Hey all, when I bought my 2001 1500 long bed, it had a massive dent from inside the bed going into the cab. It looks like the PO hauled something really heavy without securing it, then it slid forward at a stop light & dented the bed into the cab, the rear glass was bent, but oddly not cracked or broken. I used a slide hammer to pull the bed back to nearly original shape, & I managed to carefully use my tailbone to bump out the inside of the cab so the glass looks nearly normal now too. I assume the load rolled backwards too since the tailgate is slightly bent out, but not much. I noticed today that the sides of the bed, where it meets the floor of the bed are sort of coming apart. Not all the way, but the seams are starting to separate some. I am curious if anyone out there knows if the beds are glued together or welded together. It has been about 10 years since I worked in an auto body shop & I have seen lots of strange uses for structural adhesive. I have even seen a smaller toyota truck with the bed glued on to the frame instead of being bolted down, got knocked off in a low speed accident. Looked like a factory glue job too. I know vettes are largely glued together, but I am curious if it is starting to happen with trucks now too - especially dodges.

 

Being that Dodge went through the hassle of welding the inner fenders to the outers, I would assume the the bed is spot welded together.

 

FSM. Details welded joints and adhesive as well as body sealer.

And + 1 on welded...at least on my 99.

 

Them be some fightin' words, son.

 

My son has an early 80's Yota and a 92 and I have a 96 Yota. The beds are welded, and were shipped to the US on stak pallets to be assembled at port. They are bolted on, and the bed components are welded on them from the factory. Body shops use the adhesvie often instead of welding bed panels on.....but I have never been comfortable with them... But Toyota, to the best of my knowledge ever glued these on.

 

go and buy a used bed for about 5 to 700.00

 

The body shop i used to work in had a 95 toyota in that got t-boned at low speed & the bed was knocked off the frame, looked to be a factory job, but who knows. I know vettes don't fall apart because they are glued, so i don't question it much because i know how strong some structural adhesive is. I was just curious in general. I am just trying to breath new life into a truck that the po tried to beat to death & thinking of new ways of doing it as i go. I did notice that the bed has seam sealer, and the look of that made me think it was glued. My bad.

 

Mixing up seam sealer and structural adhesive? And you call yourself a body man... (jk)

 

I know! DER! lol Thanks guys.