Question about putting in a new bed floor

Edited: 12/17/2006 3:27:16 PM by stinkynathan

Edited: 12/17/2006 3:27:05 PM by stinkynathan

I'm going to be putting a new bed floor and walls in my bed over break. I'd like to have a smooth floor and walls. It would be raised about 6 inches from the front to the rear of the notch, then angle down to the normal level of the stock floor.

One question though.... What is the best way to finish inside corners so that they look good? Do I need to just get my sheet metal bent so that I have as many bent corners as possible? It's impossible to get a grinder into all of them, and even if you could its impossible to get them all the same. So, whats the trick?

used the 3m seam sealer when I put my tubs in and I was not really very impressed with it. It seals well, but I think it would be pretty tough to get a nice looking, smooth corner out of it.

I was thinking that spreading filler in the corners with my finger, or a rounded corner of a putty spreader might work. Then I could just sand it with one of me softer sanding sponge thingers I have. Shit, I could even smooth the filler before it is set with something wet.

Any more ideas on filling the corners evenly and nicely?

nate

PS: What thickness of steel should I use on this project?

Are you going to paint it, or put a liner on it?

I would use 18 guage or 16 guage.

It will probably just get primed for now. I need to go talk to the shop here in town and see if they can primer it for me before I start on it.

if you use paintable seam sealer it will look better. just use your finger and run it in the corner after you put a bead in the corner. wipe up the excess with a shop rag with a little laquer thinner in it. it seales and dries semi-hard. so it will flex with the bed while driving.

I mostly use 18 guage on the sides and 16 guage on the bed floor. I also use 1x1 tubing to build my frame for the floor. Its worked fine so far. For rounding corners ive just done a small amount of bondo (the good stuff that allows alittle flex) and cut a rubber putty knife to the shape you want the corner and run it up the sides, then just sand a little. Also, rather then paying a shop to do it, you can buy metal etching primer in a rattle can form. Spray the whole thing and it should protect it for a while.

am i going to need to use the 1x1 to frame in any of the bed sides since they won't have bends to stiffen them up?

Well what ive done before is left the stock bed sides in, weld the floor frame to that and cut whatever hangs below the frame off. Then build your walls and you wont need 1x1 cause youll have both walls there for strengh. Cause if you cut the side walls out, all the wieght from the outside body will be on those 18 guage walls. So keeping them both works out well. Thats how ive done it. But if you plan on taking your stock walls out, then yes run 1x1 down from the inside bed rails to your bed frame.