2019 ram 1500 bed bolts

[Paparoach]

I don’t do forums and I don’t own one of these truck but I’ve been a body tech for 17 years and this week one of my jobs is a 2019 ram. I needed to take the bed off and can’t due to the welded nuts in the bed braces breaking loose and no way to acces the nut or the bolt heads to cut them off . This has happened with three out of six bed bolts . Is this gonna be the same with all the trucks or is this one just a fluke? Idk what I’m gonna due when I have to change a bed side or somebody needs to change a fuel pump.. anybody else have this problem yet?

 

[RAMRhode]

Maybe you have checked....Techauthority.com? The attached is specific to my truck and you may have a different build. For mine, nothing about the bolts being welded on.

 

[1guyandtools]

I don’t do forums and I don’t own one of these truck but I’ve been a body tech for 17 years and this week one of my jobs is a 2019 ram. I needed to take the bed off and can’t due to the welded nuts in the bed braces breaking loose and no way to acces the nut or the bolt heads to cut them off . This has happened with three out of six bed bolts . Is this gonna be the same with all the trucks or is this one just a fluke? Idk what I’m gonna due when I have to change a bed side or somebody needs to change a fuel pump.. anybody else have this problem yet?

OH NO, Are you going to have to cut a window in the bed rail to get at the nuts? Seems like a issue the factory should look into. Something that new should not have a RUSTY BOLT issue. Good luck.

 

[RAMRhode]

I don’t do forums and I don’t own one of these truck but I’ve been a body tech for 17 years and this week one of my jobs is a 2019 ram. I needed to take the bed off and can’t due to the welded nuts in the bed braces breaking loose and no way to acces the nut or the bolt heads to cut them off . This has happened with three out of six bed bolts . Is this gonna be the same with all the trucks or is this one just a fluke? Idk what I’m gonna due when I have to change a bed side or somebody needs to change a fuel pump.. anybody else have this problem yet?

If you have some pics to share, might be good for us to know what you are facing here and check ours to see if this is a one off thing or not.

 

[riccnick]

Maybe you have checked....Techauthority.com? The attached is specific to my truck and you may have a different build. For mine, nothing about the bolts being welded on.

It's the nuts...



that are welded into the stiffening braces for the bed floor.

 

[RAMRhode]

It's the nuts...



that are welded into the stiffening braces for the bed floor.

Oops! Yeah just re-read that tidbit of info.

 

[Paparoach]

Maybe you have checked....Techauthority.com? The attached is specific to my truck and you may have a different build. For mine, nothing about the bolts being welded on.

The nuts in the bed should be welded in place and the welds come loose and one bolt binds up and won’t tighten or loosen.. they are not rusty either it’s brand new truck... no access to nuts and bed bolts themselves only access for for a socket to go in so you can’t cut the heads off either ... just screwed!!

 

[RAMRhode]

Maybe drench the thread/nut in a solvent for 24hr. or so to release? Also would make some calls to FCA engineering. Welcome to the forum BTW! And you find out any info I hope you would share with us.

 

[BmoreStew]

Sounds like a fun way to spend an afternoon. Buy a 30-pack and some smokes. I’m on my way.

 

[Nails]

In most manufacture trucks. New or old. Body bolts should always be hand loosened no impacts. Though sht still happens

 

[riccnick]

The nuts in the bed should be welded in place and the welds come loose and one bolt binds up and won’t tighten or loosen.. they are not rusty either it’s brand new truck... no access to nuts and bed bolts themselves only access for for a socket to go in so you can’t cut the heads off either ... just screwed!!

I've had success with prying downward on the bolt as you impact it off to help apply force to the nut to keep it in place. See if someone can get a prybar or even flat head under the flange head of the bolt as you try to remove it. It's worked for me in the past with rusty vehicles where the "welds" that hold the nuts in place are not really metal anymore. (Using this method you actually want the impact, not by hand. Unfortunately the impact was the wrong way to go the first time around though).

