Bed sheet metal tearing / welds popping - advice

MesaRat · July 31, 2020

Curious if anyone is experiencing this.

The sheet metal on the upper forward outer corners is tearing and my spot welds (4 of them) nearby have popped apart. The truck has a ladder rack installed, that was purchased through the GM accessory catalog and included with the total purchase price of the truck when bought new.

I do live on a mild-moderate bumpy dirt road and maybe the rack isn't allowing the bed to flex. Not sure. Also, I have never come close to the max capacity of the rack.

I am taking it to the dealer for them to look at, but may have to call my insurance company. My belief is that since it is a GM accessory that was sold with the vehicle, then it's on GM.

Photos show small tears starting on both sides. You can see two holes in each corner pic, the metal is loose and the weld is no loner intact, other pic shows roof rack, corner where tears are starting is a few inches in front of base.

Any advice is appreciated.

redwngr · July 31, 2020

Let us know what they say.

bass mechanic · July 31, 2020

I can tell you right now as an insurance advisor of 17 years there’s no way in hell insurance will cover that.

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MesaRat · July 31, 2020

5 hours ago, bass mechanic said:

I can tell you right now as an insurance advisor of 17 years there’s no way in hell insurance will cover that.

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why not? i have comp, collision, etc. If GM says the rack did it and it's on me then why shouldn't insurance cover?

Edited July 31, 2020 by MesaRat

MesaRat · July 31, 2020

15 hours ago, redwngr said:

Let us know what they say.

local GM dealer doesn't have a body shop and it has to be done by an iCar certified facility. service called closest GM dealer with iCar who over the phone said they won't warranty it b/c I installed the rack. they then called the second closest dealer who said they would take care of it (i also spoke with them on the phone) but i need to drive 150 miles for them to evaluate first. local body shop said they see it all the time for vehicles that don't stay on pavement and have racks installed (all makes too - Ford, GM, Dodge). local body shop said $1500 - take bed off, weld, paint, install, but the bed will be compromised and they suggested no rack installed afterwards. $4500 for new bed paint and install.

rblanch · August 1, 2020

Around here you can get a bed a lot cheaper from the places that install the service bodies on the trucks. I own a service company and when I have the beds installed they only give me 500.00 for a bran new unused bed they take off my bran new truck. I think they sell them for 1.500.00 I would call around in your area for one of these beds. Google Knaphide or Reese truck beds in your area.

MesaRat · August 2, 2020

23 hours ago, rblanch said:

Around here you can get a bed a lot cheaper from the places that install the service bodies on the trucks. I own a service company and when I have the beds installed they only give me 500.00 for a bran new unused bed they take off my bran new truck. I think they sell them for 1.500.00 I would call around in your area for one of these beds. Google Knaphide or Reese truck beds in your area.

body shop mentioned used beds also but it is cheaper to fix existing bed and we discussed them reinforcing it better.

i am weighing two options and probably will be based on what GM does or if I file an insurance claim.

Get bed fixed or replaced and buy a roof rack that I will use with the rear 1/2 of the existing rack as a ladder rack. I believe if I mount any rack that flexes and puts excessive pressure at the front of the bed I will have the same problem again.

Get a utility bed and consider selling existing bed even with damage (body shop said it's a few hours to fix and there will still be demand for it). I would like to mount the backup sensors and camera on it. Not enthralled with the look of it but this maybe a better solution for my needs. (construction).

Stand By · August 2, 2020

Wondering if you drive around with your tailgate down often?

bass mechanic · August 2, 2020

why not? i have comp, collision, etc. If GM says the rack did it and it's on me then why shouldn't insurance cover?

Because comprehensive covers theft flood fire vandalism and collision with birds or animals. Collision covers accidents.
And metal fatigue has absolutely nothing to do with any of these. Your looking for a warranty or a manufacturing defect claim. Insurance is and was never designed to be a warranty or maintenance program if that were the case everyone would be filing claims for that

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MesaRat · August 2, 2020

4 hours ago, Stand By said:

Wondering if you drive around with your tailgate down often?

almost never. did once or twice to carry some long boards and was on pavement 95% of the time.

redwngr · August 2, 2020

Does the rack apply all the load to the top of the bed sides or is there other structure not visible in the pics?

georgecdisc · August 3, 2020

I'm a little confused how the rack is stressing the welds. is the portion of the rack normally over the cab as your picture shows? if so I can see how bumpy roads might cause that to act as a giant lever and act upon the front of bed.

I've got a mesh backrack, but it is not load bearing except for its own weight. mainly there to prevent firewood from bouncing in bed thru the glass window. do you think this would cause similar issues dues to the stiffening (bed can't flex)? seems like stiffening would assist in keeping those welds from popping, but only to lateral loads not front to back.

MesaRat · August 4, 2020

On 8/2/2020 at 4:02 PM, redwngr said:

Does the rack apply all the load to the top of the bed sides or is there other structure not visible in the pics?

no. there's another tower and cross bar and the back.

MesaRat · August 4, 2020

On 8/2/2020 at 6:58 PM, georgecdisc said:

I'm a little confused how the rack is stressing the welds. is the portion of the rack normally over the cab as your picture shows? if so I can see how bumpy roads might cause that to act as a giant lever and act upon the front of bed.

I've got a mesh backrack, but it is not load bearing except for its own weight. mainly there to prevent firewood from bouncing in bed thru the glass window. do you think this would cause similar issues dues to the stiffening (bed can't flex)? seems like stiffening would assist in keeping those welds from popping, but only to lateral loads not front to back.

it was always over the cab as shown.

at the body shop, just grabbing the end of the cantilevered part resulted in flexing the bedrails and slightly moving the metal by the welds. we only put about 20lbs of force on it. i have never actually loaded the cantilever portion as i haven't had anything long enough yet. body shop believed damage could be done just by the jostling of the upper cantilever on the bumpy roads.

redwngr · August 4, 2020

11 hours ago, MesaRat said:

no. there's another tower and cross bar and the back.

I was assuming there were 2 towers.

What I was wondering was are the towers only attached to the tops of the bed rails, or do the towers have structure to put the load (or part of it) directly to where the bed mounts to the frame.