I can't get the bed hook bolts out, need ideas!

[Jerry Gerner 2]

So I'm taking my Tal & Hadas Sport Bar off my Trac and putting on a factory tonneau cover back on. I can't get the bed hook bolts out to take the brackets off so I can mount the tonneau cover brackets on.



I need some ideas on how to get the bolts out without braking the composite bed.



By the way once I get the brackets off I'll be selling the Sport Bar, these are extremely rare in the U.S., I've only been able to find six other people in the U.S. that have this bar on their Trac's. If you look in my album there's pictures or if you google Tal & Hadas Rear Sport Bar my Trac will pop up, like I said these are extremely rare.







[Broken External Image]:

 

[swshawaii]

Sorry Jerry, finally got the link working.



Search "Removing Tie Down Bed Hooks" dated 5/25/10

SteveM posted a behind the bed pic to see what you're dealing with. GL

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

Link not working ????



Damn northeast rust.

 

[TRACket Paul]

Is it a problem at all four corners? At least for the rear mounts you can access the bolts from underneath to spray penetrating fluid on them. The picture below is looking up at the driver side tie-down mount (the rear mount is hidden by the Power point box), the passenger side has similar access. Otherwise, removing or loosening the fender liner seems like next step.

[Broken External Image]:

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

I'll have to give that a shot tomorrow after my wife gets home from work, thanks. Yeah it's all four corners, plus I have four bolts on the inside of the bed to get out too, one for each bracket. The left rear insert on the inside of the bed for the bolt is spinning with the bolt so I may have to grind the head of that one off.

 

[Todd Z]

I cut a notch under the bracket in Paul's truck and we used a screw driver to hold the nut from spinning.......



As for the tie down bolts.... Need to spray penetrating oil on from underneath,.,,



Todd Z

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

Thanks everyone, now I just need to wait for Carol to get home from work so I can try again.

:haveabeer:

 

[TRACket Paul]

You mean, you let her drive the ST. Oh Horrors!!!

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

Ok, so I tried soaking the bolts from underneath. I removed the tail lights and the rightside inner wheelwell and found the the bracket had snapped due to rust and the bolts were totally rusted and siezed to the brakets and nuts.

:fire::angry::soap:

Next I tried dilling the heads of the bolts off and salvage the hooks but it wouldn't let me do that either. I ended cutting the rear two bed hooks off to get the Tal & Hadas Sport Bar brackets off the bed so I could install the Factory Tonneau cover I bought from Moparmendy for $250.

:banana::haveabeer::supercool:

I took all the rest of the bed hook bolts out with no issues and put antisieze on them and the tonneau cover bracket bolts so I don't have to deal with this again.



Now I need to find a pair of bed hooks and bolts to replace the ones I had to cut off.

:banghead:

Anyone have any they would want to donate????

:haveabeer:nline:

I have the caps but not the main hook bodies.