We have all new parts for the bed and fenders on our 54 chevy truck. Bed was put together and installed on the frame. Two inch blocks were placed under the front sill to compensate for the height of the rear of the frame on the 54 frame. So, all is well and level at this point. Next we went to install the fender and for some reason it does not line up with the running board (it’s approx. 2 inches to high) and the line in the metal seems to aim upward. The only way to fix this is to remove the 2 inch blocks under the front of the bed but if we do that the bed is no longer level. Does anyone have any idea what the heck is happening????? And no...we have never done this before, but we need help nonetheless!!
The procedure is detailed here: http://www.hotrod.com/articles/0609cl-chevy-pickup-bed-installation/ If you are doing everything right, then your fenders or bed sides might be mis-drilled. If I remember correctly, there should be no block under the most rearward cross-rail, by the tailgate. One forward of that gets a shorty block. Make sure that all your blocks are the right size.
You may not have all the bed cross members in correctly. There's different sizes of them on the '55-up beds, I'd assume for yours too?
Thanks for the info....we are checking everything again, especially the bed sill/cross member sizes. All of the ones we were sent are the same size. Also, I am making the assumption that the bed itself should be level (laying a level atop the bed sides). Is this not true???
There's one or two that are shorter that go just before or after the hump in the frame over the axle on the newer trucks, never had the bed off an AD before, but I assume it's not a straight frame.
Instead of using a level, just stand back and look at the over all truck. The gap from cab to bed should be even top to bottom.
If the bed is for a 48 through 53, I know the running board alignment and fender alignment is different than a 54. Could not for the life of me figure it out. Borrowed a used set of 54 and they were drilled different. Sent repop stuff back and re ordered 54 bed and it was correct.
You do have a 54 bed with the flat rails on top rather than a 47/53 be that has the angled top rails? As Chevzk21 said, the pieces aka spacers for the 54 bed are different than for the earlier beds. The assembly manual is no help as it doesn't show beds or bed installation. Checking classic parts https://www.classicparts.com/1954-87-Bed-Mounting-Pads-Shortbed/productinfo/13-555/ The 54 and up just use a rubber pad about the thickness of a sidewall in a tire, They don't use the wood blocks like the earlier trucks do as the rear of the frame doesn't have the higher kick that the earlier frames do. Top photo is the rear part of a 54 frame showing just a slight rise over the rear axle while the frame for my 48 below it has quite a pronounced kick requiring blocks to get the bed to clear.
Deana, Did you ever find a solution to the bed level issue? I have the same issue and am at wits end.
In the end, you have to set the bed where it looks right in relation to the cab. I'd roll it outside where you can stand 30 ft away and look at it. Shim or jack the bed until its where you think it looks correct and then measure to see what you need for permanent mounting.
The problem is to get the rear to look even with the front I will have to modify the two rear sill mounts and remove about 11/2" to lower the rear. If not IRS about a 2" rake and it looks wrong. If level then I have a 1 1/2" gap from the bed to the running board apron. The entire mounting is custom. This is how I purchased it. I attached pictures . Amy help would be great.
Hi...we removed the blocks and put in just the rubber pads. Standing back and looking at the vehicle everything lined up. The gap between the cab and the bed is even from top to bottom. The bed still has a slight tilt to it but everyone I see is like that. All the lines all match up so I have to assume that it is suppose to have that tilt or all would not line up. Good luck!!
Thanks! I'll go ahead and try that then. Did you happen to take a picture before you put the wood bed in?
The Jalopy Journal
