Cross rail placement
 

I'm ready to start with the bed layout, it's been so long since I took it down, I've forgotten hot to put her together. When putting the cross rails in the fram, are the bolted to the frame first?

Re: Cross rail placement
 

Cross sills get bolted in last. Mar-K has some good information on there site to help put the bed together. http://www.mar-k.com/installation_hints.aspx I put mine together off the truck.
Jimmy

Re: Cross rail placement
 

I did the same. Set the sills on stands, bed on sills, then put the wood in between the bed and the sills. Bolt it all up, then hoisted bed on the frame.

The first two pics show where the sills go on a long fleet.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...psfa7d236f.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ps26fac2ee.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...psb6552d91.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...psabea46c3.jpg

Re: Cross rail placement
 

I looked at that yesterday, I did not see anything that's even close. I have bed guide booklet, it's not to helpful either

Re: Cross rail placement
 

I guess i'm not sure if you still need help or not. I think these guys answered your question, but let me say it a different way. The bed crossmembers go on the frame in their respective positions, then you place the bed on, it sits on those crossmembers, and then you put the bed wood on. The bed wood sits between the crossmembers and the bed, but you have to do it in this order to keep everything in place. The bed bolts go through the wood and then through the crossmembers, then through the frame mounting points. It will become apparent once you start.
The alternate method of doing it while it's off the frame, which makes it a lot easier to access all the bolt heads, rather than laying on your back and having to reach around all the frame parts and exhaust, and everything else in the way. That's what jayoldschool is showing you. The only problem with it is that the bed is extremely heavy to then lift onto the truck, but not a big deal if you have a hoist, tractor or other method of lifting. Or several strong guys. I had to do the method of putting it on the truck then installing all the hardware, and if at all possible, I would highly recommend doing it off the truck.

Re: Cross rail placement
 

How do you get the bolts through the bed rails, sorry we posted at same time and I did not see your post. I'm app to try sitting everything on frame as I'm now limited for space in the garage

Re: Cross rail placement
 

Well, since you have to do it with the bed on, do this: NOTE: BEFORE DRILLING ANY HOLES, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND INSTLLING EVERYTHING LOOSELY TO INSURE PROPER ALIGNMENT. THIS WILL ALSO ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS AS IT WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND HOW IT ALL FITS TOGETHER.
1) Place the crossmembers/cross sills on the frame at their proper position and temporarily put bolts through them. It is very apparent where they go, since there are mounts riveted onto the frame.
2) Set the bed on. This will require a hoist or some help. One guy at each corner is enough, but you will have to do a little manipulation of the bed to get it over/around the cross sills. If you have a 5th guy, it is easier to have them place the cross sills in place once you position the bed, so you don't have to manipulate the bed around/over the cross sills. It's pretty cumbersome and fairly heavy, but without bed wood in, it can be moved by 4 guys. The rear mounts are the U-shaped parts welded onto the rear bed crossmember that is a part of the bed frame itself.
3) Place the bed wood around the perimeter, get the bed squared up by measuring diagonally across both ways and getting the measurement the same. If your bed wood for the sides does not have holes, mark them now for drilling, and drill them out. You can loosely bolt them up.
4) Continue laying the bed wood in and get the wheel tubs in place and mark holes for drilling and drill them out. Continue laying bed wood in. Mark and drill the holes for the bed mounting bolts that go through the wood with the off center washers, then the cross sill, then the frame mounting points. See here for how to mark and drill: http://www.mar-k.com/Catalog/PDF/Ins...s_3-8_ofst.pdf Some guys don't want those bolt heads to show and remove some wood from the bottom side of the wood for the bolt head to fit into.
5) Install the bed wood metal strips that go between the bed wood and start installing the 800 (haha) bolts and washers through them. They do not go through any wood or frame mounts, the bolts fit between the bed wood strips. It's just the metal strip then wood, then washers, then nut.
There are some excellent photos in this thread that will probably help you a lot. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=628105

Re: Cross rail placement
 

If you have an engine hoist/forklift/tractor/backhoe/strong friends, I highly recommend doing everything off the frame. You will be on top and underneath more times than you can count. I used cardboard on my driveway to speed up my sliding under and out.

Re: Cross rail placement
 

Ditto. It sucked doing it on the truck.