I have to move my bed, any suggestions!

[tbar123]

Well I have to move my bed back 2-3" for the spare tire to fit properly without rubbing the bed lip. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to do this, but once again I assumed ( assumption, The mother of all ____ ups) and was proven wrong! I know that there is four L shaped brackets and two spring bolts brackets that need to be moved, But I also noticed that there are bolts from the bed into the wood between the bed and frame. Do these bolts just go into the wood or do they also go into the frame? Since there isn't any sign of a head on the frame I imagine they just hold the wood slats in place. This is on a 84' M923. Thanks for any and all advice, Have a good one!

 

[porkysplace]

The parts TM should show a diagram of where the bolts go .

 

[cbrTodd]

Well I have to move my bed back 2-3" for the spare tire to fit properly without rubbing the bed lip. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to do this, but once again I assumed ( assumption, The mother of all ____ ups) and was proven wrong! I know that there is four L shaped brackets and two spring bolts brackets that need to be moved, But I also noticed that there are bolts from the bed into the wood between the bed and frame. Do these bolts just go into the wood or do they also go into the frame? Since there isn't any sign of a head on the frame I imagine they just hold the wood slats in place. This is on a 84' M923. Thanks for any and all advice, Have a good one!

On my M923A2 the bolts you referenced were carriage bolts and were just to hold the wood slats to the bottom of the bed. If you are just moving the bed backwards 2-3", you should not need to mess with them.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

On my M923A2 the bolts you referenced were carriage bolts and were just to hold the wood slats to the bottom of the bed. If you are just moving the bed backwards 2-3", you should not need to mess with them.

This is correct as I just replaced my slats last year. They are carriage bolts that only go through the bed rail and are countersunk into the wood. They do not go through the frame.

I'll also add this as I'm sure it's not in the TM in case you decide to replace them while you have it loose. The originals were 5/4 cedar stock.

 

[swbradley1]

You can also use oak or ash.

We've swapped a Deuce bed onto an M818 out at the farm so moving yours would be easy.

 

[tbar123]

I was hoping to not replace the wood since I really don't have the means to remove the bed. I was hoping to have a neighbor with a backhoe just pull it. But since I have everything loose I should replace the slats. I was thinking about rock maple. Oak is good, but I think the maple has a higher crush limit and should last a bit longer. I'm worried about all these extra holes in the frame.Good thing I just got my cutting torch together because I will definitely need it!

 

[swbradley1]

Drill them. We put a bed on a tructor at the Georgia Rally and used a special cordless drill. what was special is the battery was replaced with cable and plug to go on the slave port of an MV. Worked great.

A bottle jack and cribbing can get one side of the bed up to replace the wood and a large pry bar can slide the bed back.

 

[Andyrv6av8r]

Well I have to move my bed back 2-3" for the spare tire to fit properly without rubbing the bed lip.

What's wrong with it touching the bed? I've done 2 super single conversions with spare tires and didn't move the bed at all.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?110026-My-923-to-923A1-Spare-Tire-Conversion&highlight=

 

[tbar123]

Andy; That's basically the same thing I've done so far. What is the distance between the cab and the angle support bar? Doesn't look like very much. How much cab flex can be expected when off roading? The sheet metal on the back of the cab is some pretty thin stuff. I would imagine that the cab could flex as much as an inch. The first truck I buried ( a paystar 5000 rear mixer ) flexed over 4 inches.

 

[dawico]

Can you just notch the bed rail to clear the tire?

Or bend it back a little with a sledge hammer..........

 

[tbar123]

I probably could just give a few hard love taps to it, but I'm pretty specific( couldn't spell the word I wanted to use) about things and don't care to take that route.

 

[infidel got me]

Unbolt bed--- chain bed to tree--- nail accelerator--- bed moved--- easy peasy

 

[Coffey1]

Next post bed laying on ground is there anyone close who could help get bed back on truck lol.

 

[swbradley1]

I'm close but I'm not driving my backhoe 20 miles.

 

[emr]

Oak rails,,, May be red or white, The ones that looked like cedar were red oak . Cedar will compress