ok the opposite side of the tailgate is called front of the bed i guess but how do i get that panel off do you have to take the whole bed off then that or what jsut wondering thanks

if you are talking about the panel right between the cab and the box, then yes you have to at least unbolt the bed and slide it back so you can get to the spot welds

is it hard to move it
let me know

What year truck?

Fleetside or Stepside?

Steel or wood floor?



I have a 71 Short-Fleet (steel floor). 8 carriage bolts are all that holds it to the frame. One socket to disconect tail lights and marker lights located at the rear frame cross support.

In order to remove the front panel, the bedsides have to be removed, taking out the bolts located around the wheelhousings and on the sides of the bedside panels.... and the small tack welds located at the bottom of the rear stake pockets. Then you remove the bolts that hold the panel to the bed floor. That's all there is to it.

When I removed the bed from my truck to detail the frame/suspension, ect....just me and another guy picked it up off the frame (lifting it at the wheel wells) and set it off the back of the truck onto some concrete blocks that I had set up to meet where the bed's cross braces are located. I did not want to set it on the ground unsupported for fear of warping the lower bedside sheetmetal.

I have a 72 short fleet with metal bed. If you leave the bed bolted to the frame you will have to do as SLS has stated.

With the bed off the frame all of the bolts holding the bed front to the sides and the floor are removed and then the bed side bolts in the floor to the front of the wheel tubs are removed. This allows the bed front to be removed without totally disassemblying the bed.

81
fleepside
steel

Oh, then disregard my post.

I believe that your front panel may be spot welded in place.

I also have a 84 GMC and the bed is all spot welded together.

so how would i replace the panel jsut cut a hole where the hole is then weld some metal there ?

You will have remove the bed from the truck and drill out the spot welds.