Yesterday I worked on my truck. When I did the 4wd swap the bed was off of the body maybe a 1/4in. I took of the bed and ovaled out the mounting holes to line it up.

I noticed the left rear body mount bracket was cracked and welds broken. I believe the brackets were cheaply made. Probably China. They are rusting. Here in NM nothing rusts more than surface rust. Notice the frame and even the cross member in the back. I even got bare metal with no rust for years. So just others are aware of these cheep mounts.

I busted out my welder and got to work. My welder did really well with the bracket. But welding it to the frame was another story. It didn't stick to the frame very well. Well that is what I get for my small welder. But I believe my welds will hold.

 

Dang! So just to get something clear... are the 2wd and 4x4 body mounts different, or has yours been broken since the swap?

 

The mounts are the same. On 2wd and 4wd.

The bed was off 1/4in to one side. I believe due to how the cab was placed. I tried adjusting the cab a while back, but I think because of how heavy it was I wasn't able to get it in correct position.

The cracked bracket formed due to cheep/ weak metal used on the bracket, which is why it is rusting when nothing else is.

 

Oh ok, that makes sense. I was just wondering cause I'm planning on customizing a new bed for my truck by taking my current bed and the one I have in the garage and making the wheel wells wider to tuck those 37s, and its going to be the bed in the garage that will go on the truck and its off a 2wd.

You really should have cleaned the metal up better than you did!!! My little 110 volt MIG can melt through a frame rail... its not very thick metal. When I plated in the indentions in my frame I used my welder and it did great, but you saw (and even commented on) how clean the metal was!

 

Ya I cleaned up the metal nice. I have a wire wheel on my drimel that got the metal shinny with. I didn't want to get crazy do to the gas tank right there. So a small wheel and slow speed was the trick. Later when I welded I used a blanket to cover up the tank. I should have done that sooner.

For those 1st pics I used a battery cleaner to clean the metal so I can see the crack better when inspecting it.

 

Lol... you should have seen the sparks I was throwing at the gas tank when I cut the front driver's side leaf spring hanger off the frame. I was using a high speed angle grinder on all those rivets that hold the hangers on. I was waiting for the gas tank to catch on fire the whole time but it never did!! :P

 

I guess these tanks can take it. Polyurethane is it? I probably can look in the FSM but oh well.

The vent tube popped out of the sending unit top, when I lifted the bed. I need to plug that back in. That one pops out every now and then.

 

ill make a note to check that