Drilling into truck bed

[Mighty Snowpants]

Newbie question. Thinking about adding a bed slide and need to drill into the bed. Concerns about corrosion at drill points. And don’t want to drill into something under the bed that’s important like a gas tank or wiring or etc... Any practical advice and or past experience?

 

[securityguy]

Any time you drill you open up the possibility to rust. Check the underside where you wish to drill to ensure that nothing is in your way...easy to do and clearly see. The bed sides are zero issues at all. When I drill into car bodies, I then use an etching primer to seal around and inside the hole that you can buy at any auto parts store. Mine came in a spray can and I spray some into a small dixie cup and then, with a cheap craft brush, I paint it on. I do two coats and then install the screws.

 

[Wakesnowb]

Newbie question. Thinking about adding a bed slide and need to drill into the bed. Concerns about corrosion at drill points. And don’t want to drill into something under the bed that’s important like a gas tank or wiring or etc... Any practical advice and or past experience?

I’d take a hole punch and punch it where you need to drill so that the drill bit does not walk around on you when starting to drill it. Also if you have a spray on bed liner that you need to drill through it might be tougher to get through. I broke a drill bit when putting on the bed extender. Recommend buying a brand new sharp drill bit, made a world of difference.

 

[Mighty Snowpants]

Any time you drill you open up the possibility to rust. Check the underside where you wish to drill to ensure that nothing is in your way...easy to do and clearly see. The bed sides are zero issues at all. When I drill into car bodies, I then use an etching primer to seal around and inside the hole that you can buy at any auto parts store. Mine came in a spray can and I spray some into a small dixie cup and then, with a cheap craft brush, I paint it on. I do two coats and then install the screws.

Thank you. Good idea.

 

[Mighty Snowpants]

I’d take a hole punch and punch it where you need to drill so that the drill bit does not walk around on you when starting to drill it. Also if you have a spray on bed liner that you need to drill through it might be tougher to get through. I broke a drill bit when putting on the bed extender. Recommend buying a brand new sharp drill bit, made a world of difference.

Thank you for the tips.

 

[wwalljr]

I mounted a cargo box to the bed floor near the bulkhead. There seems to be some space between the bed floor and anything beneath. It doesn’t take much to get through that stuff... I swear I could push a nail through that metal holding it with a pliers.

I did put a little silicone on the sheet metal screws that I used. I’ve done this many times in the past and never had rust to deal with. But this is my first RAM... maybe now I need to worry ...

 

[Ride2little]

I'm about to nervously drill into the bed. My plans are to install a rail in the front of the bed for motorcycle transport.

 

[securityguy]

OK...be careful

 

[Big White RAM]

After drilling a hole in painted sheet metal, I always apply RTV Silicone in, and around the edge of the hole with a toothpick (small dab on the end), then insert the screw / bolt. In over 35yrs of doing this, I have never had any rust issues.

 

[Jako]

In 2001 I had to drill into the rocker panels of my 1500 SLT in order to install my running boards. I applied silicone into the holes and tightened things up. In my 19 years of ownership I haven't seen a problem but these days there is plenty of body rot on other portions to not be of concern.

 

[Ride2little]

Well I did it. Im pleasantly surprised how robust the bed material is on the front side.
I carefully drilled, then painted the raw metal. After t hat fried I also used silicone when installing the bolts.