Bed bolts - pic request

[ParadiseMJ]

I've tried to find this answer several times on every forum I could think of.

 

The PO of my MJ had the bed off, and either lost or tossed the bed bolts. I thought it'd be a simple affair to find bed bolts for the MJ. So far I've been stumped. Went to Fastenal, NAPA, etc. Nobody seems to know which, or where to find, or how they go on.

 

Does anyone have a spec, drawing or picture of a bonafide MJ bed bolt. I've looked at other pick-ups and all the newer ones have a torx type carriage bolt, but I've been told on this forum that "our bed bolts aren't carriage bolts. So is it just a hex head bolt (which would seem kind of silly since it would stick up into the bed and hang up on s##t. Is it an "elevator bolt? Or what?

 

Give a brother a hand. Thanks in advance

[jimoshel]

I just pulled the bed off my MJ yesterday. Give me a hour and I'll have pics for ya. Fixin breakfast now.

[jimoshel]

And once again I am unable to get a pic to post. The bolts are 10X1.5X3 mm. I would use 10X1.5X2 so there isn't that extra mm to rust, 15mm socket. Standard hex head bolts, Altho the two front ones on mine were studs and the other 6 were hex bolts. Also the 2 front ones were the only 2 I got out without twisting the head off. Jim

[Blue XJ]

I just bought grade 8 studs and welded them to the bottom of the bed in the old bolt locations then used regular nut on the bottoms of them.

[ParadiseMJ]

So.....

 

Do the bolts screw into nutserts? No one has a picture of bed bolts?? Would begging help?

[jimoshel]

The nuts are permanently welded to the bed. The bolts are your common, ordinary hex head bolts. On mine the two front ones were studs. I don't know if thats the exception or the rule.

[ParadiseMJ]

Thanks. According to Chilton, the studs are standard. Seem kind of weak.

[jimoshel]

Just finished a survey and have arrived at the conclusion that there was no standard for attaching MJ beds to the frame. This conclusion is based on information found in the '86-'87 FSM. The '89 FSM. Chilton's manual and CD. Haynes manual and visual inspection of 7 MJ's in my yard. One '87 and one '88 was identical. All hex bolts. All others seemed to be a combination of what ever the assembler found laying on the floor and in the parts bin when he got to that point. Wonder what would have happened if there had been a roll of duct tape or pop rivets handy? Jim

[ParadiseMJ]

OK, I finally figured this out. I feel like a total idiot.

 

I've been looking at my friends Toyota, and anothers Chev pick-up. They are attached from the bottom down with keyed carriage bolts, torx, slots, whatever.

 

I finally have the bed bolted down - from the bottom up, into nutserts (and the stud in front).

:doh: :doh: :doh:

 

Disclaimer: Part of my idiocy is due to the fact that there are six holes drilled in the bed, they looked factory.