[Scott2]

I got the replacement stake pockets cleaned up, trimmed and drilled to be rears, and set them in place with the new rear sill. I squared up the bed with some straps and welded the pockets back on. I still need to cut out the chain slots and transfer the reinforcement plate for that slot from the old stake pockets to the new, and of course, grind a bunch of welds.

One observation as I was doing this work which I knew but became more obvious - the rear sill is sort of stout but it also hangs out behind the rear frame crossmember and just bolts to the pockets and flimsy bed sides. The sill and back of the bed are just sacrificial lambs if you don't have a bumper, and at any reasonable speed I imagine the bumper is also gone very quickly.

This has made me think very seriously of finding a Class 3 trailer hitch I can bolt in there post powder coat to add just a little more structure back there - primarily to put just a little more behind the gas tank.