I was loading my 4 wheeler last night and stepped on the top of the bed (side rails) and wow! it flexed (i only weigh 180), then prceede to push with one finger on the bed sides and wow! I felt like my '96 toyota! My '98 GMC did not do this!

What, nobody else noticed this?

Bed caps and adding a spray liner over the top help. Yes, we noticed. We were hoping they would fix that.

Bed caps and adding a spray liner over the top help. Yes, we noticed. We were hoping they would fix that.


Sigh! But alas we be but dreamers ~

I had my original Line-X treatment under-rail. When I had to take my bed cap off last November I had Line-X shot over the rails to protect and strengthen them. However, I now have a Slide Systems toolbox, the the rail system is a wide aluminum full-length rail that really protects the rails. With the Line-X on the rails, the slide system plates and my bed cap clamped down through the rails to anchors in the stake pockets, my bed is pretty well supported!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gif

Never thought of that! There is a Line-X place right down the road. Even the front of the box seems flimsy when I push my 4 wheeler tires against it. But, on a brighter side, the tailgate seems plenty strong! I had a flimsy tailgate on my '98 (cheap-o replacement part), but the box never had any protection other than a rubber bed mat, and I abused the bed--it looked great when I traded it! Don't get me wrong, this is twice the truck my '98 was, just the flimsy box caught me by surprise!

There've been problems with the front corners of the beds cracking under the load of toolboxes and racks. GM has a TSB on it and a set of reinforcement plates to go in the front corners. I got the optional heavy duty front rail with my Slide System that runs across the front of the bed and ties into the side rails. It wasn't cheap, but I was glad to get the additional strength and support added to the bed.

Whatever you do, don't walk or let anyone else walk on your unprotected bedrails while loading the bed. You'll put footprints in it. That's from experience.

I think the all of the trucks use the same steel but it's in the design of the top rail that gives them strength. The GM top rail is simply too wide to support weight without bending in.

i have a dump body on mine i could hitit with a sledge hammer and it wouldn't dent, I dont think I could do the starky and hutch thing a cross the hood to test out the Gm sheet metal

I agree that spray-on liners help a GREAT DEAL for stability. Granted, you still can't walk on it & jump around, but the first time I swung myself out of the bed (without the liner) by shoving off with both hands on the rail I heard a crunch & felt it give a little.

Now, I have the spray-in liner sprayed down the outsides of the bed to the first curve (about 3 inches) & when I do the same thing, it's pretty stout & doesn't give.

I had my original Line-X treatment under-rail. When I had to take my bed cap off last November I had Line-X shot over the rails to protect and strengthen them. However, I now have a Slide Systems toolbox, the the rail system is a wide aluminum full-length rail that really protects the rails. With the Line-X on the rails, the slide system plates and my bed cap clamped down through the rails to anchors in the stake pockets, my bed is pretty well supported!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gif


I was just looking at the Slide Systems info on their site and am pretty impressed by what I see. Is there any negative aspect to it from your first hand experience that I should be aware of before I make a final decision on it?

I think it is just just thin sheet metal. At work today, I went all other my buddies ford, stickin my finger into the sheetmetal when he was not lookin, and it felt like my old '98 gmc--solid! Then went over to my '04 silverado and did then same--and he caught me--and said what the h--- you doin, I said I just did it to your truck, check this out! I swear, GM is buying sheetmetal from toyota. The first thing he said was, that looks like toyota sheetmetal!! Even the doors feel lighter! The only thing that feels solid is the tailgate!! Ok, I'm done now--I love my new truck--thin sheetmetal and all!!

I used to stand on my F350s all the time when loading the quads. I guess I now know to never do this to my current truck.

Put a set of Diamond plate or stainless bedrails on it. I can stand on mine and it will not bend or dent. Plus they look a lot better than the plain ones.

Got some suggestions of ones that look good?

I have DeeZee diamond plate bedrails, I like them, but if you like smooth stainless, they look good too.

Another weak spot is where the tail gate cables connect to the bed sides. My 04 sheet metal where the pins stick out for the cables was bent outwards from apparently weight on the tail gate! If you put about 200 Lbs. on the tail gate near the corners you will see the thin sheet metal bending. I have looked at some trucks that are really bent out. Mine was like that new. The older chevys had reinforcement in that area, but I guess Chevy is trying to save money again.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Disapprove.gif

Hoot, what's the status of the bed rails on that new Dodge of yours? Or the overall body for that matter?


