Bed reinforcement kit TSB from GM

[Winston Wolf]

Does anyone know anything about the pickup box reinforcement kit/side panel rear braces? There are TSB's listed for them on the ALLDATA website (TSB#01-08-66-005 JUN 01, and TSB#01-08-66-008 OCT 01).

[mikeb]

Here ya go  

 

Haven't found 008 yet

 

Bulletin No.: 01-08-66-005

 

 

Date: June, 2001

 

 

INFORMATION

 

 

Subject:

Availability of Pickup Box Reinforcement Kits for Toolbox/Rear Window Barrier/Ladder Rack Applications

 

 

Models:

1999-2001 Chevrolet and GMC C/K Pickup Models (Silverado and Sierra) With Fleetside Pickup Box (RPO E63)

 

 

New pickup box reinforcement kits are available for customers who may want to install a cross toolbox, side box, or a ladder rack system as an accessory.

 

 

Important: The reinforcements must be installed before adding a toolbox or ladder rack system. After the reinforcements have been installed, follow the instructions supplied with the toolbox/ladder rack system for installation onto the pickup box.

 

 

Use the following service procedure to install the reinforcements. Use the applicable reinforcement kit part number listed below.

 

 

Toolbox and Rear Window Barrier Applications Only - Front Reinforcement Installation

 

 

Important: The horizontal surfaces of the reinforcements must be flush to the horizontal surface of the pickup box top rail. Use a clamping tool when positioning the reinforcements onto the top rail to ensure flushness to the outer panel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Place the front L-shaped reinforcements into position on the front top of the pickup box. For vehicles equipped with an over the rail bedliner, the bedliner should be removed with the aid of an assistant prior to installing these reinforcements.

 

2. Mark the holes necessary for drilling.

 

3. Remove the front reinforcements.

 

Important: Use a block of wood and/or a drill stop in order to protect the back of the cab while drilling.

 

 

4. Drill two 13.5 mm (0.54 in) holes per side into the box section of the front panel.

 

5. Drill 7.5 mm (0.30 in) holes into the weld flange of the side outer panel.

 

6. Touch-up the drilled holes as necessary using the information found in the applicable Service Manual and GM Refinish Material Booklet # 4901M-D-2001 (English) or # 4901M-D-F2001 (French).

 

7. Place the front reinforcements back onto the box, lining up the drilled holes.

 

8. Install the large shoulder (M8) bolts into the reinforcement and front panel (total of 4) and the small (M6) bolts into the reinforcement and side outer panel (total of 6) with the nuts.

 

 

Tighten

 

 

^ Tighten the M8 bolts to 25 Nm (18 lb ft).

 

^ Tighten the M6 bolts to 9 Nm (79 lb in).

 

 

9. Remove all metal shavings from the pickup box after installation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. Install the bedliner if equipped with the aid of an assistant. The bedliner may need to be trimmed in order to obtain the necessary clearance to the reinforcements.

 

 

 

Ladder Rack Applications Only - Reinforcement Kit Installation

 

 

1. Install the LH and RH front L-shaped reinforcements using the procedure above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Remove the LH and RH rear taillamp assemblies. This is necessary to gain access to install the rearmost bolt of the rear reinforcement.

 

3. Place the LH and RH rear reinforcements into position on the pickup box.

 

4. Mark the holes necessary for drilling and remove the reinforcements.

 

5. Drill 7.5 mm (0.30 in) holes into the weld flange of the side outer panel.

 

6. Touch-up the drilled holes as necessary. Refer to step 6 under Front Reinforcement Installation procedure.

 

7. Place the rear reinforcements back onto the pickup box.

 

8. Install the M6 bolts through the reinforcement and side panel with the nuts.

 

 

Tighten

 

 

Tighten the bolts to 9 Nm (79 lb in).

 

9. Install the LH and RH rear taillamp assemblies.

 

10. Place the LH and RH center reinforcement into position on the pickup box.

 

 

^ On the 2.4 m (8 ft) long pickup box models, this center reinforcement fits over the existing center stake hole.

 

^ On the 2 m (6.5 ft) short box models, these center reinforcements are recommended to be installed. The reinforcements should be centered between the front and rear reinforcements on the pickup box.

