Body Metal Cracking

[cogburne]

I noticed the sheet metal behind the passenger side rear tire is cracking where the brace attaches to it. It is about 6 inches long now and growing daily. You might expect htis with pounds of mud stuck up there all the time but I keep them cleaned out for this very reason.

Anyway, making a trip to the dealer next week and am going to DEMAND nothing less than a complete new bed. Cutting, welding and then Bondo and paint will not satisfy me.

Kinda upsets one when he finds this on a $40k dollar pickup...

[Mic]

They fixed that from the 2001s.
The 2002 now have two braces back there.

[ 07-23-2002: Message edited by: Mic ]</p>

[DieselsRule]

Are the tool box brackets in as well in the 02's. The bed seem's awful thin on these trucks as compared to my 96. I can't wait to get it sprayed. I am thinking about when I have my liner sprayed (either Line-X or Full Metal Jacket)to have them do the inside wheel wells. Any thoughts? Why can't GM offer the Pro-Tech bed on the HD's or long beds if it is supposed to be as tough as they say it is. After all, the HD's are more likely to get used as a truck then most of the 1500's you see out there.

[hardwood]

Amen, DieselsRule!

I am very disappointed in the bed boxes of the HD trucks. I checked with GM customer service about when/if they will release a long bed version of the Protech bed, but they said there was no immediate plans - it depends on the demand for the bed in the future. So I was forced to order a truck, 2002, with a standard 8 foot fleetside bed. Because of the inadequate bed my truck has, I am in the process of ordering a Bruzer bed and mounting it to replace my OEM bed. I knew about the bed reinforcement kit before I ordered my truck, but later found out that the bed rails are not the only thing that isn't "heavy duty" about these truck beds. If the protech bed was available in a 8 foot version in the heavy duties, I would pay the extra cost in a heartbeat. Just thought I would chime in - I feel the same about the OEM beds.

[DieselsRule]

Hey Hardwood, you can probably get a good buck for your existing bed cause from what I hear they are virutally non existant as replacement crash parts.

[hardwood]

DieselsRule,
I have not found that to be true in my area near Dayton, OH - I can only get around $500 for my pristine bed. I'll just wait, and see if the bed will fetch for more as time goes on. With the reports of the body sheetmetal damage so common on these new Silverados and Sierras, the price may go up with time - I hope. Anyway, I may just keep the bed for resale value, or if I don't need the Bruzer bed someday, I may reinstall it.

I should have just ordered a chassis cab to start with.

[sonofagun]

mic,

Do you have the TSB number?

Thanks,
Bob

[sonofagun]

Thanks Mic.

Bob