Dan

I was just looking at the Slide Systems info on their site and am pretty impressed by what I see. Is there any negative aspect to it from your first hand experience that I should be aware of before I make a final decision on it?


Nope no real negatives, except price. I ordered the sports top (finger foam for carrying guns/cameras) and the four-drawer pro bottom came to just over $1200. I had my whole system powdercoated black. The heavy-duty front rail is really nice, especially if you're putting on a cap. The only thing that I changed were some locking bolts on the front rail and the stop-pins. They provided simple pull pins that I replaced with a pair of ball-locks that I bought from McMaster-Carr for $8 each. Good people selling good products with good customer support.


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/2D2_DCP04406.JPG


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/BZ1_DCP04402.JPG


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/AC3_DCP04401.JPGEdited by: Idle_Chatter

I just went out and looked at that tailgate attachment area--mine is bent also!! Guess the 600lb grizzly is too much for the "thin sheetmetal" Damn, thought the only thing I had to worry about were the cables!

Hi Redneck45, I was looking at a way to reinforce that area. If you take your tail light lens off you can see that there is just a welded nut on the inside holding that cable pin. I was thinking of breaking that square welded nut off and adding a big thick large diameter washer and regular lock nut to reinforce the thin sheet metal. Also you could probably put a thick piece of metal under the nut instead of a washer, I don't know what GM was thinking making that area so cheasy. Haven't they ever heard of a tail gate party?http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Cry.gif


If everyone could take a look at that maybe would could come up with a good fix!

Like I said before--one hellava solid tailgate! the rest of the box has me worried! I really abused my '98 GMC box and it looked really good when I traded it--this one bothers me! I have 2,100 miles on this rig (bought it a month ago) and have nothing but add fluid to diffs and changed oil and filter at 850, I am really considering doing the GM maintence schedule and just driving this thing and letting GM fix any warranty problems!

All the new GM trucks have thin sheet metal. I can't imagine a real work truck on a job site and what it would look like after a few months. I have been very carefull with my 2001 and my new 04 but accidents happen. A freind of mine has a duraliner and when tossing fire wood in the bed he dented the box through the Duraliner so don't think a bed linner will help. He also leaned over the hood to wash his windshield and rested his left arm on the hood to wash the drivers side. When he placed his weight on his left arm it dented the hood. HE WAS NOT A HAPPY CAMPER! GM needs to put more metal in their trucks. All I can say is you have to be extreamly carefull with them

Yep, think about this everyday as I look at the contractors site trucks and the jobsite everyday--they are all mid 90's fords and gms and they take a beating, much like my old '98. Would hate to see my new '04 in that scenerio!!

redneck,


After hearing about the thin sheet metal for some time, I decided to do a little checking. I use a set of mics to measure the thickness of the sheet metal on Ford, Dodge, and GM with the following results:


Ford:.043" Dodge: .043" GM: .047"


Taking factors like thickness of paint, and primer into consideration, I'm guessing that all the metal is the same on all three. The weakness is probably attributed to the bracing under the sheet metal. Just my thoughts on the subject.


Regards


Bill

Were these all the same model year trucks? I believe that alot of this steel comes from the same place--and that the thinner metal is just a transition all three have made. I have never owned dodge or ford trucks, just gm and that was the comparison I was making old vs new gm.

I've seen similar topics on the Ford and Dodge forums; so, I don't think we're alone in this area. A major reason the sheet metal is thinner is to lighten the trucks to gain better fleet mileage in order to comply with Federal regulations. All of the auto manufacturers looking for ways to cut weight where ever they can. Just hope it doesn't get any thinner!

The thin metal doesn't bother me to much, it's the no reinforcement in the cable attachment of the bed! I had a ford 6.0 that I got rid of for engine problems, but atleast you could sit on the tail gate without bending the sheet metal on the bed!


I guess if that is the only problem I have, I should be happy.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif

Wow, just waxed mine for the first time--anyone ever notice the roof sheetmetal on the extended cab? Literally like a tin can! I remember walking on the roof of my '98 extended cab to clean my gutters! Holy cow! http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif

Hey guys,


I agree on the thin sheetmetal, everything these days is made to be cheap and replacable, but... I was looking into the thin sheetmetal on the bed and didn't really come up with any of the opinions you guys are having... I've loaded several lawn tractors and such into my bed and I have never had a problem... the sheetmetal is not bent and nothing looks out of character... I've even jumped on my tailgate to see if it was tough, no problems there either...


ps. I'm not flaming you guys, just letting you know my experiences


Dan