 

[OkieDan]

The nuts in the bed should be welded in place and the welds come loose and one bolt binds up and won’t tighten or loosen.. they are not rusty either it’s brand new truck... no access to nuts and bed bolts themselves only access for for a socket to go in so you can’t cut the heads off either ... just screwed!!

Sad to hear your luck but glad I'm not the only one. I just ran into the same problem trying to install Westin protraxx 5" wheel to wheel nerf bars. I started with a dewalt brushless 1/4 impact which didn't budge it, then switched to socket wrench and started to wear out after awhile, so I got out the 1/2 pneumatic impact and got it out a bit more before the weld on the nut broke and F'd me over.

I'm giving up for the day, but thought I'd chime in to say that a 21mm wrench seems to fit the nut, just a PITA to get the wrench on it when it's 7" into the channel. After getting wrench on it, I found out my air wasn't turned up high enough to continue removing the bolt, so I had to stop to turn up the air and take a break, and vent. I really don't know if I want to continue taking the nut off, seems like this is a defect and should be fixed by the dealer. Don't think I'll be able to put nut in just the right place to put bolt back in if I do end up removing it all the way. Have you had any luck getting them back on after removing them?

 

[T-RoyT]

Sad to hear your luck but glad I'm not the only one. I just ran into the same problem trying to install Westin protraxx 5" wheel to wheel nerf bars. I started with a dewalt brushless 1/4 impact which didn't budge it, then switched to socket wrench and started to wear out after awhile, so I got out the 1/2 pneumatic impact and got it out a bit more before the weld on the nut broke and F'd me over.

I'm giving up for the day, but thought I'd chime in to say that a 21mm wrench seems to fit the nut, just a PITA to get the wrench on it when it's 7" into the channel. After getting wrench on it, I found out my air wasn't turned up high enough to continue removing the bolt, so I had to stop to turn up the air and take a break, and vent. I really don't know if I want to continue taking the nut off, seems like this is a defect and should be fixed by the dealer. Don't think I'll be able to put nut in just the right place to put bolt back in if I do end up removing it all the way. Have you had any luck getting them back on after removing them?

Same. Westin R5 here. I’m assuming you got this squared away by now, just wanted to confirm that it is a 21mm. Largest I had handy was an 18. Tried pry bar, and a wrench on each side of nut to try to wedge it to no avail. It’s been a nightmare of an evening, calling it quits for the night.

 

[T-RoyT]

Sad to hear your luck but glad I'm not the only one. I just ran into the same problem trying to install Westin protraxx 5" wheel to wheel nerf bars. I started with a dewalt brushless 1/4 impact which didn't budge it, then switched to socket wrench and started to wear out after awhile, so I got out the 1/2 pneumatic impact and got it out a bit more before the weld on the nut broke and F'd me over.

I'm giving up for the day, but thought I'd chime in to say that a 21mm wrench seems to fit the nut, just a PITA to get the wrench on it when it's 7" into the channel. After getting wrench on it, I found out my air wasn't turned up high enough to continue removing the bolt, so I had to stop to turn up the air and take a break, and vent. I really don't know if I want to continue taking the nut off, seems like this is a defect and should be fixed by the dealer. Don't think I'll be able to put nut in just the right place to put bolt back in if I do end up removing it all the way. Have you had any luck getting them back on after removing them?

Same. Westin R5 here. I’m assuming you got this squared away by now, just wanted to confirm that it is a 21mm. Largest I had handy was an 18. Tried pry bar, and a wrench on each side of nut to try to wedge it to no avail. It’s been a nightmare of an evening, calling it quits for the night.

 

[OkieDan]

Same. Westin R5 here. I’m assuming you got this squared away by now, just wanted to confirm that it is a 21mm. Largest I had handy was an 18. Tried pry bar, and a wrench on each side of nut to try to wedge it to no avail. It’s been a nightmare of an evening, calling it quits for the night.

I believe it was 21mm. I bought a set of long handle wrenches from Harbor Freight to get the length I wanted.