 

I would be very careful in how much force I use.

The bolt sits in a “well” molded into the bed (to raise the bed up off the frame). The well is covered by the big fender washer under the bolt head. There is about 2 inches of unsupported bolt shaft between the bottom of the fender washer and the point where the bolt threads meets the nut.

Water can sit in the well and rust the shaft of the bolt, weakening it. I broke one of mine going caveman with a cheater bar. It was a PITA to drill out. I was lucky and saved the threads of the captive nut in the frame, but that was a long afternoon.

 

Like others have said, I’d spray them with PB Blaster, let it sit then use a long as you can pipe over your wratchet as a breaker bar. You need torque and put pressure on top so torx bit doesn’t pop out or strip your bolt.

 

Good advice, I did this mod on all six bed bolts last year on a 2017 and they were a bit difficult. I put anti seize on all going back in.

 

As an aside, I would buy a replacement bolt (or a few) and ditch any which seem compromised.

Soak the heck out of them for a week or more with penetrating oil and don’t go full caveman with the wrench.