Stake Pocket Questions

[Camarogenius]

Next weekend, I'm going to SC to pick up a bed for 82fordtruck. I plan on flipping it over bed rail to bed rail and sticking something through the stake pockets to keep it from sliding around. I've never seen my stake pockets. I've got a thick plastic bed liner that covers them, Nothing a dremel can't fix once it stops raining.
Anyone ever done this before? will 2"x2" work, or will that fit too loose? I just want to make sure it's on there solid and won't slide around, or damage his bed. I couldn't care less about mine.
What can go wrong with hauling a bed this way? BTW, his bed is a dually, so it's gonna look kinda weird going down the road.
Anyone want to start a pool for how many times I get pulled over? Winner gets my fuel bill?

 

[troutwest66]

The lumber in the pockets wouldn't be a tight enough fit for me but I've never tried it, either. Do you have access to a trailer to secure the bed to instead? That would be a lot easier to load/ unload and secure.

 

[Camarogenius]

I wish I did have a trailer. That's okay, if I have to, I'll rip down some 2x4's.

 

[OkieGringo]

Rent a trailer from a local rental shop. Much cheaper in the long run. OkieG

 

[Mr_Roboto]

I don't see any problem at all with your plan. Get a 2x3x8 and cut 4 pieces and trim them down to slip inside the stake pockets loosely. It would take an enormous amount of force to shear off 4 pieces of lumber. Use at least 2 heavy tiedown straps run from your framerails and around the beds. Use heavy cloth between the straps and the sharp edge of the top bed to prevent wear on the straps.

From my experience with making stake sides for an 88, the stake pockets are not all the same size. So make sure you test fit them for each spot.

 

[reklund]

For extra safety...go to harbor freight and get some elcheapo C clamps to put the squeeze on things...

 

[snatchal]

I hauled a bed a few years ago like that. I just held the two beds together with 4 c-clamps. Kind of like mounting a cap. Never thought of using wood in the stake pockets, that's a good idea.

 

[Camarogenius]

The only problem with the C clamp Idea, is there's more holes in my bedliner.

 

[Russ]

The pockets are slightly smaller than 2x2 I would rip down a 2x4 then cut them a little smaller than that. The worst part is flipping the bed over then getting it up high enough. C-clamping the bed rails together is a really good idea. put he bed tail gate to tail gate to keep the pockets aligned.

 

[reklund]

cant you just pull the bedliner out for this one trip? It'll go right back in when you get home...

Ryan

 

[icanfixall]

Just take off your bed and install the bed your going to pick up. Then when you get home trade them out for what you started with. You don't need to use all the bed bolts but how many are there. It seems like this would be the easy way of hauling it/ Make up some brackets to hold your tail lites and your good to go.

 

[Camarogenius]

ICANFIXALL, There's a few probs with that Idea, One, is the stuff I'm hauling out with me, Two is the monstrous Goosneck hitch that's bolted to the frame and the bed, three is this truck has spent it's entire life in the midwest, so bolts are probably fuzed solid.

 

[82fordtruck]

Jeff -

I think he sold that thing to someone else after we made an agreement. I can't get him to return my phone calls. I don't know what is going on.

 

[Camarogenius]

Jeff -

I think he sold that thing to someone else after we made an agreement. I can't get him to return my phone calls. I don't know what is going on.

Email sent.