5th wheel hitch bed rail install trouble

I just bought a used truck ('05 2500 shortbed Quad CTD). The original owner had a 5th wheel hitch installed and then removed. The frame brackets are still in place. He just removed the bed rails & hitch. Why the bed rails I don't know. So I'm trying to install the bed rails that came with the truck and I just found that the tube spacer on the right side of the bed is pinched. It looks to me that the original installer never pushed the tube spacer far enough to line up with the hole for the Hex bolt that goes through the rail, bed and threads into the frame. Now the tube spacer is pinched in place. I can't pull it out from the where I can access it (wheel well), where one would push it in. Any ideas on how to get it out? Any ideas on how to expand the bottom of the truck bed?



My rail kit is a Valley mod. 55340. Hope I explained the details enough... anyone out there familiar with my situation?

 

hitch bed rail reinstall .....

IF I understand the question, you have a spacer that isn't where it should be???? Can you loosen the bed bolts front/rear, leftside right side??? and lift it with bar??? If part of this might a large pair of channel locks , vice grips hold it to extend it in place? File or drill with hole saw a round in the end of a piece of pipe push hammer it into place? If I could see it my answers would be better? Hope they help. Use GR *8 bolts and copper cote them.

 

A bodyshop, narrow hydraulic duckbill should fit in there and push it back into shape.



Ron

 

I fixed it! Ball-peen hammer and a long piece of pipe! I was done in 5 minutes! Yeah!

 

Congrats.



The right tool is always the one that works.



Dan

 

A HAMMER is usually is right tool for any job... .