Are anyone's bed bolts showing the beginning signs of rust? Mine are. I didn't know if it was normal or not.

 

I've got the same thing too. Kind of disheartening seeing as how Ford says that bolt could hold our truck up. I've looked under the truck, and the tip is rusting as well. So, naturally I took one out. Surface rust abounds. I thought these were galvanized bolts, but I think I was wrong. Should be stainless steel, but that's too much money.

-Travis

 

mine are as well, a little. (the heads) two years old next month.

 

Where are your bedliners?

 

I have a spray-on bed liner. The bed bolts are removed when it's sprayed on and re-inserted after it's done.

 

same here

 

word of advice: If you're worried about surface rust on a bed bolt, don't crawl under and look that the bottom of your truck...

 

Why do people find it necessary to make posts like this? I know the bottom has a large potential for rust (which I try to stop as much as possible), but the bed bolts shouldn't be rusting. I know you'll say "it's just a truck." But to some, it's more than that.

-Travis

 

I've seen rusted bolts on many trucks. Thats why I had them Line-X over the bolt heads instead of removing them on mine.

 

This was not too smart IMO....the bolts get just as much "abuse" from the weather on the underside of the bed (if not more) than the inside of the bed of the truck...not to mention the fact that you will ruin your line-x job when/if you have to remove the bolts.....and if you do have to remove these bolts...I doubt Line-x will repair the liner under their warrenty since it is standard practice for them to remove the bolts prior to application....

 

Why?

I had mine covered and see no problem with it. I've owned 4 pickups before and never had to remove the bed. My dad always had a pickup and can't recall him ever removing one either. I figure if you need to remove the bed, it probably needs to be replaced. Besides, why can't the liner be cut around the bolts if ABSOLUTLY necessary?

 

Ok.

Here's that aftermarket people? Stainless steel.

I'm not sure they can make stainless in that grade of bolt though, can they? I was always warned against using stainless hardware around high heat areas because they deform easy.

One more thing. When I was putting on my trailer hitch a couple of weeks ago I noticed a couple of tinnerman (speed) nuts holding the rear most bed bolts in place. Was I imagining things again?

-Fatz

edit: Should I try and locate some of these?? Group buy?? I've developed alot of contacts over the years restoring cars.

 

I'm with Jimmy K. My Reflex liner co. didn'teven ask me but I am glad that they sprayed over them. If, in the extremely unlikely scenario that I have to remove the bed, I am quite positive the liner can be cut then easily repaired. In the meantime I won't see or worry about rusted bed bolts.

 

because posts like that are the truth; if someone is worried about some spots of surface rust on a bed bolt, they would surely react negatively to seeing their frame or exhaust covered with surface rust.

Unpainted steel gets surface rust. That's what it does. Galvanized steel means the steel is coated with zinc. The zinc acts as a sacrificial anode, corroding before the steel. It generally takes a long time for all the zinc to corrode and expose the steel. But, if you scrape off the zinc, the now exposed steel will get surface rust. The simple act of screwing a bolt into something scrapes zinc from the threads. The bit used to turn the bolt will remove zinc from the head. Something you are hauling sliding/vibrating on the head will remove zinc.

Stainless steel is a combination of steel and chromium alloyed for rust resistance. Problem is, stainless steel uses low carbon steel (meaning it is very soft and fairly weak). An 18-8 stainless steel bolt is only very slightly stronger than an unhardened plain steel grade 2 bolt. When you get into very high strength applications, such as a bed bolt, a stronger bolt is required. This stronger bolt is very high in carbon. Downside is, the more you increase carbon content of steel, generally the more likely it is to rust.

A hardened steel bolt with surface rust will still be magnitudes stronger than a stainless bolt. Perhaps this is why ford chose to use them?

If surface rust on a bolt is that bothersome, I suggest painting them.

I could be providing facts and stating the obvious, but then again, I could just be an a$$hole...

 

Ahhhh inbred...you know it is both...

I had my bolts sprayed over with my linex. My dealer told me if I ever had a problem to just back and he'll fix it for me.

I don't get worked up over rust either. If it is a painted surface I get upset but bolts and their ilk don't bother me.

I wouldn't worry too much about it.