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Bed Removal


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You will have to drop the fuel tank(best if as close to empty as possible), the emergency brake bracket, and the tail light harness has to be disconnected. There were 8 bolts/studs on the long wheel base I did not sure if the same for a short wheel base. I think that is everything but take your time and double check before you pick the bed off. The bolt/ stud nuts can be very rusted so you will want to get some PB up into them as much as possible, I found it easier to use a deep well socket and breaker bar to break them loose then put a rachet on them, if you don't have access to an impact gun. When you do go to lift it get it loose and then check to be sure you have everything disconnected. Hope this helps.

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SB is the same. Also don't forget to disconnect the fill hoses from the gas tank, hose clamps (2). The wiring to the lights out back run along the driver size frame rail and and is connected to the bed by plastic loom fastners, found out the hard way.

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  • 5 years later...

I'm removing mine now, however, this still my daily driver. I know I can zip-tie my tail lights to the frame and I've seen a picture of a guy who still drove his Comanche without a bed. I know I would need to support the tank somehow.Any ideas?

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I've seen pictures on here where a guy made some light cross-bars to support the tank across the frame, looked like it would fit under the bed fine. If you have an old angle iron bed frame in storage, that would be more than enough.

 

Working at Toyota for years, I've taken off more than my fair share of beds because of all the frame recalls and such. You definitely want to soak those fasteners in penetrating oil as much as you can, especially at home where you probably can't get comfortable by working on a lift. If you can get your hands on Würth Rost Off Max Ice, it makes PB Blaster look like a child's toy. If you live or your truck ever has lived in a state that uses road salt, be prepared to get out the biggest impact gun you have and the biggest breaker bar. Extensions are the enemy of torque, you want to be right on the socket. When you take the bed off, an engine hoist can help you if you don't have three friends who want to come help.

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I was about to say what he said ^^^ because he told me about it lol

 

 

I used two 2x4s with holes drilled to mount them to the first two sets of bed mounting points. Then used ratchet straps to hold the gas tank in and exhaust up.

 

 

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Task has to come out.

 

 

Long bed has 8 15mm bolts holding it to the frame.

 

Spare tire winch tube needs to be removed, writing harness needs to be unclipped from holders, unplug y'all light harness from frame harnesses as well as license plate lights.

 

Unbolt ebrake bracket from bed with 3 15mm bolts

 

Disconnect exhaust from forward bed hangar, or Unbolt it from bed with 13mm socket and wrench

 

If your tank has never been dropped, I suggest removing all bed to frame bolts, remove filler neck hoses with two clamps.

 

From there, place a door Jack under the gas tank, and lift the front driver side corner of the bed.

 

Doing this removes tension from the gas tank straps. That will let you pull the straps without ever turning a wrench in the bolts....meaning you can use a bench vice, ratchet wrench, and touch to get the nuts off the tank strap bolts, allowing you to save the stock hardware.

 

One you do this, you can remove the bed with two people, and disconnect or strap up the gas tank after the fact.

 

This process makes it 10x easier

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  • 2 weeks later...

Another little tip if you're taking a bed off alone, slip a rug between the bed and cab. Drape it over the bed into the void and stuff it all the way down to the frame. This helps protect the finish and minimize the chance of damaging the cab or bed sheetmetal if you don't have enough help to just lift and walk the bed off easily.

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  • 6 years later...

Reviving an old thread, I’m in the process of removing the bed off my SWB. So far I have, passenger mid, and passenger rear left to come out. Those aren’t moving, so I stopped and sprayed them again. However I broke the two in the X-member just now. How screwed am I? Anyone try welding a nut on what’s left of the stud once the bed is off?

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  • 2 years later...
On 6/13/2023 at 4:37 PM, 19Comanche 87 said:

Question, would this all be the same process if i wanted to just slide the bed back enough to paint in between the bed and cab? would i still need to drop the gas tank?

 

the straps hang from the bed on the inside, but you might be able to disconnect them (and disconnect the filler hoses) and support it in another way.  :dunno: 

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