 

 

11. Mark the holes necessary for drilling and remove the brackets.

 

12. Drill 7.5 mm (0.30 in) holes into the weld flange of the side outer panel.

 

13. Touch-up the drilled holes as necessary. Refer to step 6 under the Front Reinforcement Installation procedure.

 

14. Place the center reinforcements back onto the pickup box.

 

15. Install the M6 bolts through the reinforcement and side panel with the nuts.

 

 

Tighten

 

 

Tighten the bolts to 9 Nm (79 lb in).

 

16. Remove any metal shavings from the pickup box after installation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parts Information

 

 

Parts are expected to be available 6/22/01 from GMSPO.

 

 

* Maximum Equipment Weight Capacities (equipment and cargo)

 

 

^ Ladder rack and cargo - 364 kg (800 lb)

 

^ Cross toolbox and cargo - 182 kg (400 lb)

 

^ Side boxes and cargo - 159 kg (350 lb) (per side)

 

 

 

* The combined weight for all rail-mounted equipment should not exceed 545 kg (1,200 lb).

[2500hd/cc/bowtie]

just curious,

most tsb`s are fixed at the dealer and they supply the part and do the work..sounds to me like its an add-on we have to do or am i wrong ??? another ?,is this kit given to us or do we have to pay for it..im sorry to say this is discouraging,sounds like the bodies are inadequate to be used as a truck  without modifications..i just picked up a new 01 2500 hd and was about ready to install my headache rack and toolbox..im glad i seen this now ill be calling my dealer to get the kit..thanks for the info..

 

i wonder just how h/d this truck really is??

[2500hd/cc/bowtie]

heres what tsb#01-08-66-008 is for:

release of new pickup box side panel rear braces

1999-2001 chevrolet and gmc c/k pickup models(silverado and sierra) with stell wideside pickup box(rpo e63)

this bulletin is being issued to inform dealers of the release of the new pickup box side panel rear braces for the above vehicles..these new double v-shaped braces have been devoloped to increase the support at the rear of the side panel..

 

some vehicles that are exposed to extensive off-paved use may experience pickup box side panels that become cracked at the rearpencil brace mounting area.

 

after repairing the pickup box side panels,installing the new braces should prevent reoccurrence of the stress cracks.

 

 

i dont have access to a scanner but there was also a pic of the new brace on the tsb..

 

 

 

 

heres the kicker,tsb`s are not recalls so they do nothing..you can buy the parts yourself or wait until you have body damage to get it corrected..

 

how is it i can have the same equipment on a 98 1/2 ton and not have to make any modifications to the body but now when i buy a 2001 2500 h/d i have to buy add on mods to make the truck as durable as my old 1/2 ton..oh gm customer care said that the only thing h/d about the h/d is the drivetrain..ha,ha,ha what a joke..

just loving my new h/d already

[MountaineerTom]

Here's the front reinforcements.  http://www.turbo1.com/hv/Bed_Crack/bed_crack.html

[2500hd/cc/bowtie]

im mounting my headache rack and toolbox without gm`s way of modifying a truck to be a real truck..after i found this out i remembered my headache rack mounts with an 'L' shaped bracket that connects(bolts) the front to the side rails so im not going to worry about it..im just very disapointed in the quality

[DuckhunterInTN]

I saw a truck the other day that was cracked.  A rep for a local ag chemical company has a 1/2 ton Silverado and he put a Rawson-Koenig crossbed box in it.  The box was kept basically empty but within a years time it had messed up.  Oh well.  Glad I still have my 1995 as a real work truck...and if I do end up putting a headache rack and crossbed on my 2000 I will put full length angle iron all around the bed anyways.

[DuckhunterInTN]

P.S.  The truck that I saw looked way worse than the one in the pictures above.  It not only cracked the bed but also basically crushed the bedsides in, which sent dents about halfway down the exterior bedside.  They had to replace/repair and repaint the whole bed on both sides.

[Dihappy]

That is totally unacceptable!

[TxDoc]

This post makes reference to the braces not being installed by the dealer, unless the bed is already cracked.

 

Click Here

[JEBar]

Has this problem been corrected for the 2002 models?  I have an '02 3500 HD Crewcab & have already mounted a tool box.

[DuckhunterInTN]

I'm sure that the problem has not been corrected.  However, your truck has plastic bedsides, so it may not be a problem for you.

[YANKEES]

 

I have a 2002 Chevy HD..was wondering..will putting on Camper Shell cause any stress as the tool box seems to be doing.. I just ordered a A.R.E. Camper Shell and Im worried now that I might get stress cracks after reading these postings. What are your opinions on this?