Having Some Bed Problems

NathanY · July 6, 2011

Its a 1997 C1500

NathanY · July 6, 2011

Sorry I hit the wrong button.

I have a 1997 C1500 and when I go over a speed bump on my street it seems that the bed moves . I try to move it by hand and I cant move it, but it sure does seem to move when I go over a bump especially if I go over it at an angle, then it really makes some noise. It also seems that the bed sits higher at the back than it does in the front. It does not line up with the cab even though I put new cab bushings under the cab. I have done a visual inspection as best as one could do and dont see that the frame is bent anywhere, there are no ripples in the frame anywhere, no dips or bumps in it. This truck has never been in a wreck, and has never had a heavy load on it. I dont know if there are some mounts under the bed that need replaced or some shims that are missing or what. It looks bad. Please advise.

blacksierra01 · July 6, 2011

I had the same problem with a dodge i used to own, turns out that a crosmember rotted out and the bed fell down in the front

NathanY · July 6, 2011

I had this truck up in the air putting a new exhaust system on it because the old one had leaks everywhere. I could not anything out of the ordinary under it. I went over the frame as best I could not being a frame expert. I know something is wrong, I just dont know where to look.

NathanY · July 7, 2011

I think that I will just drive it like it is until it gets cooler outside. Ive been driving like this for a long time anyway. I think I'm going to pull the bed off of it once it cools off a little outside. I dont like working in 100+ degree heat on asphalt.

CapitalTruck · July 7, 2011

I'm having some bed problems too...it's been too long since somebody else was under the sheets with me!

jro909 · July 7, 2011

temper-pudic is the answer...or lots of beer and some hallucinagens....the latter is my pick

DeePa · July 7, 2011

My 2004 did the same thing. The bed actually hit the cab in two places. The bed was missing 6 out of 8 bolts.

NathanY · July 9, 2011

I'm having some bed problems too...it's been too long since somebody else was under the sheets with me!

temper-pudic is the answer...or lots of beer and some hallucinagens....the latter is my pick

That added a lot of substance to this topic. Thanks.

Took it to the body shop today and the guy told me that the frame is indeed bent. He said what usually happens is someone jumps the truck or hits RR tracks too fast or something like that and the truck bottoms hard and it just bows the whole frame, when its not caused by a wreck or carrying something too heavy. They just have weak frames. Also, the reason that the bed is moving around is because the cross member are riveted to the frame and the rivets get loose and start to woller out. Both of the cross members on the back half of the truck are loose. One is loose on the right, the other is loose on the left. They just bolt it back together with grade 8 bolts. Its going to cost me $200 if I take the bed off, $400 if they take the bed off.