how to access a bed bolt

[1971ford]

i stood on my bumper and bounced up and down and noticed that my bed was loose! the bolt that is loose is the bolt i cant reach. it is located closest to the driver's door. i also have a under bed tank. do i have to remove the whole tank to get to the bolt? it looks like if i removed the tank skid guard, that i would have a very small chance of sliding my hand through a small space and tighting the bolt but i doubt it.

so do i have to take off the tank to tighten the bolt?

thanks in advance

ryan

[fordman]

yes the tank has to come out

[1971ford]

darn.

oh well, ill just wait until im ready to take the thing off for paint. i dont think it will be going anywhere. even though my dad seems to think so

[Tim P.]

there are 8 bolts holding the bed on I doubt very much if one loose bolt will cause the bed to come off in fact you could only have two holding it on and it will stay on except in a rollover accident.

[FORDification]

For trucks with the auxiliary fuel tank, the forward bolt on the driver's side is attached slightly different. The bolt threads into a J-nut clipped onto the frame, instead of just going down through a hole in the frame and being torqued down with a standard nut. The head of that bolt has features that'll allow you to remove it from the top...either it's slotted (for a large flat-tip screwdriver) or has the Torx-type head, for removal with a large Torx socket.

However, there's probably enough rust on that bolt and J-nut that you'll never be able to simply thread it out that easily from the top....which means you'll probably still be looking at dropping the tank so you can at least soak the heck out of the J-nut with some PB Blaster for a week or so. More than likely you're going to have to cut that bolt out.

[Tim P.]

Good point and info

[jor]

My 68 has the aux tank. The left forward bolt is a phillips type. I got it out by using one of those manual impact tools that you smack with a heavy hammer. It's an Arizona truck though and wasn't rusted badly.
jor

[1971ford]

i have that same head in the picture above.

taking off my bed for paint is going to be harder than i though then. first of all, i hate j nuts. and second, it looks rusted pretty bad. i hope i dont have to cut it out because i dont have the tools to do it.

[AustinTom]

one of those manual impact tools that you smack with a heavy hammer.

now is that really just a screw driver or is there actually such a tool

[rjewkes]

sounds like cold chizels.

[fordman]

one of those manual impact tools that you smack with a heavy hammer.

now is that really just a screw driver or is there actually such a tool

its called a impact driver. it has removeable bits you can put in it. it is designed to turn when you hit it hard enoough. they do work on most things you can get them on or into.

[rjewkes]

also if you go just big enough to fill the center of the head of the bolt with a good drill and bit you can get it out or even cold chizel it from the bottom sound. never melt it from the top don't ask how i know.

[FORDification]

Just drilling (or grinding) the head away will accomplish nothing. The rest of the bolt will still be held captive by the J-nut.

Just buy (or borrow) a small angle grinder and put a cut-off wheel in it...it'll make short work of the bolt. Of course, I'd try the PB Blaster route first...you might get lucky.

[1971ford]

whats a pb blaster?

how much is a decent angle grinder?

[1971ford]

soooooo is it like a gun that runs on compressed air? a spray bottle? a rattle can?